I voted today

I cast my vote for Barack Obama in California’s primary this morning.

Here’s a major reason why I did:

“When I am this party’s nominee, my opponent will not be able to say
that I voted for the war in Iraq; or that I gave George Bush the
benefit of the doubt on Iran; or that I supported Bush-Cheney policies
of not talking to leaders that we don’t like. And he will not be able
to say that I wavered on something as fundamental as whether or not it
is ok for America to torture — because it is never ok… I will end the
war in Iraq… I will close Guantanamo. I will restore habeas corpus. I
will finish the fight against Al Qaeda. And I will lead the world to
combat the common threats of the 21st century: nuclear weapons and
terrorism; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. And I will
send once more a message to those yearning faces beyond our shores that
says, "You matter to us. Your future is our future. And our moment is
now.”

Patrick Nielsen Hayden, (via John Scalzi,) put my feelings into words, so I’m going to borrow them, rather than struggle to come up with my own:

I’m for Obama knowing perfectly well that, as Bill
Clinton suggested, it’s a “roll of the dice”. A roll of the dice for
Democrats, for progressives, for those of us who’ve fought so hard
against the right-wing frames that Obama sometimes (sometimes craftily,
sometimes naively) deploys. Because I think a Hillary Clinton candidacy
will be another game of inches, yielding—at best—another four or eight
years of knifework in the dark. Because I think an Obama candidacy
might actually shake up the whole gameboard, energize good people,
create room and space for real change.

Because he seems to know
something extraordinarily important, something so frequently missing
from progressive politics in this country, in this time: how to hearten people. Because when I watch him speak, I see fearful people becoming brave.

We’ve been afraid for too long, and it’s cost us dearly. Karl Rove and George Bush and Dick Cheney will have many disastrous legacies, but one of the most despicable and enduring will be how they used fear to deeply and deliberately divide our country.

It’s going to be a huge challenge for our next president to heal this nation, and end the Culture of Fear that’s been created by the Bush Administration. I believe that Barack Obama is the best candidate to do that, and I was proud to vote for him today.

It felt so good to cast a vote that I was proud of, in support of
someone, instead of resigning myself to voting for the lesser of two
evils.

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129 thoughts on “I voted today”

  1. I completely agree Wil. I voted for Barack as well this morning, and am so happy to be able to vote for someone who truly inspires me to get involved, and fills me with hope that change is upon us.

  2. I also felt great casting a vote for someone I actually believe in. More importantly for me, too, was that MY VOTE COUNTED TODAY! Unlike in November (my state always goes red) my vote actually counted for a change. I really wish electoral college votes were given proportionately instead of winner take all….

  3. As an Australian who has been watching the US Presidential race with great interest (though my knowledge of US politics is limited to what I’ve learned from The West Wing), I have to say that Barrack Obama is the kind of man I would consider emigrating to vote for. If he wins, I think it will do much to help redeem America in the eyes of the rest of the world.

  5. Woohoo! If things go as predicted today, then my support for Obama in our caucus this coming Saturday will actually matter for a change, so you can bet I’ll be there. While I’m proud of my symbolic support of Howard Dean last time around, how much cooler will it be to support someone I believe in who still has a chance of winning the White House?

  8. I completely agree. My LJ post had the same subject line.
    I voted in my second election ever today, so I realize I don’t have much to go on.
    But I don’t think I’ve ever been happier with voting for a candidate than I was today. Last time I voted, I resigned myself to voting for a Republican candidate for Illinois governor because I couldn’t stand the thought of another Blagojevich term.
    I didn’t feel like I did anything that day.
    Today, the voting judge sent me to use the handicap booth because she decided I was young and could bend down to use it. There I was, kneeling on the floor and straining my neck, and I felt like I actually made a difference as I cast my vote for Obama.

  9. I am registered Non-Partisan (have been for 10+ years) and was excited and proud to be able to vote on the Democratic ticket. I, too, voted for Barack Obama. He is the first candidate in my voting history that has made me passionate about my vote.
    I am not the only one.
    As I stated in my own blog last night, I really wish they would not release the east coast results until the west coast polls are closed. I believe it makes people think like their vote won’t matter, if they are voting when they get off work and have already seen what the east coast is doing, when it does.

