Hopeful

I've been hunkered down with inauguration coverage. I TiVo'd one channel. Watched another channel. Stayed up too late watching inaugural balls. Watched parts again. Watched Daily Shows and various analysis. And now I'm kind of burnt out.

Can you tell Dean was out of town?

New hope

On Tuesday night we kept the kids up to watch Obama and McCain -- both beautiful and graceful speeches in victory and defeat. We tried to convey how you can disagree with people and still not believe them evil. How in this country, the campaign might be a fierce fight but when it is all done we hope and try to reconcile in the end. We try to be one America.

We tried to convey the moment -- how incredible it was to see an African-American elected president for the first time in our country's history. We tried to convey that it was more than that. That we felt that hope had won (I can't believe I'm quoting Oprah. Someone send help.). We talked about how if we lived in or near Chicago we would have bundled up the kids and dragged them out there.

But our history was on the couch -- Mom's and Dad's hands meeting as we wrapped our arms around two little boys and prayed that it would be different.

Election Day

Life without idealism is empty indeed. We must have hope or starve to death. --Pearl Buck

This is it. It's Election Day. It's really still Monday night creeping toward dawn. I'm avoiding going to sleep. When I wake up will it finally be Election Day? Will it be historic? Will it be unbelievable?

Olympics

Speaking of the City Council meeting: The council honored 4 of the 5 Olympic medalists from Santa Clarita. I'm surprised we have that many medalists from the Beijing games. I believe two of them had competed in multiple Olympics (two or three and were looking forward to 2012).

Of course Rep. Buck McKeon was there along with representatives from our other local offices. With all those politicians around you can see why Neil thought there might be an Obama or a McCain. It was nice that McKeon actually showed up in person vs. sending someone from the office.

At the mayor's suggestion, Chrystl Bustos, David Neville, Alyson Felix and Kim Rhode wore their medals and walked around the chambers with them. The boys thought it was awesome. 

Chrystl Bustos was really kind. She came over to the boys and let them touch them and she said nice things.

Time for our citizen badge

The Cub Scouts lead the flag salute at last night's Santa Clarita City Council meeting. I'd add a photo, but as I was standing at the back of the room ready to take their photo standing up front somehow I forgot that people usually stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance so when the entire room stood up, I was surprised that I couldn't even see my kid let alone take his picture. Somehow, I'm thinking I could have thought that through a little better.

But as we were sitting there, watching a little of the meeting, Neil seemed to realize he was surrounded by politicians. I know the feeling. It's like the hair on the back of your neck stands up and you start to itch.

Neil was scanning the room. He even moved around trying to check things out. Finally, when he couldn't find what he wanted, he asked Dad: "When are we going to see Obama or McCain?"

No more presidential debates for 5-year-olds.

How old did you say you were?

Informal chat at church on Sunday turned to FDR -- not history book discussion, but memories and real-life experience with the president.

Gynecological twin

Sarah Palin has a vagina, so I'm voting for her! 

That's the Republican Party plan, right? All you need is a gynecological twin (thank you Samantha B. on the Daily Show) and all those supposedly disenfranchised Hillary voters are yours for the taking!

"It turns out the women in America aren't finished yet..." I can still hear Gov. Palin at the VP announcement press conference. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure Hillary supporters weren't just voting for her because she has two X chromosomes.

But maybe the Republican Party thinks women are that stupid. Maybe those currently in charge of it think women will just look at her boobs and the school marm look, and they will ignore the deep, deep, deep ideological divide between the two.

I'm kind of disappointed. The Republican Party is usually better at marketing than this. I would have expected it from the Democratic Party...

Politics

I have overloaded on Democratic convention watching, checking many channels' coverage through the wonders of TiVo (yeah, I know it's weird, but the old opinion editor/journalist in me has not completely died) and I have to say, "I hate the media." Old Media and its buffoons are embarrassing. I don't think there was a single commentator on TV who was worth listening too. They bashed one way, then they bashed the next way just to have something to say -- though I'm not sure they were actually listening to themselves.

Are we sure James Carville is a Dem? He was ridiculous (even more so than usual). CNN's lineup on the convention floor plus all the graphic crap on the screen ALL the time was asinine. Do I really need the barometer of noise from the convention floor the entire time CNN is on the air? They even kept that crap on the screen during commercials.

Thankfully, there's been lots of Daily Show and Stephen Colbert skewering politicians and media personalities.

I feel ready for the Republican convention in St. Paul.

Super Tuesday

Are you voting today? I am. I'm even dropping off my husband's absentee ballot (He is in the great state of Georgia today). I'm still debating who to choose in the Democratic primary. I want to LOVE Hillary, but I don't. My gut has reservations about her and I'm not sure why. My husband on the other hand seems to have no problem with Hillary. It was an easy choice for him. Shouldn't it be easy for a woman to vote for the potential first female president of the United States? You would think so.