11.04.2010

Election Day Wrap-Up Live From Ultra-Blue Maryland

As some might already know, I self-exiled from failing, miserable California (San Francisco to be exact) a mere week ago, packing everything I could fit into my car including my elderly cat and setting the GPS for east. I found a sweet little hideout in the Maryland suburbs just minutes from the hustle, bustle and outright sin of Washington DC that keeps me close enough to the action without getting any in my eye. Fantastic already, I must say, and I recommend that everyone spend at least one Election Day in our nation's capital just to absorb the palpable excitement that surges through town.

It was bittersweet, leaving the place I'd lived my entire adult life and admitting, at last, that I could no longer accept the recycling, car-hating, over-taxing, vicious life offered in lovely SF but I knew that if I stayed things would only get worse. Nancy Pelosi calls it home too, that alone was enough reason to leave. The SF Board of Supervisors tell us what we can eat, read, think, feel, use. They have taken away our Styrofoam, our plastic bags, and our right to make decisions for ourselves like the intelligent, free-thinking adults we allegedly are. Is that the kind of world I want to live in? Do you? That's what I thought.

But perhaps I should have done a little more due diligence before hopping across the country to the best homebase this side of the Potomac River, turns out these Marylanders are hard core blue staters. By hardcore I mean the governor (Martin O'Malley) barely had a running mate and would have won anyway even if this were Texas and his opponent were Bushy Sr or Jr.

I'm totally fine with that, of course, because I've been conditioned from so many years in San Francisco and a Wisconsin upbringing to accept the Democrat way of life as entirely normal. By all accounts O'Malley is constrained enough not to hold a candle to some of the more outrageous Democrats I might be familiar with such as our buddy Gavin Newsom (best of luck to him as Lt. Governor!) and Nancy Pelosi. Shit, no one can top Pelosi.

Turns out dirty politics are a given no matter where you reside. Case in point, the anti-O'Malley robo call controversy. Desperation isn't cute, doesn't matter which party it comes from.

WaPo:

Gov. Martin O'Malley's campaign said it has received complaints from voters statewide who have received robo-calls urging them to stay home even though the polls are open until 8 p.m.

The call, a copy of which was provided by the O'Malley campaign, says:

"I'm calling to let everyone know that Governor O'Malley and President Obama have been successful. Our goals have been met," according to the woman's voice on the recording. "The only thing left is to watch it on TV tonight. Congratulations and thank you."

Listen to it here.

Rick Abbruzzese, O'Malley's campaign spokesman, said the calls are designed to discourage Democrats from voting. "It's not coming from us. We want people to go out and vote."

Listen, I want Democrats to stay home as much if not more than the next guy but that's just sloppy.

Dirty politics aside, I've got to admit it's hilarious seeing all the "We've got your back, President Obama!" signs now blowing in the wind and half off their posts at the side of the road. They wanted hope and change, hope they got that change they wanted.

4 comments:

Negocios Loucos said...

JDA, have you gotten a whiff of the resentment between Marylanders and Virginians? It's hilarious! I lived in Falls Church for about 9 months and it's like hearing a Northern Irishman talking about how different a Republic of Irishman is to him. It's like, you look the same, you sound the same, how different can you be. Of course they'll scream and hollar about that but my response is that they are both a culture that loves hatin.

Anyway, my Chicago upbringing prevented me from seeing a difference between the 2. See if you notice and report back.

Sic Ibid said...

Glad to see the WC contributors are spreading out nationwide. We've got a solid presence in CA, 1 contributor posted in Chicago, and now at least 1 stationed in the East Coast. May our coast-to-coast tentacles touch many lives.

Anonymous said...

Just finished posting my "I've got your back in Wyoming, JDA" sign.

Jr Deputy Accountant said...

Sharpening my tentacles as we speak, Sic.

Anon, email me if you want me to send you an "I <3 Jr Deputy Accountant" bumper sticker to go with that sign :)

Happy Super Tuesday!