Best of YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME

The Sapulpa Daily Herald's response:

"Members of the Afro-American community have been very vocal about the Herald’s failure to put Barack Obama’s win in the Wednesday edition after the elections."

Afro-American??

I think white and brown and red and black people were offended by the omission of the RESULTS OF THE HISTORICAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Who wants to go protest? I've got shirts and signs and white skin, to show them that not just the members of the "Afro-American community" are pissed. I am, too.

Best of Questions

Where were you when you found out we made history?

I first found out that we were leaning toward good news in my car in Claremore, when I wasn't in front of a computer or television, but thank GOD Giles was twittering, and I called him as soon as I knew they called his home state of Ohio.

When the newscasters called it for Obama, I was in Arnies in Tulsa, Oklahoma, drinking a Blue Moon with Micah Strongrope. His friend grabbed us to come to the big screen, the entire bar cheered, and everyone near the bartender took a free shot. Not quite as exciting as dancing in the streets in DC, but perfect for me. I texted Grant, left in time to record the speech for us to watch when he got home, and we shared a bottle of champagne.

Oklahoma, you've been warned, you are very disappointing. Nation, thanks for representing.

Best of Results

President-Elect Obama.

Best of Voting

It's almost over, it's almost oooooover. Ban-nan-uh-nan-nan-uh! It's almost OVER! IT'S ALMOST OOOOOOOOVER!!!

I made up this song this weekend, and if you're nice, I might sing it to you. Right now, Whitters in WINDIANA is the only one who has heard it, because I want to keep her motivated and working hard for THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, a certain Barack Obama.

I've been singing it in my head (and in my car or office if I'm alone) just to get through the days leading up to the election. And now it's down to ONE DAY.

I went to vote early on Friday morning with Grant at the Creek County Election Board, and there was a line. The doors opened at 8am, and at 9:30am, when we voted, I was number 250. Pretty damn cool. When we got back in the car, Henry had taken my seat (it is important to take your kids to the polls with you so they grow up thinking it is a normal activity - THAT IT'S JUST WHAT YOU DO), so we shared it on the way home. I told Grant that I had waited so long for that day, to get to vote, and he asked how long. FOUR YEARS, PEOPLE.

For four years, my daily life and work has directly or indirectly centered around this moment.

It's hard to work in a field where compensation does not even come close to equaling time and energy. It's hard to work in a field when you are expected to work during the regular work day, and then keep working when you can reach voters when they are at home, on nights and weekends and holidays. It's hard to work in a field that you are not supposed to talk about at the dinner table.

That last part is what drives me crazy. I work hard for something I believe in, but it is off limits for polite conversations. I'm trying to change at least my part of the world for the better, but I shouldn't talk about it. What the hell? Why is it, in America, that we can fervently support sports teams (Go Sooners!), wear shirts, paint our faces, put flags on our cars and our yards, and that is not crazy, but wearing a political shirt or having a yard sign or bumper sticker or wanting to talk to your friends, family and neighbors about something that actually affects them is?

It's not too late. Put out a yard sign. Let people know your views. You don't have to be afraid to be a Democrat anymore. Tell your family that you are voting for change. Make phone calls and tell complete strangers why they should, too. Knock on your neighbors' doors, or in a completely different part of town, and tell them to vote for Obama. Be a part of history. It's not too late.

But it's almost over.

I'm predicting an Obama win and hoping that dedication equals victory in House District 9 in Claremore USA (knock on wood, cross fingers, hope and pray). BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, WE GET A NEW PRESIDENT AND GEORGE W. BUSH IS OUTTA HERE!!!

(Ban-nan-uh-nan-nan-uh!)

Best of Pumpkins

Our Obama pumpkin was just on YesWeCarve.com! I think they might have been shocked that it is sitting on a porch in (the reddest state ever - seriously, only here and Tennessee is McCain IMPROVING right now) Oklahoma, so we got chosen as one of the pumpkins featured today.

