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Friday, October 24, 2008

When It's Over ... I'm Missing You

It is hard to believe that the 2008 presidential race is finally nearing its end. It has been like political manna for the past 20 months and consumed a larger part of the national conversation and pop culture than past elections. But like most good things, there is an expiration date and that day looms near. Below are some thoughts by Eugene Robinson that struck a responsive chord.

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In a week and a half, it'll be over. What will we do to fill the void in our lives?

Opinion surveys, voter registration totals and cable television ratings indicate that Americans have been engrossed by the marathon presidential campaign. That's no surprise, given the first-in-history nature of the candidacies, the host of crucial problems we face and the sense that the outcome may determine the course -- and the prospects -- of our nation for many years to come.

But there's a fine line between being engrossed and being obsessed, and many of us have crossed it. ...

We're now at a bittersweet point that's analogous to reaching the middle of the final chapter. We want to race ahead and find out what happens. We want to know if our hero -- Obama or McCain -- is victorious. But we also know that when we finally get the answer, we'll have to exit the alternative reality of narrative, atmosphere and emotion that we've inhabited for months. We'll be bereft.

We'll have something to savor, though. After Election Day has come and gone, we -- at least those of us who bother to vote -- will know that the time we spent obsessing about the campaign was worth it. That's because we'll be the ones who decided how the story ended.
Source: Robinson, Eugene. "Last Chapter of a Storybook Campaign," Washington Post, 10/24/08.

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5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

What'll we do to fill the void in our lives?

Go back to talking about LOS ANGELES politics would be nice.

October 24, 2008 8:37 AM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

Ed,

Excellent post. I've been watching presidential elections for three decades now (I remember listening to the electoral vote count on my transistor radio in 1976 and being so glad that Jimmy Carter won) and I never seen an election that has brought out the worst in people, myself included.

I for one will be glad when it's over. Even if Barack Obama wins it won't be long for 2012 and behind every Jimmy Carter is the silver lining of a Ronald Reagan. :) If McCain/Palin win I am sure it won't be long before they piss me off.

I'll be glad for sure when it's over, the holidays will be here soon, I can spend some of the obscene money I made in October (before Obama takes it) on Christmas presents and on the annual Operation Santa project which I always help with.

And it's on to Tony Villar.

October 24, 2008 9:06 AM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

8:37 - when did we ever stop?

October 24, 2008 10:02 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

That was pretty much a meaningless post. Could have been written about the two weeks preceeding any presidential election.

October 24, 2008 11:09 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Former Republican Governor of Massachusetts, William Weld, who had never endorsed a Democrat, has endored Barak Obama.

Weld cited the Obama's good judgment, "deep sense of calm" and "first-class political temperament."

He said that within the last six weeks or so choosing Obama became "close to a no-brainer."

Now, before all you die hard McCain supporters start trashing this Republican too for not being a real Republican, remember that you are the minority party in terms of registration and you really can't afford to begin subdividing your own ranks.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/10/24/former_mass_gov_william_weld_to_endorse_obama_1224835789/

October 24, 2008 11:48 AM  

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