Do Your Duty

This morning:

Me: "Come on, boys. We have to get our coats on. Let's go!"
Joey: "Where are we going?"
Me: "Mumma has to go and vote."
Joey: "We are going on a boat?"
Tommy: "Oh! A boat!"
Me: "No, no, honey. Mummy is VOTING today."
Joey: "Boating? That's what I just said!"
Tommy: "YEAH! A boat like up north? I love that boat!"
Me: "No, sweetie. I said va, va, va, voting. Not ba, ba, boating. Voting. Remember last time? At that school? The ladies gave you flag stickers?"
Joey: "I want to go boating!"
Tommy: "Are we going boating?"
Me: sigh

I don't know why we have this conversation every time I take them with me to vote. I've literally taken them with me at least a half dozen times already in their short little lives, and yet the conversation is always the same. Poor kids. A flag sticker is just never as exciting as boating.

I was pretty excited to see the turnout, however. There were far more people there than I expected for a primary. It was so good to see. No matter who you are voting for you have to be pretty excited about the interest in this race. For the first time ever we have an African American AND a woman running. That is exciting stuff! Little by little, we are getting there, my friends.

As much as I think it would be amazing to have a woman president I have to admit that I've never liked Hillary Clinton. I don't agree with her stance on most issues, and to be honest, she is a little scary. She always reminded me of a crazy neighbor I had growing up. I think it stemmed from those grainy videos of her in a crazy fist-shaking, screaming match from the late 70's, early 80's. Yipes. I know she has toned that down quite a bit, but you can tell it is still there.

Then we have Mike Huckabee. Maybe this is unfair, but do you really think we would ever have a President Huckabee? I mean REALLY. Come on. Huckabee? Sheesh. How do you get any respect with that name? You might as well be President Fudd. Okay. That's a little harsh. Huckabee seems like a genuinely nice guy with a great sense of humor. But I just don't see it. Of course, Bush isn't exactly a great name either, now is it?

Next up is Barack Obama. It is a bit disturbing to me when I see people crying uncontrollably and passing out at his rallies. Just strange. I'm sure he is a great man, but he is not the second coming. He is a politician running for president. Breath people. Obama is just a bit too liberal for me and my conservative ways. But I do get a kick out of his campaign commercials. They crack me up! I actually saw one that said something like, "I will fix our broken school system, and I will solve our medical crisis, and I will end global warming." Hehehe. I thought that was funny. What about putting my kids to bed every night? And maybe shoveling everyone's sidewalk in America? Or better yet, why don't you just guarantee that it never snows again. Can he do that too? He is amazing! ;)

That brings me to John McCain. I am a John McCain supporter. I was rooting for McCain when he ran in the primaries 8 years ago. I feel (and always felt) that he is the only person who has a record voting on a cause by cause, policy by policy basis. He doesn't just tow the party line. Democrats like him, and Republicans like him. We need someone who can bridge the gap. I think he is that person. I don't agree with all of his ideas (I don't know if there is such a thing as a perfect candidate), but I'm on board with the majority. If there will be any change in this country it will have to be made by bringing the two parties together first. No change will be made if there is such division among us. And yes, the man is almost elderly, but if he can keep up with these crazy primary schedules I think he could handle anything.

I used to get my undies all in a bunch when my candidate didn't win. I would throw temper tantrums and stomp my feet spewing how the country is going to hell in a hand basket. But the truth is that each and every one of these candidates are all just trying to do what they think is best for this country. I do not believe anyone will ruin this great country. And I do not believe anyone will be the savior of this country. They are each just trying to do what is right, though they have different ideas of what that might be.

And yes. I know I am putting myself out there by saying I am conservative (big surprise) and a McCain supporter. I know the majority of you are Obama supporters. I'm just hoping that even though you don't agree with me, we can all just get along. No matter who the new president turns out to be I hope we can all just buck up and give that person the respect that the position deserves. And no matter who you want to win, just get out there and VOTE!

Do I have something on my nose?

I'm starting a new trend.

Okay. So you have to be "cool" to start a trend, so what. And, yes. I know I'm a nerd. You don't have to tell me. I'm perfectly fine with it. Really, I am. Sniff, sniff.
And, um, please excuse the hair. I had a hat on for half the morning.

Disclaimer: Please know that I take my voting privilege very seriously, and would never pick a candidate solely on their name or whether they are a bit scary or not. I was just trying to add a smidge of humor to a touchy subject.