The relief I feel this morning is palpable.
My “come to Obama” moment came fairly late in this election. I voted for Hillary Clinton in the primary and wasn’t going to give in to all the hype surrounding Obama. My sister, who at 26 is in a very different stage of her life than me, was all about the ideology of the election. “Things are changing! Even if we lose, look at all the young people who have mobilized because of him.” But I was very, very afraid. For me, this attitude change wasn’t enough. We needed to WIN at all costs. This country has been so severely damaged in the last eight years that it might not be fixed in my lifetime. I wondered why the democrats couldn’t just put up an easy win. What were our choices? A polarizing woman who had dynasty written all over her, regardless of her intelligence and readiness for the job and a fairly inexperienced man of color. Were they kidding?!?
I didn’t just vote for Obama because the other choice was not an option (and in my opinion, offensive on many, many levels), but because I came to respect his intelligence, his pragmatism and his thoughtfulness. He ran an admirable campaign – especially in this day and age. And the idea that we would have a leader who was (FINALLY!) smarter than me – well – that was just the icing on the cake.
Still, though, I was very scared. This election, while historical and significant for our country and the world, is historical and significant for me on a whole other level. This election, I voted as a mother. As a parent, I’m making decisions that will affect my daughter’s life on a daily basis. I will never forget the day I voted in the primary – I was pregnant and the whole walk over to the polling center I talked to my baby. I told that baby that we were going to vote in an historic election. That we were going to choose a woman to possibly lead our country. But I also told my baby that there was a man of color on the ballot and the fact that I had to choose between a woman and a man of color was the hardest and best possible choice to make. Everything they had ever told me in my life might possibly be true.
In the end, I didn’t vote for me or my country. I voted for my daughter. I elected a president that can change the trajectory of her path in this world, the vision she has of our country, her own self-esteem. I elected a president that truly shows her – not just with platitudes, but with action – THAT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
Thank you America. Thank you for helping me make all things possible for my daughter. Thank you.
Totally on the same page with you. This is a great first step forward! I took my kids with me to vote so that they could have a part in history too.
My vote was also for my children, who are on the threshold of adulthood. It has been a powerful election for me on many levels, but to share it with my kids and their youthful idealism was without a doubt the most rewarding part. It is a wonderful thing to see kids who are too young to vote so engaged in the process of electing our president.
WhoooHoo! I’m so hopeful that he has small kids, seems like that can only be a good thing for our little ones. He can’t really ignore education and healthcare and things like that now can he. WhoooHoo
Eloquent as always, Cara! We truly live in an amazing time. The power of hope is an amazing thing.
you are quite welcome!
i wore blue today, just to keep the support going.
i feel so hopeful.
You said it sister!
Identical feelings here. My 7-year-old asked for thing this morning who won and did a happy dance when he heard it was Obama. I would love to tell you it is because we discuss politics and policy in depth at my house but I am sure it is because his name is fun to say. I however, voted for the same reasons you did – for my children.
Amen Sister!!
I also voted for my 10 month old. When I went in this morning to get him out of his crib, I held him close and whispered in his ear “Obama is our President”. He smiled a huge grin and giggled. I repeated two more times and he repeated his reaction two more times. This is a wonderful memory and an awesome moment that my son and I will have for all of our lives.
You know, I’m Canadian, and while I watched the election, and desperately hoped for Obama, I didn’t have the hugely invested reaction that so many Americans did. However, reading your post just brought the whole thing home to me, and I’m sitting here getting teary.
Thanks everyone, for doing the right thing!
ditto. ditto ditto ditto.
Amen.
What a lovely post…
I totally hear you. I posted something similar, but not nearly as eloquent as you have here. Thank you!
Ah, yes. I’ve come to think of it as “voting for two.”
Thank you! I did the same thing with for my son. I can’t seem to express how happy it made me to choose between a woman and a candidate of color. And while it didn’t take me long to get on board with Obama, I was terrified that things wouldn’t turn out the way I hoped they would. I feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief. Here’s to our babies futures!
One member of my household, clutching his atlases, said (way past his bedtime): “FINALLY we have a good president in my life!”
Save today’s Times for Meli. Seriously. Must create a good collection of Times front pages for her. I got ferklempt all over again when I saw it this morning.
Kay
Same here–I had a baby in late February and while I have been pro-Obama from the beginning even when the polls looked good I was so nervous as I thought I might jinx something. After Obama’s speech last night we went in to look on our little son and I thought how happy I am that he will grow up taking for granted (but I’ll do my best to make sure not too for granted) that anyone can be president–and what a great perspective that is to grow up with.
Very well said, Cara! It’s such a great day! 🙂
Thank you Cara for a beautiful post and a thoughtful exposition of your thinking process, which paralleled my own. I don’t have a daughter, but I do have neices and nephews and other children to whom I am very close and this election mattered for them.
I’m with you on all fronts, and feeling happy and optimistic for the first time in a very long while. I know it’s going to be a long time before we’re out of the woods, but this was a great first step. One thing I particularly love: now when my friends and I tell our kids that they can grow up to be anything they want to be, it feels true. We can point to this man who grew up poor and who was raised by a single mom, and in spite of ALL of the odds against him, became president. That’s a helluva thing.
Very well said. I agree completely.
Very well said. I agree completely.
