Well, after months and months of reading, listening, watching, blogging and debating – the American election is finally coming to a close. From the days when I was staunchly pro-Hillary up until the moment I cast my absentee ballot in favour of Barack Obama and indeed right now – I have been able to appreciate the importance of this particular election. It comes at a moment in our history where worldwide economies are going berserk, wars are threatening various cultures and civilisations all over the globe, and my generation is attempting to learn from the previous one’s mistakes.
The entire ordeal – meaning the campaign process for both sides – has been spectacle that many people couldn’t help but be hooked on. Who could forget the Republican campaigning that called Obama a muslim and at the same time characterised him as a passionately anti-American black Christian – or the democrat campaigning that portrayed McCain as an old timer, unable for the job and Sarah Palin as a pig with lipstick? Or, the Joe the Plumber saga? (Joe the “plumber” it seems, is not actually licensed to plumb at all..) We’ve seen celebrity Obama (and Paris Hilton’s campaign ads), Messiah Obama (who wasn’t actually born in a manger…but on the planet Krypton) and “That One”. We’ve heard the words “Maverick” and “Change” more times that anyone should ever have to. And yes, we’ve witnessed a small slice of American history.
I continue to have a love/hate relationship with Sarah Palin. I hate her creationist, uber conservative views and her “Joe sixpack” way of speaking. And what’s up with the cheerleader winks?! But I love the comedic element she brought to the campaign – unknowingly. The blunders, Dan Quayle moments, SNL skits and Sarkozy phone calls were all priceless. Lets just hope the joke will not continue through to an inauguration in January!I continue to be impressed by Obama, his amazing inspirational speeches, his ability to draw bi-partisan support, his economic policies and understanding of American foreign policies (despite his so called “lack of experience”). However, I am not naive enough to think that racism will not play a part in people’s decisions today. It’s incredibly sad to think that people still discriminate the same way their parents and grandparents did. They need to open their eyes, take a good look around and realise that times have changed. Thank God…or whoever you believe in.
So, as I sit at my laptop, with my cup of tea and wait longingly for voting to close for the evening, I cross my fingers for Obama and prepare for a little victory dance.
