Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Someone Stole My Obama Yard Sign Last Night

Can you believe it?

I was a poll watcher for 6 hrs. beginning at 8am. Then I had to drive 50 min. to Sandpoint to teach an evening class. That ended early so I rushed home to celebrate at my Vice-Chair, Fred's home, arriving just in time for Obama's speech. We all watched with great happiness, clapped our approval, and cried tears of joy. I guess about 40 people were there. Then, I finally headed home around 10:30, only to discover that my Obama/Biden sign had disappeared from my yard.

The missing sign was a portent of the next several hours as I mulled and mulled over the Idaho Secretary of State's election night results, along with the Boundary County Clerk's election results, and then cried my heart out for Idaho candidates. Wow! So many 24-28% losses. I can't believe that our local candidates did so badly. It all seemed so bright. But it soured so much.

As a poll watcher I saw all our local wingnuts arrive at the polls, but not alone. They brought their newly registered spouses, their first-time-voting children, and their friends. I haven't reviewed the statistics, but I think that Sarah did a good job of bringing out the religious right. I still had hope, however, for the votes received from the youth and from new arrivals to our community. Unfortunately those hopes were shattered in the night.

We lost two county commissioner seats in Bonner County. Our local candidates for county commissioner lost to Republican incumbents. Our two representative races were lost to Republicans. The Secretary of State offices, who mistakenly put Lew Langness on the ballot, marked him as a withdrawal rather than excluding him after the primary as they should have. Shawn Keough has certainly taken that to the bank....

So, I would like to put out a call to Blaine County - perhaps some of your Democrats would consider moving to north Idaho??? Our land is cheaper, we have less people, and our local Democratic Central Committee is strong. Any takers? I'm sure that Bonner County, also ID District 1, would love to have you as well. We're not the "Crown Jewel of the North" for nothing.... And hey, I'm a sous-chef at a local restaurant, Papa Byrd's Bistro, and our food has received raves from customers from around the world. So, think about it, that's all I ask....

In the meantime, we're making arrangments for evaluation and planning, I've already volunteered to work for a local possible candidate in the 2010 campaign, Minnick will be in congress, and our Idaho candidates ran some damn good campaigns.

So thank you, everyone, all volunteers, all candidates, and our very own IDP. We have taken steps forward on the successful undertaking of making Idaho blue.