Posts tagged elections 08

Spoiler alert: Obama wins.

At my previous job, I had the extraordinary privilege to work on a U.S. political site.  Not that I had a perfect understanding of politics (and when I was younger, I think I swore that talking about politics meant a rise in the “grownup” barometer) — it was the job, and we were selected to do it.  (Did you know that the words “Democrat” and “Republican” used to mean the same thing?)

Watching Mr. Burns as the head of the Springfield Republican Party pretty much sums up my previous knowledge of U.S. politics — and there are still things I don’t understand about it.  But after a few months of studying, discussing and writing about the elections/politics/politicians, I started to get a sense of how the rest of the world’s politics would cascade into this history-defining moment.

I was hooked.  It became my favorite reality show — on air in several channels, plot twists at literally every turn/event/rally.  Slow news days were spent looking for old photos, personal information, or any possible crack that a candidate possesses.

This election has been dubbed to be historic because the candidates, the critics, the analysts and the masses were all utilizing the same tools to deliver different messages.  Social media has made it too easy to influence belief — and reality.  I was constantly comparing the media’s accuracy in relation to what I know to be true.  It didn’t help that the YouTubes, Twitters, Facebooks, etc had something to say.  Should they be wrong, at least everything was well-documented.

Weeks before the actual election, I was feeling jaded with all the slander, gaffes, misrepresentation, misquotes and excessive coverage of non-issue “issues.”  Which leads me to question motives and personalities.

All candidates, first/second/third-party have a fervent love of country, and yet we couldn’t get over how McCain looked like he was going to eat brains when he slipped during the last Presidential debates.  (Which immediately dissipated when McCain bowed out gracefully and gratefully.)

Now that America has agreed to give Obama a try — like a suitor after a successful wooing — she expects him to keep the promises made.  Will he do a good job in this relationship?  We’ll have the next four years to decide.

If what they say about social media and this election is true, then I may have played a part in history — in the sidelines, preaching the gospel of Stewart and Colbert.

[comic from xkcd]