Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Funny and Not So Funny Moments on the Political Scene

1. A friend attended an Obama meeting in the week following the R convention. Everyone was feeling so blue, she said. So the young organizer had them all close their eyes and do a little meditation in which they relaxed, breathed deeply, and pictured Obama winning. It was a combination of Wayne Dyer and Zen and Obama fever.

2. My 91 year old mother called to tell me her 88 year old friend was knocking on doors for Obama. Wow, I said. I thought she'd identify with McCain. Oh no, Mom said. He's much too old and feeble.

3. Jim suggested I trade the political signs in people's yards on Halloween. I thought about it. But then I thought again--I could only do it in the dark. And there's that guy with a gun collection on the corner . . . I thought he might shoot me if I traded his McCain sign with the Obama across the street.

4. Jim is working as a poll-watcher today. When he arrived at the church in Youngstown where he is to observe, the church representative asked him to leave the premises and called the cops. When the police arrived, they informed this man that he had to allow Jim to enter (duh). He was nice enough after that--though he gave him a little talk on the ten commandments--a least until some of his church members started circling voters and handing out religious materials, complete with advice on how to vote--and then asking them to pray. When Jim called the Obama headquarters, they sent a Board of Elections rep. who came and told the church to curtail their activities.

2 comments:

Dan Ehrman said...

#4 - that's quite the pathetic show for your local clergy. Sorry your husband had to deal with such crazy ignorance so pervasive among religious zealots.

On a positive note, it was an exciting day in Chicago as many friends gathered for the rally in Grant Park. Obama's acceptance speech was right up there with the address he gave at the Democratic national convention that initially catapulted him to the national stage.

A proud day for America. A moment of hope in the midst of crisis.

Thanks as always for your poetic innovative insights.

Nin Andrews said...

Great to hear from you Dan! I can't imagine what it was like for Illinois. I'm still overwhelmed with emotion here.