  10. I’m with you. If I was going to vote for anyone, it’d be Obama.
    I’m not going to vote, though. I’ve already blogged about this and don’t feel like going through it again (it’s a draining discussion when it comes up!), but in short, I believe that the system is fundamentally flawed, and that we’re past the point where putting someone new in office is going to turn things around.

  11. I accidentally cut off the last paragraph of my last post. Sorry for the double post:
    That said, I’m very glad that we at least have a candidate who can be judged on his merits rather than his flaws. I still won’t vote, because he desires power which voids his eligibility to wield it as far as I’m concerned, but he’s definitely a good start!

  12. I’m for Obama knowing perfectly well that, as Bill Clinton suggested, it’s a “roll of the dice”.
    I’m a geek. I have all the dice you’ll ever need, and I’m perfectly adept at rolling them.

  14. Thanks for this, Wil. I’m in Pennsylvania, so unfortunately I could not cast my vote today. But I’m hoping that your vote will help make my task easier come April.

  16. I’ll be voting in our Minnesota caucus for Barack in a few hours. Why not “Obama”? Here in Minnesota we had a man named “Paul”. He wasn’t “Senator”, he wasn’t “Senator Wellstone”, he wasn’t even “Mr. Wellstone”. He was Paul. He was family to all of us here. Listening to Barack at the rally on Saturday (20,000+!!) gave me the same feeling I got when I heard Paul speak. There is hope!
    GcB

  17. FusedLight: You are so lucky. I hope that one day I will have an opportunity to be represented by someone as phenomenal as Senator Wellstone.

  18. Wil, Voting based on a one-paragraph political sound-bite is fine; it’s your right. The fact is that being the POTUS and the LOTFW is more than having some lofty goals and some easy-to-digest Hallmark card political pandering. If I thought Obama could accomplish all those things he says and not get anyone killed, hell, I might vote for him too.
    “I will end the war in Iraq” – How? Those people were fighting before we got there, they’ll be fighting after we leave. “Let that be your last battlefield”.
    “I will close Guantanamo” – Why? There are some dangerous (and some not so dangerous) people in there. Why not just say “I will release the non-combatants and non-terrorists”? Because the ignorant masses don’t know the difference and “close Guantanamo” sounds like he’s actually solving a problem when he’d just be creating one.
    “I will finish the fight with Al-Qaeda” – How? Just give us some concrete plans instead of pie-in-the-sky promises. Tell us how, and the more thoughtful among us might listen.
    You’ll call me a cynic, and you’re probably right. But all I’m asking for is more than some rose-colored promises.

  20. Well said, Will. I agree completely. I hadn’t really thought about it until I read your post, but it was very refreshing to vote without holding my nose for once.

  21. ToddCommish: If you follow the link I included in my post, it will take you to a page where Senator Obama lays out, in great detail, how he plans to enact the vision he shared in that speech.
    He also has an entire section of his website and a 64 page PDF document that explain his positions on all the issues that many of us care about. I’ve read it in its entirety, and while I don’t agree with all of it, I agree with enough of it to support him and believe in him.
    I’m a little insulted and quite disappointed that you — or anyone — would think that I cast my votes or form my opinions based on soundbites; that couldn’t be further from the truth.

  22. *sigh* If I could have voted for Obama today, I would have. Unfortunatly, being a registered Independant, I was not allowed to vote in my state’s primaries today. I was somewhat confused at that since I thought they had made a big deal of the idependant vote in New Hampshire. I guess I just don’t understand politics all that well. Live and learn, eh? Well, I’m happy to see that so many others voted today. ^_^ Makes me hopful for the future.

  23. Okay ToddCommish, you’re a cynic. And also completely disingenuous to suggest that, because Wil posted an eloquent paragraph to illustrate his thinking, he is basing his vote on those words alone. You’ve been listening to way too much rightwing radio.

