Cry Out For Everything You Ever Might Have Wanted

Thursday, February 7, 2008 - 2:45pm - Arlington, VA

After years of living in primary states that never mattered at all (Maryland '96, Massachusetts '00, Missouri '04), suddenly my home is worth something politically in primary land.  The Potomac / Chesapeake / DVM Primary is a mere days away.  With Super Tuesday deciding nothing, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are descending on the region and campaigning their little hearts out for our votes.  Of course, with Mitt Romney leaving the campaign trail, and there being a big lack of Evangelical Christians in Arlington, I don't expect to see any Republicans nearby.

My little street's peaceful afternoon was shattered by the Clinton campaign.  When I came home this morning around 9, my street already had television microwave and satellite trucks parked near the high school which is hosting the event.  I'm proud to say, a WUSA9 truck was nowhere to be found.  We're a steel trap like that.  When I poked my head back outside around 2:30pm, the street was a much different place.  Cars were lined up and down 13th Street, as well as 14th and Nelson.  The police had most of the area blocked off.  I think the senator was still a good half hour away from this pep rally.  But man, there were plenty of people flooding down my street on a brisk February day to go to the gymnasium of a school that's about to be torn down.  And, of course, they were all illegally parked in my permit zone.  I don't know why the Arlington police weren't ticketing them.  I'm talking big bucks for the county.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Clinton would draw such a crowd.  She's a former first lady, fairly respected U.S. senator from a populous state, and has a realistic chance to become the first female president.  I mean, at it's core, it's 1-in-3 right now.  I guess what I don't understand is the passion.  I don't understand what's keeping these people - who, in theory, have jobs or lives or something that they normally do during the day - in line for over an hour to go through a security check to see something in person they could have seen on TV at home.  Yes, I get the concept of seeing someone/something in person, especially something/someone that is historic.  This is coming from someone who religiously attends Marlins-Nationals games in 90° weather.  And I know this is Washington DC, where a great slow-night conversation starter is "I hate/love President Bush." 

Maybe it's political passion that I don't quite understand.  I pass this car on the right nearly every day along 14th Street North.  I haven't noticed it in the 2+ years I've lived here.  However, as soon as those Obama plates went on, I noticed it.  I see it every day.  I'm pretty sure those plates came along before the Iowa Caucus.  That's passion.  Here's long-term (well, a year at least) support for a guy who most people pegged for a graceful but quick exit from the national political scene in '08.  In our car-loving culture, getting vanity plates to profess your love for something is a big commitment.  Like one towards a vacation spot or sports team.  I don't understand the passion towards a politician.  Towards Democracy and Liberty and the Constitution and all that - yes, I get it.  But to one man or woman?  No.  Sports teams and barrier islands, yes.  A politician?  No.

Maybe it's because with a politician, so much can change in a heartbeat, or at least an election.  I still see Gore/Lieberman stickers around.  Kerry/Edwards stickers are a dime a dozen.  And I know people who have Bush/Cheney stickers on their cars, and while not leaving the Republican party anytime soon, they would rather have their bumper lopped off in a freak accident than keep that sticker there another day.  While that McCain or Obama or Clinton or Paul or Giuliani or Gravel sticker looks good today, next month it might just remind the world that you're a loser and backed the wrong horse.  And like most political-minded people, you've gotten behind another horse instead for now...hopefully one that won't take a crap on you.  Like those people with the "W" stickers they've started to scratch off.

Title is from the song "In a Big Country" by Big Country.  It really may be one of the best and most underrated songs of the '80s.