As a member of the media – albeit a tiny tiny fish in a gigantic pond – I make a point of keeping my own political perspective as close to my vest as I possibly can. Not that it doesn’t peek through from time to time- but I would like to think that most listeners to WGTD would hesitate to bet money on how I will vote in this upcoming election if given the chance because they would be just uncertain enough about which side of the aisle I tend to plant myself. One reason for the uncertainty is that I am a bit of a mutt, politically- with left leanings on some issues and right leanings on others. In the end, I almost always vote for one particular party- – – but there are a lot of ways in which I am much more Purple than either blue or red.
Anyway, I take public neutrality very seriously, to the point where Kathy and I have never had a sign in our yard espousing a particular political candidate. The closest we ever came was when we came into possession of a yard sign from another community (Madison, perhaps?) which said <<BERG for Mayor.>> But otherwise, no. And although Kathy is certainly free to wear any political buttons she chooses, I would never wear one unless there was a button that said OPERA LOVERS UNITE!
But yesterday I did attach a button to my shirt pocket which just came from National Public Radio. You see it pictured above. It reads: I Listen. I Vote. NPR. These buttons are actually smaller than we expected them to be – which at first was disappointing – but I noticed that because the button is as small as it is, it tends to get people squinting at it to read what it says. . . versus the typical Obama or McCain buttons which are like wearing a 21-gun salute on your lapel. I like the subtlety of this and of course it has a message which I am happy to fully endorse. Then again, I get the distinct impression that not too many people are going to be sitting at home on November 4th, watching their paint dry. I only hope that a good number of the people who choose to vote will do so having learned as much as they could about the candidates and their respective positions versus voting with their guts and glands. . . which is the choice that too many people make.
One weird thing about this year is that I will be casting my vote at the courthouse on the 27th – because on election day I’ll be teaching all day long and they running down to Chicago for the opera. . . and with lines likely to be long, there is no way I will have a chance to visit my local polling place and vote the old fashioned way. And I am already sad about that, but it’s far more important that I cast my vote for what amounts to perhaps the most crucial presidential election since Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected back in 1932.
I will say this- I am glad that at this critical juncture in our history, we have two entirely decent men running for president. (In other words, I’m glad we don’t have to choose between James Buchanan and Warren G. Harding.) One of them is far and away my preferred candidate – but I am at least heartened by the knowledge that both men love this country and would put its well being above all else. We need more than a decent man, however. We need someone courageous- and intelligent – and creative – and compassionate – and inspiring. (And they have to be a little bit nuts to even want the job.)
And that man is . . .
Oops- time for bed.