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Super Tuesday
By Kate | February 5, 2008
In a stroke of luck when I showed up at the polling place today, which smelled a little too much like adult diapers, they had my record all wrong. My birthday was listed at 1955. My party was listed as “unaffiliated” so I was able to vote in the Democratic primary. I voted for Mike Gravel. It’s hard to know whether to vote FOR someone or AGAINST someone else… but, this time I chose for Gravel and not against Clinton.
In some ways it feels good to be one of 152 (total Utah votes for Gravel) instead of one of 70,000+.
Tagged with: Gravel • Primary • Super Tuesday
February 6th, 2008 at 4:58 am
I’m confused. What did you think your party was going to be listed as? Republican?
February 6th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Yeah, when I originally registered in Utah I was R, but it must have changed when I moved to Salt Lake. It was a pleasant surprise.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Ha ha, I love Gravel. I became increasingly disappointed when the debates started banning him from attending. All his wisdom and sensibilities seem to be captured in his oft used phrase (which, I like so much), “Follow the money.” Good on you for voting for him.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:23 am
It goes without saying that I adore Gravel. It goes without saying probably because I called everyone I knew on or before election day and told them to vote for him, including sending strange texts to people I hadn’t talked to in months, casually saying–as if I had talked to them yesterday–”So, who do you think you might vote for?” Apparently I know 152 people. Also, please don’t ask me how much time I spend on Gravel’s website a day. That would be embarrassing for all of us.
But all joking aside, I truly admire Mike Gravel. In fact, I am writing him a long letter right now. I just finished watching a really great doc (Neil, start salivating and gettig on your library shoes) called “Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?” It is all about this inspiring progressive guy who runs for Congress against a dynasty politician who spews platitudes and has no real or visionary stance on the issues. The sad thing is that this dynasty guy wins, despite advocating policies that harm the people who voted for him. It is so troubling to see Jeff Smith (the amazing maverick guy) get ignored day after day by unimaginative pundits and news editors simply because his is “unviable.” I think our political debate needs a real shot of imagination, and we need idealists who will pulbicize and defend politicians who push for real equality and change. I hope that someday politics will not mean voting for a lesser evil (or a positive but unsubstantive leader) in a two-party system in which people vote against the ideals they talk about in their living rooms.
I am grateful, however, that there are politicians like Gravel who are willing to reject the hypocrisy and entitlement of contemporary politics and admit the real reasons for our problems (for example, Mike Gravel answered a question about nuclear disarmamant by insisting that the US has partly caused the nuclear problem and should disarm, too, if they are asking others to.)
Hooray for pockets of integrity in our current system…