Ohio, thy name is uncertainty
Nov. 3 - The radio station I listen to during breaks at work was calling it for Kerry last night, but I remained serene and didn't respond to the cheering from my (Canadian) co-workers. I had reached the comfort level of knowing that there was absolutely nothing I could do to change the outcome and I will willing to let the people decide without anger or (much) regret.
Okay, you want the truth? I had a bad feeling when I left for work that the president was going to lose this one and had already decided on stoicism. Knowing there would be some subtle jabbing had prepared me to take it all with a rueful smile. It wasn't a courage thing but a prideful thing.
Then, when I got off this morning I learned that the president had won the popular vote (and that is one terrific boost!) and that Ohio was unable to declare a winner due to provisional ballots which left the election results undecided.
If you are looking for polished prose, go to any of the fine names on my blogroll because, in all honesty, I'm stuck somewhere between laughter, frustration, euphoria, and love for my crazy country.
However, if I hear Donna Brazile or any other Democrat say "this president" again I'm going to um, use coarse language. Yeah, that's it. I'll curse 'em heartily.
9:01: I'm finally starting to read and digest the incredible impact of this election. Bush has 51% of the vote. Republicans held onto the White House and increased their majorities in the Senate and House.
Maybe this is the most important victory, though, as commenter mikem said:
... and a final belated and well deserved victory for Vietnam veterans.
That's the part that hurt most during the hours of doubt last night: a sense of having betrayed our soldiers and elected someone they rightly despised as their Commander-in-Chief. The pundits will be analyzing this election
ad nauseum but I doubt they will understand how profoundly the American soldier influenced this election.
And speaking of our soldiers, Greyhawk has a series of posts (start here and keep clicking to each post on the right.) I dare you not to cry.
Bill Whittle has a short post up:
It's Bush. Thank God, it's Bush.
Don't hold back, Bill, tell us how you really feel!
He also has some ideas for what we need to do over the next four years. No resting on our laurels, I guess.
Posted by: Debbye at
07:44 AM
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1
An incredible victory. Across the board increases (House, Senate, Governorships and of course the White House) and a final belated and well deserved victory for Vietnam veterans.
Posted by: mikem at November 03, 2004 08:09 AM (EzNXf)
2
Hurray for the Union!!!
Posted by: Dex at November 03, 2004 12:14 PM (fA5su)
3
I fail to see why it is such a "great victory". A two percent victory is not exactly a glowing, gloatable, indication of celebration is it? It is almost as much of a victory as the current Liberal minority government. Wouldnt all you ex-Patriots feel better if it was a 10 or 25 percent difference between democrat and republican?
Posted by: sean at November 03, 2004 04:40 PM (GN3Xe)
4
What a great victory! The first candidate in 16 years (since his father's victory) to win an outright majority of the US popular vote!
From the movie
Team America, "America! Fuck Yeah!"
Posted by: Magnifico at November 03, 2004 06:14 PM (c8h7j)
5
One big thing President Bush needs to do is begin shepherding and training several understudies. We need some dedicated, courageous, and rational conservatives to begin planning to oppose H. Clinton in 2008.
Posted by: Timbre at November 03, 2004 07:13 PM (hUD7d)
6
Sean, your question I think reflects the differences between the US and Canadian systems and organizational structures of government and our political parties.
Americans don't vote on party lines to the extent of Canadians. We tend to vote on the person, which is why so many of us are registered Independent which on the downside precludes us from voting in primaries in many states.
Had Bush won the presidency but the Dems took the Senate and/or House, it would have been a lesser victory because the public would have been sending a clear message of confidence in him but a desire to put the brakes on other issues. (I tend to label it our form of coalition government.)
Our President is not the equivalent of a Prime Minister, but the Chief Executive of the nation in every sense and implication of that title. Laws originate in Congress, not the Oval Office.
The President is not a member of Congress as the PM is of Parliament and doesn't even interact on a day to day level or direct their affairs.
Steven den Beste once wrote an essay (or is that redundant?) that explained some of the major features of that intereaction between our 3 legs of government. I'll try to look it up and link to it in a future post. You may find it interesting.
Posted by: Debbye at November 09, 2004 07:50 AM (Wz4ik)
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