As the election draws near, I begin to reflect in all the crazy twists and turns that have occurred over the last 20 months. Being a political junky, this year has not been a disappointment. Unlike most normal people, I actually know each and every political pundit on just about every news outlet. I have come to look forward to everything Chuck Todd of MSNBC and David Gergen of CNN has to say. I found them to be wise and without bias, saying just enough to keep me coming back for more. I cried for two weeks when Tim Russert died, wondering how God could take this wonderful man from us so soon. I watched Bill O’Reilly and Keith Olberman battle for supreme right and left intellectual talking points. I have observed Sean Hannity and Joe Scarborough try to convince America that the republican party is still the party of capitalism, despite the enormous deficit and the crashing markets under their parties eight year rule. I have watched Chris Matthews and Campbell Brown try to hold back their endearing admiration for Barack Obama, by trying to be non-biased, nice try guys; you get an “A” for effort.  But in defense of all of the media outlets, this was a very exciting year for political junkies on both sides of the aisle. We have two candidates who don’t really fit the mold of your traditional democrat or republican running for president.

We have the “new kid on the block”, Barack Obama, who excited so many people in very personal ways. He took on the mighty “Clinton Machine” and won. And he did so by embodying so many ideals our country was founded on such as “bi-partisanship”, “hope”, and “personal responsibility”. He embodies the American dream. The son of an immigrant father and a young woman from Kansas, he went through the same trials and tribulations we all struggle with; our identity, our purpose in life, and our hopes and dreams for our children. He presented a calm and steadfast demeanor during a difficult campaign. And he made intelligence seem “cool” and “hip” again. He connected with the younger generation, like no one has since the Kennedy brothers. And for so many, he fulfilled the dream of man named Martin Luther King Jr and of so many who fought and died during the Civil Rights Era. And he gave the world a new prism in which to view our country.

 We also have the “fighter” John McCain who like Lazarus rose from the grave of defeat in the primaries. He was broke, and wrote off for good. But those who underestimated his “fighting” appeal were left speechless when he became the nominee for president. He proved to everyone not to count the warrior in charge of his own destiny. A man who might have been robbed his chance in 2000, but was vindicated in 2008. He is known as a “risk taker” who doesn’t always fall into line with his party and he proved that when he changed his mind on long held positions and fired staff when he felt they were no longer delivering his message properly. But the biggest shocker of all was the unexpected pick of an unknown governor from Alaska. When he chose Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, he again proved his maverick charm. Her addition to the McCain ticket injected much needed excitement and a fresh new face into his campaign.  Sarah Palin is the first woman to ever be on a GOP presidential ticket. What ever your views of her, she is unconventional, and feisty and has fired up the republican base.

Let’s not forget the other characters that ran this year. It was a wide array of talent, experience, history and ego. They all thought they had the “right stuff” to be President of the United States. We watched two dynasties fall into the history books, the Clintons and the Bush’s; two empires that have ruled our country for over 20 years. We watched the polls go up and down like a rollercoaster, pundits pull their hair out trying to predict election night outcomes, and an electorate heavily engaged in emotionally charged issues. You also watched both optimism and cynicism battle for dominance within each of us with our souls… neither really winning.

The generational gap was also profound this year. Families and friends spent countless hours at the kitchen table, at work, over the phone, engaged in healthy and fiery dialogue about their different views. Many younger voters wanted parents and grandparents to think outside of the box this election cycle. They wanted their voices to be heard. Parents and grandparents wanted their children to know that “hope” is great but sometimes “safe” (even when times seem difficult) is the best course.

We have watched our 401K’s plummet, gas prices reach record highs, grocery prices dramatically increase, personal debt go through the roof, unemployment swell, and foreclosures sky-rocket. We have watched a five year war in Iraq increase our country’s debt load. And as if we had not been demoralized enough, our tax dollars have been given out to financial giants who have mismanaged their portfolios, while their incompetent CEO’s left with a multi-million dollar “golden parachute”.  All the while we are told we don’t have enough money to provide emergency help to our local communities with new and necessary infrastructure, affordable healthcare, or safe and thriving schools for our children.

Wow, this has been quite a sobering year for America! I think it is safe to say this political marriage of the last 8 years will never be forgotten.

So as the campaign draws to a close what will our country look like under the new administration? Will all of the fervor of the campaign season really create a changing dynamic in Washington? How will the next administration govern through the dangerous minefields ahead? Will experience or judgment prove to be the victor? Will the new president fall into the same old Washington dance between lobbyists, special interest and gridlock government? Or will we hold them accountable to what “We the People” need? We won’t know the answers to these questions for quite sometime. Whoever we end up with, it will be a marriage of convenience. Our last marriage left us uncertain of our own ability to discern truth over falsehoods. We entered the last marriage with our veil pulled tightly over our head. We made our choice based on what our heart wanted. Our heart wanted to believe in a “cowboy” with a familiar name, who we could “drink a beer with”, who loved God and came from a good family with “moral values”. Like a Lifetime movie we wanted to believe that this fellow would save us from the “debauchery” of the last marriage (Clinton administration) and all of its shenanigans. How very naïve we were. This go round we will be a little more cynical. We want as much proof as possible that this marriage will work. We no longer want the romance, just someone we can trust to take care of business, fix what’s broken, keep us safe and provide good health insurance. Maybe in time…we’ll  even learn to like him.

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