A Part of Something

I’m not a very political person. 

Don’t get me wrong, I have my views.  Strong views. 

And, I’m a voter.  I’ve voted in every election since I turned 18 (well, except for that one election when I was in college…when I was too lazy to get my absentee ballot.  I know.  For shame). 

But I’m not one to get, you know, involved.

CK is a different story.  He was totally a part of it all this year, and I’m really proud of him.  He spent all day yesterday (seriously, ALL DAY…from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm…all while sporting a seriously solid cold) driving elderly folks to the polls.  Folks who couldn’t - or shouldn’t - drive themselves.  He also ran absentee ballots back and forth to people who weren’t well enough to leave their homes. 

I know.  Did I get me a solid fella or what?

By the end of the day, he’d worked so hard that the guy in charge of the campaign office gave him two tickets to the Obama celebration party (well, I’m sure it wasn’t actually CALLED that at the time…it was probably called the Cautiously Optimistic End of the Election Party until about 10:00 pm or so) at the Marriott Waterside in Tampa.  Sweeeeeeeet.

So, for the first time, I actually felt like I was a PART of the election…of the success…of the change.  Truth be told, I’d never voted for a winner before.  It was really moving. 

I met so many people.  Excited people.  Elated people.  I met a soldier back from four tours in Iraq who showed me his bullet wound and told me he was supporting Obama because he wants his friends to come home alive.  I met people in from all over the country who came to campaign in Florida because they knew how critical a state this was.

It was awesome.  The excitement in that room when the election was called…I can’t even explain it.

Unfortunately, my pictures are weak.  Sorry.

The size of the room was just too much for my baby flash to take, so all I really have are dark shots of a crowd.  Here they are though!  Just, please humor me and picture much more light…and much, much more excitement.  We were too busy to take pictures during the exciting parts, what with the jumping around and all, but you’ll just have to trust me that it was there.

Come on, January!!