Nervous Time

This is Who It's For.

The Great Plotnik voted for the first time in the midterm election of 1966. He can't remember for whom he voted then, but he knows he voted for Eugene McCarthy in the Democratic Primary of 1968, and then, reluctantly, for Hubert Humphrey in the Presidential election.

He voted for Humphrey: Nixon won.

In 1972 he voted for George McGovern: Nixon won again.

In 1976 he voted for Jimmy Carter, who actually did win. Then came Ayatollah Khomeini, who seemed in those days like the worst bad boy ever. Looking back, he seems not much worse than a kindergarten bully. But that was the end of Carter.

In 1980 Plotnik voted for Jimmy Carter again, against Ronald Reagan, even though Reagan had signed Plotnik's Diploma from UC, when Reagan had been Governor of California. Ronald Reagan won.

In 1984 he voted against Ronald Reagan, though he can't remember for whom. Was that Mondale? Reagan won again.

In 1988 he voted against GHW Bush, whom he despised. Bush won.

In 1992 he voted for Bill Clinton, without a ton of enthusiasm, and again in 1996, this time with a lot more enthusiasm.

Looking back, it seems like somewhere around 1996 is when all the sniping began. The Republicans controlled Congress and tried everything they could to stymie anything President Clinton wanted to do. That rancor in Congress has not stopped since.

In 2000 Plotnik voted for Al Gore who won, but lost.

In 2004 he voted for John Kerry, who was a bumbling fool who lost an election that couldn't be lost. In both cases, the winner was George W. Bush Junior. He was as far over his head as Governor Palin is today.

The reason Plot brings all this up now is to say that tomorrow is another election in which it appears impossible that the Democrats can lose. But this time the party is not running a bumbling fool, but a brilliant tactician. This does not ensure victory, but at least we will not give it away with Gay Marriage.

Plotnik is nervous. This is the first election in his voting career that he has felt that way. The reason is that this time he has a candidate to vote for, instead of a slate of people to vote against.

Nervousness has to be a good sign. This time it's personal.