The story I'm writing today isn't an uncommon one, but it is one that I never thought would happen to me.
To give you a little background, my parents weren't exactly involved in politics in any way. They would be the typical 'low information voter'. Actually, my parents NEVER voted. No, that's not a dramatic overstatement, it's the truth. Election days came and went quietly when I was growing up. If I asked my parents if they voted, the answer was always "No, there's no point in it really..." That trend continued unchanged after I moved out on my own.
But over this Labor Day weekend, I was having lunch with my mom at a pizza joint. Out of the clear blue, she says to me, "Did you hear about McCain's VP choice?" I wasn't sure where this conversation was heading, especially since I would have thought Mom leaned a little to the conservative side, but my excitement of McCain SOOOO stepping in it by choosing Sarah Palin overcame me and I dove right in.
I told Mom about Trooper-gate, which surprised her (Mom isn't Internet-savvy, so her info comes mainly from the Traditional Media). After listening to me list off my greivances with the GOP, and nodding in agreement, Mom finally says to me -
"There's just something about that John McCain that I don't trust and I can't get over it. I'll be voting for Barack..."
Now, this statement was full of things that amazed me. First and foremost, my mom was going to vote for the first time in my life! Furthermore, this is the first time in my lifetime that my mom has even been registered to vote. Secondly, even though almost all of Mom's information about the candidates comes from the Traditional Media, she still has realized that McCain is full of shit, a liar, and willing to do/say anything to get elected. Third, she actally mentioned the need for change in Washington, and will cast her first vote - EVER - for Barack Obama.
Like I said at the beginning of this, I know that my story isn't an uncommon one this election cycle. But there's something about stories like this one that strikes you when it happens to you personally. Kudos to all those who have diaried about this before me - now I understand.