Okay, guys, today is the big day. It’s really big. It’s high stakes. It’s do or die, now or never, fish or cut bait (whatever that means).
I can’t watch.
If you’re like me, the anxiety at some point crosses a critical threshold and it just becomes impossible to focus. Panic sets in, heart starts to race, coworkers seem like obnoxious interlopers. Don’t let it get to you. If you have xanax, take it. Otherwise, take periodic breaks during the day and focus on something else, like, er, work! Yeah, that’s the ticket! Try to finish a project. Write your monthly summary. Balance your checkbook, unless this contributes to your anxiety, in which case, don’t. Or read some of the tasty links below.
One announcement: Occasionally, something you wrote may end up in the moderation queue. Don’t take it personally. There are trigger words that automatically dump comments there. These words are mostly innocuous but when used during this primary season, they need to be examined in context. Most of these comments are fine and I approve them. However, I live on EST and when it gets late, I fall asleep and the queue doesn’t get cleared until morning. If your comment got stuck in the queue overnight, I hope you’re not too PO’d. It keeps the riff-raff out and I really do read every one.
- redstar, who got stuck in the queue last night, sends this account of her campaign experience in San Antonio. An expanded version of her report can be found at The Redstar Persepctive. I love reading on the ground reports so if Tucsonlynn or redstar post updates, I’ll move them to the front page. You can find redstar and friends at The Hillary 1000.
- A couple of you wanted videos of Obama’s ill-fated press conference from yesterday. So, here they are. I watched them with the sound off and I don’t think he’s being deceptive, although he does look a little panicky about 1/3 of the way in. His hand motions are very distracting but he’s using his right hand, meaning he’s thinking mostly left brain and therefore more analytical? Is that how you interpret that? I read somewhere that lying is accompanied by shifting eyes up and to the left, as if to access the more creative part of the brain. (Here’s another lie detection page) Anyway, it didn’t strike me that he was fibbing about anything although his answers were rambling and labyrinthine. It’s probably better for him if he doesn’t go on at length. The less said the better. What am I thinking?! If the press wants to misread everything he says (”He is the messiah. Only the true messiah denies his divinity.”) let them. He’ll learn, er, but hopefully not before Clinton beats him.
- For those of you who really want to take your mind off of the primary, see The Tolkien Crackpot Theories page. (The one concerning Tom Bombadil is a dirty campaign slur put out by orcses) And this poem comparing Lembas to Twinkies is a classic:
All golden Twinkies do not glitter,
Not all consumed Twinkies are tossed;
The old that is preserved does not wither,
Their yellow-dyed color is not lost.In the stomach a fire shall be woken,
A Tums from the bottle shall spring,
Renewed shall be revulsion unbroken,
Hostess cakes again are the thing. - One more thing: In case you didn’t set your DVR, here is part 1 of the showdown between Jon Stewart and Hillary Clinton.
Add your favorite distractions to the comments and hang in there.
Filed under: General, Presidential Election 2008 | Tagged: Obama, press conference, redtar, san antonio, Tolkien crackpot theories, twinkies
Today I will be sending possitive thoughts to pro-Hillary voters in Ohio, Texas, RI and Vermont. Hopefully Hillary will carry some of them. I WANT to see Hillary in the White House!!!!!
UpstateNY: So do I but my nerves are like dilithium crystals, they can’t take too much more strain.
Luckily, I have a lot of work to do today (I’m working on my doctoral disseration) and I’m also getting my hair cut and colored and eyebrows waxed this afternoon. Going to the hair salon always makes me feel more upbeat.
I’m not going to watch MSNBC for even one minute today, because I do not want to get angry. I might turn on CNN, but I mught just check results on line or listen to the radio tonight. I wonder how late it will be before we know the Texas results?
I am predicting a win in the popular vote for Hillary in Texas. My intuition tells me she has the momentum right now. I think late-deciding women, white men, and Latinos will vote for her instead of allowing themselves to be engulfed by the wily and dangerous Obama (Aboma?) predator.
I know how you feel. I remember feeling that way on SuperTuesday (and I didn’t even get to vote because in NY primaries are closed to Independents)….
I hope Hillary does well today and even if she does not win both OH and TX, she decides to go on… I believe the love affair between Obama and the media is coming to an end, and may help even things out for Hillary in the long term.
