Election Day

11/4/2008 6:57 PM

I'm so anxious about the election that I just have to write to be doing SOMETHING. I wish I had a party to go to or something. It's so nerve-wracking to be alone, knowing that it will be HOURS until we know if our next president is Barack Obama.

I went downtown to "see" Obama last Sunday. The photo above is of the crowd around me. The event was advertised as "doors opening" (in an outdoor venue?) at 2PM, and I had a 2PM rehearsal way south of the city. On the way home from rehearsal through the downtown, I decided to check out the rally site and see if it was over. It was 5:30 PM, dark, and drizzling. The Browns/Ravens football game had just let out, and traffic was streaming out from the downtown, in the opposite direction than I was going. Suddenly I was driving down Superior Avenue in the heart of downtown, surrounded by crowds packed in the park-like malls on either side of the street. I rolled down the window and heard Bruce Springsteen singing "The Rising." I pulled into the closest open garage, which was charging $20 to park. I was willing to pay it, but didn't have the cash. Outside I could hear Michelle Obama being introduced. I pulled out of the garage, frantic to find a parking spot. I turned on to Lakeside, where most of the rally was taking place. Parking Karma was with me; right in front of me was a metered spot, with a bag over the meter saying "no parking." I figured that the Cleveland Police were too busy protecting Obama to write me a ticket, and parked. I could hear Barack Obama making his opening comments. I ran down the street to the crowd packed watching Barack on a jumbotron. (You would have had to get in line at 10 AM to actually SEE him.)

VERMONT goes Obama!
Warner wins in Virginia!

The speech was inspiring. The rain fell and no one cared. The crowd was a celebration, all 60,000 of us. Around me were Asian-Americans, women, elderly African-Americans, union members, suburban white teenagers with their parents. Everyone was cheering, laughing, singing, dancing. And then it was over. Strangers were hugging each other goodbye. Some people just couldn't bring themselves to leave.

I'm watching MSNBC. Even Pat Buchanan is inferring that Obama is going to win this election. It seems too early. It seems too good to be true. I'm so worried that we'll have another stolen election by tomorrow.

As I rode my bike the two miles to campus this morning, I saw three Obama canvassers. I've never seen a get-out-the-vote campaign like this one. Over 700,00 people voted early in Cleveland, can you believe it? It was a beautiful day for the polls today; sunny and warm with brilliant blue autumn sunshine. In 2004 Clevelanders were waiting for hours in freezing rain.

The talking heads are calling an Obama Presidency as a "free agent" who is not beholden to anyone. I think that's naive-- anyone in Cleveland can see how the Unions work the Democratic party process. In 2004 I ran (and won!) to be a delegate for Howard Dean. It was clear that the Union was running things, and were distainful of all the young "Deaniacs." I think they voted for me because I wasn't acting like a Deaniac that "deserved" to go to the convention, and, as I was told a few times, because I could speak loud enough to be heard in an echo-y gym. It was a very strange process. All the prospective delegates in my precinct went to a high school in the African-American Hough neighborhood. We were spread out in different rooms depending on which candidate we supported. Then we were asked to speak about why we wanted to be a delegate. Then everyone voted. I was the only delegate that wasn't from the Union (although I am, as a member of Actors' Equity, a card carrying member of the union).

8PM PENNSLYVANIA OBAMA
NEW JERSEY OBAMA
MASSACHUSETTS OBAMA
DELAWARE OBAMA
NEW HAMPSHIRE OBAMA

8:20PM
I'm getting a little less anxious, now that PA went Obama. A little.

8:31 Kay Hagen beat Elizabeth Dole in North Carolina!

8:40 ILLINOIS OBAMA

8:55 MAINE OBAMA

9 PM MINNESOTA OBAMA

9:06 NEW YORK OBAMA

9:13 MICHIGAN OBAMA

9:23 OHIO OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WISCONSIN OBAMA

9:31 NEW MEXICO OBAMA

10PM IOWA OBAMA

10:05 NEW JERSEY OBAMA

10:28 RHODE ISLAND OBAMA

Slowly slowly feeling hopeful. Trying to erase 2004 spoiler out of my head.

11:26 CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, VIRGINIA OBAMA

NBC NEWS CALLS OBAMA PRESIDENT!\
CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON OBAMA

The election was called for Obama.

I went out in my bare feet and walked my neighborhood ringing the cow bell I received from the Kerry/Edwards campaign to celebrate. I was so surprised at how silent my urban neighborhood was. I expected people dancing in the streets.