It dawned on me this morning that another milestone has been passed today, at least for me personally. Barack Obama is the first Democratic candidate for president I have supported, from the beginning, who actually captured the nomination. The FIRST!
Oh, to wander down memory lane, and peruse a lifetime of lukewarm support for my second, third, or even fourth choices for president. Hillary supporters, I sincerely feel your pain.
1984 (the first election I remember—I was seven years old) My whole family enthusiastically supported Jesse Jackson, and worked on his insurgent campaign for the Democratic nomination (I even sang a duet of the "Rainbow Connection" hand-in-hand with an African-American kid my age, at a Jackson rally, just a few feet from the candidate himself. Someone, somewhere has the video, and to this day I await the blackmail notice). Jackson ran an impassioned grassroots campaign, but came in third behind Gary Hart and the eventual nominee, Walter Mondale. Mondale went down in flames to Reagan in November.
1988 My family even more enthusiastically supported Jackson, again working on his movement in various capacities. This time, he ran an even stronger campaign, defeating all challengers except the eventual nominee, Michael Dukakis. Jackson's powerful showing earned him a prime time speaking slot at the Democratic convention in Atlanta of that year, which my family got to attend. Dukakis went down in flames to George Bush in November.
1992 I don't even remember who I supported in the Democratic primary of 1992, except that it wasn't Bill Clinton. We were turned off by his pro-death penalty, pro-business sentiments. Maybe we liked Tom Harkin? Anyhoo, Bill Clinton went on to make history, and we fully supported his general election campaign. I even got the Big Shake from the Big Dog at a rally in Louisville that year. Starstruck, indeed.
1996 Clinton ran unopposed for the nomination. I voted for him in my first of-age election. Whoopee! Bye-bye, Bob Dole!
2000 I was a tepid Bill Bradley supporter, really just because Al Gore seemed destined to lose that year. Well, Bill Bradley sure was. He ran one of the most lackluster primary campaigns in modern political history. Al Gore went on to win the nomination and the general election, but somehow, George W. Bush became president. It's a craaazzzy world!
2004 I became a loyal Howard Dean supporter early on in the race, due to his early, vocal opposition to the Iraq war, his relentless progressive attacks on the Bush administration, and his heated mockery of the spinelessness of the remaining Democratic field. He caught fire with fundraising and organizing, and seemed the clear front-runner for the nomination. He collapsed at the Iowa starting gate, and never recovered. John Kerry picked up the mantle, and went down in flames to George W. Bush in November.
Wow. That blogging journey down 24 years of electoral losses did more for my mental health than any counseling session ever could. No wonder I'm such a jaded cynic!
Thank you, Barack Obama, for being my first choice, and finally making it happen! All the way to the White House, baby!
