Election Night

VOTER TURNOUT:

I've never seen anything like this in my life. This is my seventh presidential election. Most of those were characterized by voter apathy with low voter turnout. Today is just the opposite. People are engaged. Many who have never voted before, voted today. There is energy in the air. I see it in my students, I see it in the polling place. As we ate at Applebees tonight, 9 out of 10 people who walked in the door, had I voted stickers on. It is cool.

RACE:

Though I don't think of myself as old, I guess as an about to be grandpa maybe I am. I grew up in a time when my parents and grandparents were outwardly racist. I've seen racism both blatant and subtle at work throughout most of my life. Now we are on the verge of having a black president. Heck I'll call it right now - at this moment Obama leads 102 to 34 - Obama will win.  This is amazing. I couldn't be prouder to call myself an American. Sure racism is still out there, but more than 50% of Americans are looking past race to elect a black man to our highest office.

TRANSFORMATIONAL FIGURE:

Last week, Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama saying "I think he is a transformational figure".  

As a child, my grandmother talked about JFK as if he walked on water. Kennedy was a transformational president. In my life, the closest we have come is Reagan. I voted for him. He instilled in me a great level of patriotism which led to my joining the military.

I agree with Colin Powell and I have great hope that this president will transform our country in ways that we cannot yet mention - "Change We Can Believe In".

TBL:

I hope you voted. Of the seven elections I've voted in, my candidate was unsuccessful 3 times. Life goes on whether our candidate wins or not. But by voting, we are making our effort to have our voice heard.

P.S. JP - The other night I drove past Khan's Mongolian Barbeque in Park Rapids and thought about the time we ate there - that must be over 10 years ago already!