Election Day Part 2: Mixed Nuts

Let me just say, days like this remind me why I hate driving. The last 20 minutes of the trip took me some 40 minutes. I stood in traffic so long outside of NIH, I think they used me for some sort of medical experiment. I think I blacked out for a minute and woke up with electrodes attached to my scrotum. Now I have some sort of nervous tick and am experiencing road rage, though I'm sitting here at the computer.

Anyway, working the polling site in East Bumble was a bit of fun. I pretty much entertained myself by joking with the college students of EBU, instructing them to turn over the ballot in order to vote for local candidates they couldn't give two shits about. Grandpooh wanted me to relate to the youngsters. I kept reminding him that my 20th high school reunion's coming up later this month. But I did what I could. I figured if I could make them laugh, they might go, "WTF," and vote for their BFF, Grandpooh. We'll see.

Even though we were in Patriotic America, there were very few Republicans in evidence. One, red-sweatshirt-wearing, "Pro-Life for Gilmore" powder puff walked up to Grandpooh and boldly stated, "I'm not voting for you." It was supposed to be a joke because she lived in the county and couldn't vote in the city, but it went over like a lead zeppelin.

One proper and prim McCainite apologized for cutting in front of me to address the voters. I said, "Hey, politics is a dirty business, and it's election day. Throw an elbow if you have to. We'll understand." Her teenaged boy cracked up. She apparently was not amused and refused to talk to me the rest of the morning.

The only other one I talked to was the mayor (like I knew who he was), who I tried to convince to vote for the Dem, Grandpooh. A bit of a wasted effort. But he was a pretty funny guy.

I gotta say, I was really impressed with the Obama Machine. Even in East Bumble, they were on their game. I think they've stepped on some local Dems's feet, but they were on it doggone it. They ran a shuttle from EBU to the polling station, college kids were pouring out of vans every 20 minutes or so. They offered water, pretzels, and trail mix for folks in the hour-and-a-half-long line (pictured below) as well as medical aid for those who may need it. And they had quite impressive signage to boot!

Well, now it's on to finally vote myself. Poohbutt's champing at the bit to finally cast her symbolic vote for M. Obama.