The Precipice of History
Tonight is election eve, what Andrew Sullivan is calling the "calm before the storm". Tomorrow history will be made, one way or another. Either we will see the election of the first African-American president, the first president from Hawaii, or we will see the oldest first term president in history, as well as the first female vice president.
This has been, without a doubt, the most amazing presidential campaign of my lifetime. I work in the movie business, I've read a lot of screenplays and novels, and the 2008 election has more drama than 99% of them. It is truly an epic election. Of course, it needs to come home with a happy ending, which means the election of Barack Obama. If McCain wins, the story is spoiled by the sort of sad, depressing ending that is typically found in forgettable art house pictures or box office bombs like "The Mist".
Since I've read both of Barack Obama's books and have followed politics rather closely since about 1992, I'm well aware of the lengthy prologue to this election. The rise and fall of Bill Clinton. The rise and fall of the Republican Congress. The stealing of the 2000 election by Bush and his cronies, followed by eight years of corruption, mismanagement, partisan thuggery, incompetence and war crimes. I watched Obama's 2004 convention speech live, I blogged the 2004 election at Daily Kos, and of course we all felt that heavy blow when Bush somehow, someway won that election against a clearly superior opponent. The country was immediately disillusioned with its choice. Once the Swift Boat ads were off the air, once the spinmeisters had gone home, people were left with President George W. Bush and realized they'd been swindled. His approval ratings fell under 50% almost from the day he took the oath a second time, and they haven't recovered since. The epic failure of the Republican party led to the Democratic party's landslide victories in 2006.
And then...2008. Good God this has been a long, grueling, amazing, unforgettable race. From the Iowa upsets by Obama and Huckabee, to the McCain resurgence and the Romney flame-out, to the endless Obama-Clinton war with its neverending drama, of which the highlight was clearly the Rev. Wright episode and Obama's historic speech on race relations, it was a primary season for the ages. Obama vs. Clinton was truly a battle of the titans, a clash for the heart and future of the Democratic party. The better person won, the better campaign won, but I have to give Hillary some credit -- she proved herself a fighter and she made Obama a stronger candidate in the process.
The general election campaign started way back in June, with McCain's green-screen fiasco and Obama's "fist jab" celebration in St. Paul. Compared to the Obama-Hillary race, this was like watching Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. One candidate is cool, collected, one step ahead of the game. The other is a befuddled old bald guy who can't shoot straight and makes gaffes every time he opens his mouth. Obama went on a grand tour of the war zones and Europe, while McCain rode in a golf cart with Poppy Bush and knocked over apple sauce in a grocery store.
In August things got even better. Obama chilled out in Hawaii and picked Joe Biden after an extensive vetting process, while McCain basically put off any deliberations until the last minute. Obama had an extremely successful convention highlighted by Hillary, Bill, Michelle and himself, while McCain was in Arizona meeting his surprise VP for only the second time in his whole life. Sarah Palin. Jesus I still can't believe he really picked her. What a gift she's been to Obama, without Obama even having to attack her. Palin is dumber than Bush, more confident than Bush, and even more vicious than Bush. She's a dream come true for the rabid social conservatives, and a nightmare for anyone with a brain. McCain may have lost the election with the pick of Palin -- we'll see tomorrow.
And since Labor Day, well, it's been quite a ride. A huge financial meltdown followed by the duel meltdowns of Palin (w/ Katie Couric) and McCain (w/ David Letterman and the suspension of his campaign). Obama suddenly looked like the steady hand, whereas McCain and Palin looked like Amateur Hour. It was really pathetic and sad to see, but also wonderful for those tired of the McCain campaign's petty distractions. Suddenly the election was about real issues, it was about Bush's legacy, it was about "What the fuck do we do now?"
Three presidential debates, with McCain looking progressively angrier and older in each one, while Palin tried but failed to overcome the damage wrought to her image by Tina Fey and Katie Couric. McCain and Palin have continued to campaign, they've trotted out Joe the Republican Asshole, but they've been the walking dead for about a month now.
Perhaps tomorrow will bring a miracle for the Republicans and a crushing blow to Democrats, but I don't think so. That would be the biggest upset in at least 100 years, and an epic failure by every polling organization in existence. The next 30 hours will be some of the most exciting of the year, perhaps the decade. Grab the popcorn and hope for a happy ending.
