Well, it’s over. I actually went to bed when CNN called Obama the predicted winner. I was in Ohio last week speaking for their Hillel at Case Western Reserve University and I’d like to think I had something to do with Obama taking Ohio, but I’m sure I didn’t.
It was a really tight race, and the first race since having kids that I was able to focus a bit on, since the past eight years of child-rearing have been a blur of breastfeeding, night wakings, and general chaos and mayhem of small people.
I’m not very politically savvy, but I really enjoyed learning more about the electoral system (um, needs work) and the voting process (ditto). I can’t say I understand all the races and all of the details of elections but I tried hard to learn a little bit this year and I felt prepared when I voted for all of the various propositions and such. I felt empowered.
I cried when I watched Obama’s acceptance speech this morning. When he thanked his wife and told her how he loves that the country has fallen in love with her like he did, I cried. And the smile on his face made me smile and cry, too. I believe in the principles of the Democratic party and I’m happy “my guy” won.
I also watched Governor Romney’s concession speech. That made me cry, too. I’m sort of a softie underneath all of my scroogey-ness and “walls” I put up. I don’t agree with most of Romney’s ideas and policies. I don’t ever seem to agree with the Republican party, actually, but I know and love a lot of Republicans and I respect Governor Romney.
I saw the sadness in his eyes as he was so gracious to President Obama in his speech. There’s real people under our public figures, and I saw a bit of the person who is the man who lost a really big expensive bid for the presidency when Romney spoke. I can barely handle getting an email from my manager saying I didn’t get an acting job; I can’t imagine having to tell millions of people you lost the bid to be president live on TV. It makes me nauseous to even picture getting onto stage; you’d have to literally carry me out to that podium!
I hope Democrats and Republicans and all of our politicians can stop bickering long enough to try and fix the very real problems of our country and our world. That’s my hope as we move forward into the next four years.
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