We, the People
Tonight I feel like I'm waiting for Christmas morning. All these presents are sitting under the tree but I can't touch them or open them until tomorrow.

Does anyone believe Gallup will be in business after tomorrow night?

I am so tired right now. Spent all morning canvassing the town of Tomahawk, about 40 miles north of Wausau. During the summer the population is probably about 10,000 speedboaters and waterskiers, but during the fall it's probably about 3,000 unemployed factory workers, and a hotbed of Kerry supporters. People literally came out of their houses to tell us they were voting for Kerry.

Spent a lot of time being lectured to by a guy who had been working with his parish organizing Catholics for Kerry. And one of the most beautiful faces I saw belonged to an elderly nun, a nurse at the local hospital, who, with a glow that came from somewhere I don't understand, told me she was voting for Kerry, and so was her roommate, Sister Theresa, and no, they didn't need a ride to the polls, and yes they knew where to go, you betcha.

And back here in Wausau, recanvassing an area we'd first gone to on Saturday, we note the Undecideds are starting to come home to roost on Kerry's shoulder -- and this time they're settling in and building nests quite firmly. For example, the woman who saw me coming up the path and trotted to the door to meet me, saying "I was a Republican for 35 years but I finally decided, enough is enough. I don't know who these people are anymore. I'm voting for Kerry."

And on Halloween, a woman told me, "Oh, you betcha, Kerry. And Russ Feingold. I love that man. Does he need more money?"

And again on Halloween: a woman dressed in a burka holding a basket of candy. Dolls dressed as soldiers were piled up on her porch. "My husband said I shouldn't paint them with blood." Gulp. She was German and so couldn't vote. "But he's voted already, dear God, yes."

There you go. This is it. I'll be up and out before you're probably awake, but let's meet at the Victory Party when the polls close later.

So tired. This is as eloquent as it's gonna get.

Nite nite, and let's dream of a better day-after-tomorrow.

- posted by Cynthia @ 9:40 PM | | | Link |