  24. OK, Wil, sorry about that. Mea culpa. You DO realize that many other voters aren’t as diligent as you, and will vote based on these sound-bites, right?
    And maycomb, your assumption that I listen to right-wing radio is typical of judgmental liberals. Just because I don’t agree with a liberal doesn’t mean I’m necessarily a right-wing wacko. Do you listen to Air America?
    Read the passage again as well as Wil’s intro. It wasn’t disingenuous to posit that Wil’s vote was based on the rhetoric. (It was wrong however) Wil pointed out Obama’s “action plan”, which he read, which I doubt many of the Obama (or Clinton) voters have read or researched. That’s what I was referencing.

  25. I am glad that you voted for Obama because by the time it gets to me it probably wont matter. I do vote, but I must admit that I have am have been discourage for sometime now with how the voting in america works. I am NOT one of the chosen states for the big primary votes, and there for by the time May rolls around and my little pewny vote doesn’t even get notices unless the votes are very close. The rest of america has chosen our candidates for us. So thank you for voting because I do think in most instances it is a worthy cause, but on a national standard I think the smaller states get left out. Perhaps I am simply uneducated in this area, and would be happy to be corrected if I am wrong, but it might take some pretty good convincing.

  26. I voted for Obama as well I think we need a change and I think he is the best choice.
    For four years I have been watching him and watching the new right now to see the results.
    I am so tired of the rich old white men that are not in touch with my needs!
    Mike aka Altigenman

  28. Two comments:
    1) If Hillary wins the nomination, will you support her? If Barack wins the nomination, I will certainly support him – but until then, Hillary’s my gal.
    2) I *really* hate the term “lesser of two evils” in this context. I’m sorry, but I don’t consider even GWB to be “evil” – and to toss that phrase around so casually is one of my major pet peeves. Remember, cynicism is just another word for lazy.

  29. Jimbeaux:
    There is no way in hell I will ever vote for a Republican (why put people in charge of government who are convinced it’s never going to work? That’s like hiring a chef to cook for you who hates food.)
    If Hillary wins the nomination, of course I’ll vote for her. I just won’t be able to campaign as enthusiastically for her the way I can for Obama, because I don’t believe in her nearly as much.

  30. Me too Wil. I just wish that people would educate themselves before they make their decisions regarding who they will vote for, instead of taking the word of some talking head or an email forward spreading rubbish. Who makes decisions based on an email forward? DUDE!?
    I finally had to post about this today.

  31. I am going to my state caucus in just a few minutes, and I intend to cast my ballot for Barack Obama. I agree with you 100% on everything you’ve posted on the subject here.

  32. Billary is corrupt, she says what’s necessary to be elected just like Romney. Billary will not bring about major change will will only help to further tax our poor by forcing them to take health insurance even when they can literally NOT AFFORD IT. She will take their wadges to insure they have healthcare because we all know there are more important things than food and electricity right? At least you can get meds for that cold or if your child breaks a leg.. while your family freezes and starves.
    Obama WILL change our nation. People voting for Hill are too blind to see past propoganda. I think Edwards was a good man and if he was able to lead in polls I would have voted for him. If Billary wins the nomination i will vote for someone else. Period. I will not help further her political career.

  33. Sorry, rereading that it seems pretty harsh. I get very passionate about Hillary Clinton’s shady propaganda we’ve dealt with here in California with fake polls, Lies from her team about policies and propaganda on Obama. Her supporters from my experience pick up on buzz words and follow those sound bites to justify their support. Anyone who thinks being first lady counts as needed experience as President is… unimaginably dense in my opinion. I want to pound my head into my desk when I read these justifications.. 🙁

  35. I’m upset at how much flak Hillary is getting in the press. Yesterday I saw an article from some political pundit who complained about the “Clinton dynasty” and then proceeded to worship JFK. Jeez.
    Obama: it’s nice to see a guy who is willing to make such bold, un-wishy-washy statements. But the fact is, politics often doesn’t work out in such broad strokes.
    I’m a little wary of someone that makes such impressive-sounding statements. Even when they have a good plan to back them up. It’s so difficult to get enough support – political and public- to enact bold measures. And lack of support can turn a bold measure into a disaster.
    Many give Hillary such a hard time for having changed her mind or gone back on what she originally supported. But the fact is, sometimes it’s necessary to change one’s mind. And that shouldn’t end one’s political career.
    I’d much prefer to have a leader who has the courage to change their mind about controversial and important issues than one (and I’m not saying Obama is like this) who picks a position in advance and then sticks to it, regardless of whether it ceases to be the right course, for political gain or fear of political losses.
    So yeah, Obama seems great right now, and boldness is to be admired, but it will be a hard task to accomplish the broad promises he is making.
    I wouldn’t discount a candidate who has prevaricated in the past. Changing one’s mind doesn’t equal weakness. Sometimes, it equals flexibility– a good leadership trait.
    I think the line between Hillary and Obama is less sharp than it appears.

