Without Hope…
November 10, 2008
Posted by Tony 
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Stuff I don’t want to hear again…
November 10, 2008
I watched Real Time with Bill Maher today - the lastest episode, 140. Bill replayed a moment in McCain’s concession speech: McCain congratulates Obama on his win, and McCain’s supporters boo upon hearing Obama’s name. Bill argued that no one in the Grant Park crowd booed when Obama mentioned McCain; Bill concludes: Team Obama is a different breed; Team Obama = better people.
I am sick of hearing this. First of all, there was A LOT of booing at the Grant Park event (I was there); to my knowledge, none of it made it on TV. Second, Team Obama is not composed of a mass of morally superior people - even when compared to McCain supporters. Obama ran a better campaign; Obama and his people are not above the reality of sin.
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Gays Vote For McCain?
November 8, 2008
Why vote for a man who is against civil unions (he’s for ‘legal arrangements’) and gay adoption? Why vote for a man who was for Prop 8 and is for DOMA and is for “Don’t ask, Don’t tell”?
So I get why Sullivan is looking to racism or to infatuation with Clinton or to Palin’s cleavage for a reason. If you’re gay and you voted for McCain, I, for one, would love to hear why. Leave a note.
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Election Numbers
November 8, 2008
President-Elect Obama won 85% of the Chicago vote. McCain won 14% of the Chicago vote.
Two of Chicago’s gayest wards, wards 43 and 44, stepped up. In ward 43 (my ward), Obama won 22,329 of 30,037 votes cast - 74.34% of the total. In ward 44 (the man-friend’s ward), Obama won 24,494 of 30,738 votes cast - 79.69% of the total.
According to National Exit Polls:
Voters 18-24: 68% for Obama
Voters 25-29: 69% for Obama
Voters who said age was a factor: 78% for Obama (twice as many said age was more important than race)
Voters who said race was a factor: 55% FOR Obama
First-time voters: 72% for Obama
Hillary Supporters: 84% FOR Obama
Chris Matthews has been talking about a reverse Bradley Effect. Folk did not want to admit they were voting for Obama for a variety of reasons - and then they did vote for Obama in the privacy of the booth!
It’s hard to read the age stat: did McCain’s age matter to voters because of ageism or did McCain’s age matter because of Palin? Some research suggests attitudes about age are harder to change than attitudes about race or gender.
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Election ‘08: Mixed Feelings
November 7, 2008
On the evening of Nov 4th, the man-friend and I were about 150 yards away from now President-Elect Obama. We were lucky enough to get tickets to the Obama-rama in Grant Park. When the announcer said, “And now, the next First Family of the United States” the crowd maintained a reverent, if you will, silence for at least a few seconds (people were breathing in) and then, when the Obama family emerged on the stage, a burst of joyful cheering, etc. I will not soon forget that moment.
Having said that, Nov 4, 2008 was not a good day for gay people. Florida and Arizona passed a ban on gay marriage (62% to 38%; 56% to 44%, respectively); Arkansas passed a ban on, in part, gay people adopting (57% to 43%), and Proposition 8 passed in California (52% to 48%).
I am not sure how you felt on Nov 5th, but I felt, in part, relieved. Obama’s victory was clear and overwhelming. And today, as Obama answered questions at his first news conference, I felt hopeful about the future of our country. Intelligence, integrity, and thoughtfulness will soon return to the White House.
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