This has been, without a doubt, the most amazing presidential campaign of my lifetime. I work in the movie business, I've read a lot of screenplays and novels, and the 2008 election has more drama than 99% of them. It is truly an epic election. Of course, it needs to come home with a happy ending, which means the election of Barack Obama. If McCain wins, the story is spoiled by the sort of sad, depressing ending that is typically found in forgettable art house pictures or box office bombs like "The Mist".
Since I've read both of Barack Obama's books and have followed politics rather closely since about 1992, I'm well aware of the lengthy prologue to this election. The rise and fall of Bill Clinton. The rise and fall of the Republican Congress. The stealing of the 2000 election by Bush and his cronies, followed by eight years of corruption, mismanagement, partisan thuggery, incompetence and war crimes. I watched Obama's 2004 convention speech live, I blogged the 2004 election at Daily Kos, and of course we all felt that heavy blow when Bush somehow, someway won that election against a clearly superior opponent. The country was immediately disillusioned with its choice. Once the Swift Boat ads were off the air, once the spinmeisters had gone home, people were left with President George W. Bush and realized they'd been swindled. His approval ratings fell under 50% almost from the day he took the oath a second time, and they haven't recovered since. The epic failure of the Republican party led to the Democratic party's landslide victories in 2006.
And then...2008. Good God this has been a long, grueling, amazing, unforgettable race. From the Iowa upsets by Obama and Huckabee, to the McCain resurgence and the Romney flame-out, to the endless Obama-Clinton war with its neverending drama, of which the highlight was clearly the Rev. Wright episode and Obama's historic speech on race relations, it was a primary season for the ages. Obama vs. Clinton was truly a battle of the titans, a clash for the heart and future of the Democratic party. The better person won, the better campaign won, but I have to give Hillary some credit -- she proved herself a fighter and she made Obama a stronger candidate in the process.
The general election campaign started way back in June, with McCain's green-screen fiasco and Obama's "fist jab" celebration in St. Paul. Compared to the Obama-Hillary race, this was like watching Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. One candidate is cool, collected, one step ahead of the game. The other is a befuddled old bald guy who can't shoot straight and makes gaffes every time he opens his mouth. Obama went on a grand tour of the war zones and Europe, while McCain rode in a golf cart with Poppy Bush and knocked over apple sauce in a grocery store.
In August things got even better. Obama chilled out in Hawaii and picked Joe Biden after an extensive vetting process, while McCain basically put off any deliberations until the last minute. Obama had an extremely successful convention highlighted by Hillary, Bill, Michelle and himself, while McCain was in Arizona meeting his surprise VP for only the second time in his whole life. Sarah Palin. Jesus I still can't believe he really picked her. What a gift she's been to Obama, without Obama even having to attack her. Palin is dumber than Bush, more confident than Bush, and even more vicious than Bush. She's a dream come true for the rabid social conservatives, and a nightmare for anyone with a brain. McCain may have lost the election with the pick of Palin -- we'll see tomorrow.
And since Labor Day, well, it's been quite a ride. A huge financial meltdown followed by the duel meltdowns of Palin (w/ Katie Couric) and McCain (w/ David Letterman and the suspension of his campaign). Obama suddenly looked like the steady hand, whereas McCain and Palin looked like Amateur Hour. It was really pathetic and sad to see, but also wonderful for those tired of the McCain campaign's petty distractions. Suddenly the election was about real issues, it was about Bush's legacy, it was about "What the fuck do we do now?"
Three presidential debates, with McCain looking progressively angrier and older in each one, while Palin tried but failed to overcome the damage wrought to her image by Tina Fey and Katie Couric. McCain and Palin have continued to campaign, they've trotted out Joe the Republican Asshole, but they've been the walking dead for about a month now.
Perhaps tomorrow will bring a miracle for the Republicans and a crushing blow to Democrats, but I don't think so. That would be the biggest upset in at least 100 years, and an epic failure by every polling organization in existence. The next 30 hours will be some of the most exciting of the year, perhaps the decade. Grab the popcorn and hope for a happy ending.
posted by Existenz | 6:25 PM
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