Best of Posters

I just visited the cutest baby for Obama tonight. He is so tiny and so sweet and so good, but I will wait to write more about that incredible experience until I can link to some pictures from Tim (hint, hint, I mean I know you aren't busy at all with a newborn).

In other Obama news, my best friend sent me really cool posters that will soon be framed. And THEN, I just found this site, and I think I will stay sane through the election countdown (TWELVE DAYS!) by putting up a different one each day on my facebook.

I wanted to post this one here.


Vote hope, not fear. Vote OBAMA.

Best of Seth, Volume Two (Political Edition)

We are 15 days from a history-changing election, for better or for worse. My brother is voting for Obama, and last night in an email I found out he is campaigning for his friends to do so as well. He is the chair of his precinct, and I can't wait for him to get to vote in his first presidential election.

I talked to mom about it today, and she told me that he told her he was voting for Obama, and then asked her who she was supporting in the Corporation Commissioner race. (SO PROUD that he even knows that race is on the ballot.) She said she was supporting Roth, and he told her he was thinking about supporting Murphy. (SO PROUD that he even knows the names of the candidates running.) She asked him why, and he said it seemed like she had more experience. (SO PROUD that he knows about her background, even though she's not up much on TV.) That doesn't seem like many 19 year olds, now does it?

But he better still fucking vote for Roth.

Best of Authors

I love authors. As I told Whitters tonight, they are my movie stars.

From Michael Chabon*, author of so many books you should read - Wonder Boys, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, The Yiddish Policeman's Union:

"One of the things that had served to discourage me over the course of the primary season was a general acceptance of the premise that oratory was a specious, feckless, inherently untrustworthy art. The Obama camp would rightly dispute the charge of offering only “pretty words,” but they never seemed to argue the larger truth: that ultimately words were all we had; that writing and oratory, argument and persuasion, were the root of democracy; that words can kill, or save us; something along those lines. “You can only say what you can first imagine,” as I heard Tobias Wolff (the short-story master, not the Obama campaign adviser) explain to a group of people at an Obama fund-raiser. It was a mark of Obama’s fitness to lead, to me at least, that he possessed sufficient natural reserves of imagination to kick oratorical ass." (via The Morning News)

*Holy shit, apparently he was at the convention. AND NOBODY TOLD ME. If you hear that Dave Eggers was there, just make sure I don't find out.

Best of Convention

Apparently I go to Denver and forget all about you or the fact I have a blog. That, or I am working so much that I get finished just in time to go to a late night party and probably stay out too late, only to have to get up a short 3 or 4 hours later. I'm working hard and playing hard, and I think that's the way this is supposed to be done. I LOVE Denver. It hasn't been too hot, the light rail system is great, and there are Democrats everywhere.


The absolute highlight of my trip so far was getting to be in the room when Michelle Obama gave her amazing speech. I wasn't supposed to be. I had an Arena pass, which, while better than a Perimeter pass that only gets you to the parking lot of the Pepsi Center, got me in the building. But that's all. I could stand at the door and look over heads to see the speakers, but couldn't step forward. I stood there for over an hour, watching everyone lead up on Monday night to the wonderful finale, and a volunteer, Trudy from California, felt so sorry for me, she let me in to hear Michelle. Trudy's got some good karma coming her way. I got goosebumps and felt like I was a part of history. Then I went to a Sex, Politics and Cocktails party hosted by Planned Parenthood (that someone keeps referring to as the Sex in the City party -- it wasn't) that really rocked. Great music, great food, cool swag, and an open bar. All absolutely free. Plus, Grant and I were the last ones let in before it hit capacity AND he got us VIP passes to the upstairs. Still missed Ashley Judd, so maybe I shouldn't even go home to face my dad.

I went to an EMILY's List event yesterday and before my body was run down so much that I had to leave it and throw up, I got to hear Hillary give another graceful speech and Nancy Pelosi raise hell.

I think this is my mecca.

Best of Presidential Candidates

OBAMA

(That's all I wanted to say)