Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this son of York.
~~Shakespeare, Richard III, Act I, Scene i
It's summer in Wisconsin today.
You wouldn't know it from the weather, of course. After all, who hasn't seen yesterday's pictures: Wisconsinite voters standing in icy parking lots and scraping their cars, the hazy puffs of breath plainly visible against the dull gray sky. And we have heard the stories too: voters fishtailing down treacherously icy country roads or anxiously navigating slick, crowded freeways, braving the ice and the chill just for the chance to vote. Nonetheless, it is summer in Wisconsin. We made it so with our votes.
Let's hope it lasts. Take another look at the quote with which I began this diary. At this point in the play, King Edward IV has just ascended the throne, ending a long and particularly bitter civil war between the Lancastrians and the House of York, uniting the country, and inspiring the people of Britain. "Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York." It seems fitting, right? Isn't that what we hope Obama will do--overthrowing the Republican political dynasty to bring unity, peace, and change to the country?
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