  36. JHP, both sides do it. It’s not just Hillary’s people. Obama’s people do it, too. That’s sad if you won’t vote for her if she gets the nomination. Would you vote for the Republican or stay home? I can’t be that apathetic. I won’t let this country continue on the road it’s on right now. I’m a Hillary girl, but if Obama gets it, I’ll vote for him. No problem. I’m in PA, so I have a VERY late primary so my choice won’t matter, like usual.

  37. Jo, you raised an excellent point. Look at GWB. The amn is stubborn as an ox and won’t change his mind for anything. Is that what we want in a president? No. I think both can be flexible, but because Hillary has been public in changing her mind, she’s a flip flopper. Now the MSM says she’s cracking under the strain because of a coughing fit. It’s winter and she’s shaking hands with every cold and flu carrier known to man! They all joke about the “campaign cold.” Obama doesn’t get nearly the flak she does. I just wish that both side’s SUPPORTERS could learn to get along since one of them will be the nominee. The cutthroat comments on either side are uncalled for and it’s doing the Republicans work for them.

  38. Here in Arizona, I, too, got to vote for Obama. Most Democrats I know are voting for him, so I have hope. Wil – I agree, I don’t think I could ever vote for a Republican either. And, while I would vote for Hillary if she won the primary, I wouldn’t be as enthusiastic, either. But it would open the door for women to run for president.

  39. Here here!!!!
    Oh how I wish I still lived in Thousand Oaks and could have voted today….but I’m in Indiana now, and we don’t get our preliminaries until May 6, which I’m sure everything will be decided by then.
    Anyways, you have, once again, gone up another “oh my God, this guy is totally awesome!” notch. Which is impressive, since you’re already pretty high up there 😉
    ~Amber S.

  40. Jo wrote:
    “I think the line between Hillary and Obama is less sharp than it appears”
    If you are comparing only their political policies then I would slightly agree. However based on performance and tactics in these campaigns alone I would say there is a stark contrast between Hillary’s Campaign’s actions and those of the Obama camp. The former acting in MUCH MUCH shadier ways than the later. If you want examples I’d include: Suggestive Polling, Poll Workers stretching rules and regulations in states and misinforming Obama supporters, lies sent out in flyers directly tied to the Billary camp, Misstatements on her part, spin coverage, crying then using the opportunity to 10 seconds later attack Barack.. and the list continues.
    I would rather vote for a Republican I felt was honest and going to tell me the truth than Hillary who I trust to zero extent.
    Celtic Mama:
    I don’t agree but my opinion can be persuaded by references. Can you name any instances where Obama has done anything as shady as Hillary’s campaign in this election? Perhaps I am ill-informed.
    It’s easy to assume they both do this because they’re politicians. This assumption however does not make it true.

  41. JHP, I’m not turning this into an us against them thing because it’s absolutely ridiculous! We are Democrats. May the best person win. And whoever survives as the nominee deserves to have our support whoever it is. I will not vote for an anti-gay, anti-choice, pro-war Republican because my choice didn’t win. That’s counterproductive. Calling her Billary is counterproductive, too, and a little rude. We’re all in this together and neither one of them want the supporters doing this. Neither of them!

  42. Celtic Mama:
    Billary isn’t rude.. its a reference to Bill AND Hillary running for the Presidency. Have you read up on the number of senators and prospective Vice-Presidents who have publicly stated they would not accept the VP because they wouldn’t want to be in the shadow of President Bill Clinton the entire term?
    Also, we were talking about Obamas tactics in the campaign contrasted by Hillary. I don’t believe when you suggested Obama has employed similar underhanded tactics as Hillary you were referring to anything remotely true.
    However, I do argue aggressively but I am not upset nor mean any ill-will. I apologize if I offended anyone. I think too many people do argue based on assumption and opinion but not based on experience or facts.