My main concern in this election is Health Care. I would love for Hillary to win in the GE and help implement some sort of HC system that grants everyone access to medical coverage as good as that offered by most industrialized democracies in the world.
I grew up abroad and lived in Canada for a number of years before moving to the States. All I have to say is that may we be as lucky as to get a HC system comparable to the one Canadians enjoy. What ever happened to that aspect of the social contract in America?
Oh well… enough rambling…. Go Hillary, Go!
I told my hubby about the polling swinging to Sen Clinton in Texas with white and Hispanic males. I thought the 3:00 am ad may have struck a nerve and is showing she is ready to be CinC. He very sheepishly said when he saw the ad that he thought of Bill on the other pillow listening to her take the call ready with questions and advise. I told him that I think she could handle it just fine alone and he agreed then said “But she doesn’t have to”. He said they have been through everything together and are each others greatest asset “just like you and me babe.”
Escoffier: Awwww, that’s so sweet (I need insulin).
But seiously, she will have the best mentor in the world and I hope she reminded voters of that.
Escoffier: I agree with you. I think Hillary can do fine without Bill, but, it cannot hurt, can it, having someone with so much experience nearby to use as a sounding board.
ooooohhhhhmmmmmmm, ooooooohhhhhhmmmm (sending Hillary and her supporters in today’s primaries good vibes)
…..by the way, have you seen (again) the bad response to yesterday’s Daily Show among the Obamaphile online troups? Sad, sad reaction… can they at least give credit where credit is due…?
OK, have to leave now, I may drop by my local Catholic church later and light some candles to St. Jude. (I used to love to do that when I was growing up)
Hope for some good news tonight!
Thanks for the shoutout!
TalkLeft has a poll this morning saying most Dems think HRC should stay in the race no matter what! Hear hear!!
Hi all! An update from the ground in Ohio: Just got home to NYC late last night after unexpectedly spending the weekend getting out the vote for Hillary in Cleveland!!!
It was a tremendous experience (never done anything like that before). The crowds volunteering at both Cleveland offices were diverse along all cultural ranges – age, sex, race, class, etc – completely defying the way Hillary’s demographic is portrayed in the media.
Among various other tasks, I was able to do a lot of canvassing, and going door-to-door was my favorite part of the weekend. Lots of strong positive support for Hillary in District 10 (6 delegates, I think)! There were many people still undecided and making up their minds, but not, from what I could tell, a huge number of people strongly and obstinately supporting Obama. In fact, through clear discussions and expressing our own passion for Hillary’s candidacy, I think we were really able to swing some people into her corner.
Sunday night I got to attend Hillray’s event at the Ohio State campus in Cleveland. I’d never seen her speak in person. It was unbelievable. So much strength and yet backed with an overwhelming compassion and a winning charisma. And her ability to control the energy of the room was uncanny, masterfully bringing us from enthusiastic thunderous cheers of support to absolute breathless silence, hanging on her every word. As she related intimate tales of interactions with people on the campaign trail, it really felt like she was speaking one-on-one to each of us there. The crowd was again widely diverse along all lines, and seemed to really love her. At the end of her speech, she stayed shaking hands and signing autographs for an eternity, making focussed connections with each supporter. I was so proud to be there working on her behalf.
I really think she’s going to take Ohio, though of course it’s all up to them now. And like all of you, I will be on pins and needles all day. I’m planning to go in to the New York hq to make a last-ditch effort at phone calls today after work, and so will likely watch at least some of the returns from there.
If anyone has too much time on their hands today for their own mental good, take to the phones! There’s still a chance to reach someone out there in Texas and Ohio who hasn’t voted yet and is not sure who they’re supporting. We can communicate our passion to them and help Hillary take the nomination! You can do it from the comfort of your own homw – just go to http://www.hillaryclinton.com and click on the link to make phone calls. It’s really easy to do and will help quell your nerves.
Bitch is the new Black! Hillary for President!
Arrrggg… I can’t get into TalkLeft to see/take the poll!
TalkLeft is THE place to go these days for neutral to pro-Clinton coverage. Very refreshing. That’s probably why they’re inaccessible.
riverdaughter, so it’s not just me? That’s too bad. Things were pretty rough there this morning (troll-city) I hope there’s nothing deliberately destructive going on.
katiebird: No, it’s like I said, they are part of the new progressive blogosphere and they are getting increased traffic because they are pleasantly not hostile to Hillary fans. I think they are getting overwhelmed with page hits on their server.