Call Susie! Yes, call me, on Election Day! What's going on, chez toi?
I will picking up the phone myself, and if it's busy, leave me your best voting day message/observation/story— I'll post it right here!
Grandma Pat calls from Tennessee:
Pat is 80, and she remembers the last time it felt like this in the United States was the night that Joe Lewis won the heavyweight boxing championship in the 30s... you gotta hear this one! Pat grew up in Michigan and only recently moved to Nashville. She refers to the former Governor of Virginia, whose name is Douglas Wilder. He's now mayor of Richmond. Does anyone know the TV clip she's talking about? I'd love to see it.
Michael says he appreciates the inspiration of Obama, but that the substance seriously lacking:
Steve calls me from the hottest bar on the Iron Range in Minnesota:
"My mom is the worst racist I know, but she thinks McCain's gonna die soon and that Palin is such a bimbo she can't bring herself to vote for her..." Steve tells us that Rangers are gossiping that Obama is "gonna take your guns away." He also fills me in on the Coleman/Franken race, which has been exceptionally nasty. And don't get him started on Michelle Bachman...
Oh goodie, Honey Lee, my ex, called:
Honey and I talk about her new riot-camera, what we were both doing in 1968— the last time we truly remember an election.
Gainesville Voter is having fun celebrating:
Even the police are enjoying the street scene...
Julianne in Monterey with Helpful News Hint:
The BBC news lets you see how the rest of the world sees what's going on. Great use of the English language, too.
Phone call from David in New Zealand:
Wow! An inside peek at the ex-pat community in New Zealand, who are apparently thrilled to call themselves Americans in public for the first time in years....
Phone call from Alan Young at the Graduate Theological Union:
Alan is going to be the presiding pastor for his two best men friends getting married tonight... what a great day to plan a wedding!
Phone call from Sue Katz in Boston:
Sue is the author of Thanks But No Thanks: The Voter's Guide to Sarah Palin, and finds herself a little teary today. I think people of "a certain age" are feeling unexpectedly emotional— I sure am— because of all we've seen growing up... we lived through JFK, Bobby, Malcolm and Martin Luther King being killed, all directly related to the civil rights movement. This is such a historic day.
Phone call from Barry in Chicago Suburbs:
Barry and I talk about how the election will change American sexual politics, no matter what happens. His mom wrote in Hillary! Barry won't be downtown tonight, preferring a more intimate Twister party at home...
Phone call from Noelle in Mobile, Alabama:
Noelle and her boyfriend rescued a pitbull at their polling place today, and they're thinking of naming her "Sarah." Noelle lives in a poor area, the ultimate "disenfranchised" neighborhood, and today, for the first time, the voting lines went around the block. Mobile may go "red" but it's going to be a whole different voting record there than anyone's ever seen before.
Phone call from Paul in Dallas:
Paul would like you to know that Dallas County is blue, although his relatives in the banking biz are voting in the straight GOP ticket no matter how much hair they lose over it. We also discuss "election day sex" and whether an orgasm or two can help one's equilibrium.
Phone call from Greta Christina in San Francisco:
Greta is one of the best bloggers around and another one of my original On Our Backs colleagues! She & I talk about Obama pandering on gay marriage, wanting bad for him to win massively, anyway, and how the environmental meltdown will make all marriages moot, so, HELLO!
Phone call from Tracy, in Oakland.
She's my friend I wrote about the other day, who says the Yes on 8 Fundies are placing robocalls with Obama's voice, where he appears to be supporting their cause, even though he explicitly urged people to vote "No."
This is partly his own damn fault, since he played to the bigot-theist vote by expressing his personal views that a "marriage" is between a man and a woman. He's going to eat his hat over that.... Stick to your constitutional views, Obama— And you'll never have any regrets!
Phone call from Vnes, from the Frootie Flavors!
Vnes's family goes from one end of the aisle to the other.... her sister's hero is Ann Coulter!-- wonder where she is today?
Phone call from Lulu Belliveau, my comrade and Photo Editor from the original On Our Backs, who's living in London now.
Lulu's son is voting for the first time because it's the first candidate he can relate to... and he might have to guilt-trip grandma...