It's Monday night, the night before the election. I vote in the morning. I like voting; I really do consider it to be a civic duty. While it's tempting to say that this election matters is extremely important - and it is - I'm not sure that elections are ever unimportant. In my own voting lifetime, 1992 seemed like a given, as did 1996, but maybe that's my own ignorance talking. The 2000 election, for all is endgame drama, didn't seem important at all at the time, but certainly was in retrospect. 2004 was the first election I really felt emotionally vested in, and based on those results, I have been withholding myself a bit in this election.
I was a Hilary supporter. For all her flaws (real and perceived) I thought she was the best candidate. I still do. I think Obama ran a better campaign. And let's be clear, I don't think Obama is a bad candidate. I just thought Hilary was better.
On the Republican side, I feel much more strongly about Sarah Palin than I do about John McCain. I can criticize McCain's policies and his campaign just as easily as I might criticize Obama's, but the inclusion of Sarah Palin has got to be the most laugh-out-loud disturbing move that could sway me one way or another. It's easy to say she's stupid, naive, or whatever - if that were all true, then you wouldn't have to worry much about her possible tenure in the White House. I think she is smart, politically savvy, and very focused on achieving the White House. I wouldn't really be concerned otherwise.
In any case, I vote tomorrow morning before going to work. In many ways, my vote doesn't matter; New York is solidly Democratic, so it's a given that Obama will get New York. I have a midterm tomorrow night; after that, it's of to the pub to watch the results with all the other downtown rabble-rousers.
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