  43. Obama is a likeable guy. He certainly comes off far more likeable than Hillary does. But then, to be fair, I think Hillary has more reason to be guarded.
    The whole “Billary” thing gets my goat. When Bill Clinton ran for office, one of his big campaign shticks was “two for the price of one!” And people lapped it up. I don’t remember anyone calling HIM “Billary” in derision.
    Now, when Hillary uses the same tactic, people give her crap for it.
    Why? Because there’s some kind of idea that Bill would secretly be running the show. As if Hillary weren’t strong enough to do it herself. As if women meekly give way to their men. Pfft.
    And with respect, JHP, you seem pretty emotionally invested in hating Clinton. That’s fair enough, but, pretty much everything you threw at Hillary in your post above there– “shady dealings”– that’s all run of the mill political dealings. Suggestive polling? Oh yeah, Hillary invented that. Spin? Another Hillary invention.
    I kind of feel sorry for whomever is elected President next. GWB left a huge mess. Whoever takes over the job isn’t going to be able to magically fix it. They will, however, be an easy target for scapegoating. That means, whether Obama or Clinton win the race for President — if either does — any failures are going to be blamed on their minority status.
    Not by any right thinking person, naturally, but sadly, as we know, most people are idiots.

  44. I should say, though, that I’m excited by the prospect of either Dem candidate taking the Presidency. Whoever it is, I think we’ll see some really positive change.
    I sure wish I were American for voting week. We Canadians do have to live up close and personal with US decisions, too.

  45. To be fair, I wasn’t arguing for Bill with the idea of electing Hillary as well so that example doesn’t apply to me personally. I can’t speak for anyone else.
    Other insinuations you suggested just weren’t in my arguments.
    What you wrote jo about my emotional investment against Hillary is fair and it’s apparent in my writing.
    You write though about how the “shady dealings” associated with Hillary are run of the mill and normal.. but that also adds to my point.. Can you reference these tactics being used by Obamas campaign? No, at least not from what I’ve seen but again I’ll ask of you jo what Celtic Mama could not provide 🙂
    I totally agree about the mess GWB has left for the next President. I think it will take more than a couple terms to fix this mess and with the wrong votes in 4 to 8 years we can just as easily be back into it!

  46. JHP I said I wouldn’t turn this into an us vs. them. You obviously insist on that. I won’t dignify it. This is Wil’s blog and I won’t turn it into a my girl is better than your guy arguement because, as I said before, this is pointless and stupid. There were things done in Nevada underhandedly when it came to the culinary workers being told they couldn’t go to the caucus if they were voting for Hillary. Attack mailers traced back to Obama. What’s the point in going into this? Nothing! Either way a Democrat will emerge as the nominee and that Democrat will change this country. If you can’t vote for that Democrat because it’s not who you wanted, I feel sorry for you. I would hold my nose and vote as I did for Kerry in 2004. Sometimes you just have to suck it up for your country. I love this place and I would never vote for a Republican on principal because I didn’t like our guy. Unless of course the nominee was Lieberman or Zell Miller, then McCain would be the obvious choice!! 🙂

  47. Celtic Mama: All JHP asked you to do was support your claim. You’ve refused to do that, twice. Therefore, IMO, you’ve lost the argument.

  48. Celtic Mama, I haven’t been taking any of this personal. I argue because it’s my nature and I enjoy debate. To each their own. This is Wil’s blog about voting for Obama. I haven’t hijacked anything 🙂
    And voting for a Republican is not such a stretch if you’re an indipendent.
    Again, I suggested I would rather vote for someone I trust than a candidate I do not.

  50. Wil: Voting Republican is not so much voting for a chef that hates his food so much as voting for a chef that knows his own limitations. Well…it ought to be a vote for limitations, anyway, but in this day and age the Republican party has lost sight of its principles.
    I suspect that I’m considerably further right than you are, with my libertarianism and all, but I still would have voted for Obama if I wasn’t stuck in the super-late-primary state of Indiana. He’s the only candidate who matches up with enough of my policy preferences for me to like, and he’s very charismatic.

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