There is one day coming up that I can't wait for. It's definitely not Halloween, and Christmas is too far away to be thinking about just yet. My 21st birthday has come and gone, so it's not that either. Those who know me have heard me say this a couple times in the last week, I can't wait until Nov. 4.
Nov. 4 is the day that history will be made. Our country will head into a period of transition and change like we have never seen before. It is the day that either Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Joe Biden or Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin will be elected into office. No matter who wins, history will be made. Either an African-American man or a woman will be in a position to run the country. While I am excited that history is going to be made, I am incredibly tired of hearing about the election.
Perhaps because I was in high school during the last presidential election, it really didn't mean that much to me. I never paid attention to the news or the political advertisements because I was too wrapped up in my own social world of high school, but this year, it seems like it's gone to an extreme. Every single time I turn on the TV, pick up a paper or log on to CNN, the election is front and center. Whether it is a political advertisement or a story on one of the candidates the election is there. When I logged on to CNN this morning, there were 12 stories that had something to do with the election. That is a huge amount considering the country is in a severe economic crisis and there are two wars going on overseas.
Even more so than ever, you can tell that the election is only 13 days away. Every other commercial is a political advertisement bashing one of the candidates. But honestly, do political advertisements help or hurt a candidate? Sure, they have been around forever but do they really play that big of a deal in the election? What educated voter would actually let themselves be influenced by two grown men trying to make themselves look better by putting the other down? I don't see any reason to bash each other's policies and ideas. If they don't have the voters now, then I personally don't feel they would have them after. During fall break, I was watching television with my parents and two Obama commercials came on one after another. Now, I don't have a problem with either candidate, but that is extremely excessive. If people are like me, they are also tired of seeing these commercials over and over. I could probably recite the commercial about John McCain that Votevets.org has sponsored. That's ridiculous. I miss the commercials that used to be on TV when were trying to sell products, not a person.
I am also tired of being harassed by people who are canvassing and trying to get people registered to vote/get absentee ballots. I would like to wear a pin or a T-shirt even that say "I Already Voted!" Some keep talking like that are going to be able to make me feel bad about who I voted for; others sigh and walk away and others congratulate me for actually playing a role in the historic event. Don't get me wrong, I applaud those who spend hours every day canvassing or working to sign people up to receive election ballots; I bet it's hard work.
I feel like people are putting so much into this election that it is more emotionally charged than ever. People feel very passionately about either candidate, and they aren't shy to show who they support. Walking down the halls in residence halls, there are bumper stickers, signs and pictures decorating doors announcing the resident's presidential pick. When you walk past the Landings apartments, there are signs hanging in the windows supporting Obama or McCain. I've even heard of some extreme cases where people have chosen not to talk to roommates or friends because they are voting for the opposite party. When I logged onto Facebook this morning, one status update really caught my attention and truly summed up my thoughts on the whole debate of who should be president. It said-"Vanessa Lytton Skidmore is tired of hearing about politics. Who cares if you're a liberal or a conservative? Vote for who you want and move on."
I'm just ready for all the "election drama" to be over and to have the outcome decided. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas. The anticipation of knowing who is going to win is so exciting, but I don't want to have to wait through all the ads and news stories to see whom our country picks for our next Commander-in-Chief.
Lauren Boehnlein, Web Administrator.
