Why my Aunt Eloise (80 yo) Switched to Obama in NC
"I'm voting for Hillary."
It was hard to not take this news personally from my beloved 80 year old Aunt Eloise. After all, I had been supporting and working on the Obama campaign in North Carolina for more than a year. Maybe I should have taken the hint when she asked me to return her fans that I "borrowed" from her basement to help cool the second story Obama office in downtown Durham, NC. After all my phone banking, canvassing, and well, sweat and tears invested in the Obama campaign, this news simply stunned me. I did not know what to say.
"I'll still love you if you vote for Hillary" was the immediate and genuine response.
She could tell that I was clearly taken aback. "Let's have dinner" she announced to the small gathering of family members.
Whilst nibbling at her Brunswick Stew, my Aunt Katharine (84 years old) asked me what I thought about the gas tax holiday plan being talked about on television. My relatives always like to ask my opinion about things. Perhaps it's because they know I have opinions about things - especially things political. Now Aunt Katharine spends her days reading the NY Times and her evenings watching news and business on PBS. So we can have some well informed discussions about things political and social.
"Did you see Obama on Meet the Press?" I asked her. She nodded affirmatively. "Well, Obama said it all; The gas tax holiday proposal is pandering - plain and simple." It was hard to argue that point when presented with the facts.
As the dinner was ending, my Aunt Katharine confided in me that she too planned to vote for Hillary the next day. "I liked the Clinton years" she explained. All I could think of (to myself) was "No ride to the polling station for you tomarrow."
"I love you anyway" were the words that came out of my mouth.
Well, today is Thursday and I have not broached the subject of my Aunt Katharine's vote (or even if she somehow managed to get to the polls). But she did call me yesterday to congatulate me on Obama's victory in North Carolina. (As if it was my victory somehow?) She simply stated " Perhaps he will be a good president. I hope so. He gave a terrific speech after winning last night."
I stopped by my Aunt Eloise's house yesterday to pick up a bowl from the meal. "Jon, I voted for Obama!" she exclaimed.
Now isn't Life full of surprises.
She said she changed her mind because of Hillary's obvious pandering on the gas tax holiday.
But perhaps it's because she loves me too!
I gave her a big hug - right there in her sunny kitchen.