True that! Plus didn’t you love his appearance with Bruce Springsteen? Even though I only know you from your blog, I thought of you when I looked at pictures and video of last weekend’s rally with The Boss. Happy new day to all of us.
True that! Plus didn’t you love his appearance with Bruce Springsteen? Even though I only know you from your blog, I thought of you when I looked at pictures and video of last weekend’s rally with The Boss. Happy new day to all of us.
I also started out as a Hillary supporter. My whole family came to support Obama after the convention and I think my yarn budget (and THEN some) for quite some time was donated to the cause. I am still teary, as I see videos and read the thoughts of others. I am SO relieved! Now we can get started to accomplish what needs to be done! Yay America!
I think I’m getting weepy.
And I voted for my baby son. I waited until he was up from his nap yesterday so we could go vote together, and so later, when things like this (hopefully) matter to him, he would know that he, too, was part of that historic day. And what a profound, wonderful feeling to come upstairs after watching President-elect Obama give his acceptance speech, kiss his warm, sleeping head, and to know that the world — his world — was just made a little more hopeful.
[Our “I voted” sticker is going in his baby book. 🙂 ]
Lovely post, Cara.
Dude you made me cry. Great post.
I thought my tear ducts were totally empty from last night and all that crying I did (it was a lot of crying) but your post made me cry, too. These are such lovely tears. All of them tears of hope and joy. I love that.
Last night I felt proud to be American for the first time in a long, long time. I so believe in this man. I hope he can undo the wreck created over the past 8 years. I’ll do whatever he calls on me to do. I’m sold. Yes we can!!
And I completely agree w/ what you said about having an intelligent president, too. I couldn’t understand people who are smart voting any other way. I don’t get that at all.
My children stayed up with us to watch the speeches last night after coming with us to the polls. I’ll never forget them, the younger one standing on a kitchen chair and shouting his lungs out with us as CA put Obama over 270. It felt like New Year’s Eve, somehow, but far more meaningful! And also a little like 1992 (when I woke the morning after the election to find that I was represented by all fabulous women from county council thru US Senate – thanks CA!).
You will like this post, it’s in the same vein:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/eastside93/2008/11/i-didnt-vote-for-obama-today.php
Amen, Cara. Beautifully said.
(and I just read the link that Molly posted, above, and now I’m in tears. Again.)
It is thrilling, isn’t it? And maybe things will even get better instead of worse.
isn’t it amazing?!!! I can hardly believe it! I’m so relieved too and am just so eager to see what kind of people he surrounds himself with and how he will choose to deal with all of our country’s issues. i’m eager to see what his wife will do and just so relieved that the past 8 years are finally behind us and we are now moving forward. :o) ek.
YES! Cara, I feel the same way (though my come-to-Obama moment was much, much earlier!) I always vote with my son, and yesterday the whole family went together, including the new son. My 4YO did most of the actual voting, under my direction. I’ve overloaded him about why I’m so happy today, unfortunately 🙂 but I bet he’ll have some kind of memory of this election his whole life.
I was 8 years old when JFK was elected. It was a start of new era and the first election I remember. I feel the same way now, but am old enough to know he can’t do it without our continued support and input. And I think he really wants it.
Yes we can.
THANK YOU! so much for saying so out loud- so many of the other knitting blogs I read have avoided mentioning a preference, and that seems just a little weak to me. After the election, my local news had coverage from a youth center in an “inner city” part of my town, and to see the reaction of the young people there brought it to whole ‘nother level for me- after seeing how proud and inspired those kids were, I think we’re on the verge of some HUGE change for the better in our society. Hooray!!!
That’s so sweet, sharing the voting with the baby and the history of being born this year!!
I’m commenting for the contest here. I apologize if you closed the comments and that’s why it doesn’t show to comment. I’m really hoping it just maxed out at 683 comments and I might have a chance to enter! ‘sides, I missed seeing several pics of the baby at a time, there seem to be less and less!
Even with 6 of my own, I have enjoyed your story and your sweet joy of your own beautiful daughter!!
fantastic 🙂 lucky meli!
Well said!
Whew…and well said, Cara.
By the way, my favorite pair of shoes are Ann’s Earth Shoes, NOT!
Whew…and well said, Cara.
By the way, my favorite pair of shoes are Ann’s Earth Shoes, NOT!
My baby was lucky enough to be at Grant Park and heard our new President’s acceptance speech “IN REAL LIFE!” to quote her text message.. I’m thinking that at last, our young Americans have a country to connect to, to work for, to take pride in.
By the way, my favorite pair of shoes are Ann’s Earth Shoes, NOT!
My baby was lucky enough to be at Grant Park and heard our new President’s acceptance speech “IN REAL LIFE!” to quote her text message.. I’m thinking that at last, our young Americans have a country to connect to, to work for, to take pride in.
By the way, my favorite pair of shoes are Ann’s Earth Shoes, NOT!
Thank you for that.
Very well put.
Great post! And congratulations to all of us!
I changed my primary vote from Hillary to Barack literally in the voting booth and dreaded that I might regret it. But every day between then and now I have been happier and happier that I made that call. And of course am all silly grins now!
My son was born 5 weeks before 9/11 and I am unbelievably glad to end that era and start a new one. W has been president almost the entire time I’ve been a mother and it has been excruciating. Here’s to change! Yes we did!