My voting record

Now that I've officially earned my right to complain for the next four years by voting, let me do a quick rundown of my Presidential election voting record:

1988: George HW Bush vs Michael Dukakis: Growing up in Massachusetts, I voted for the home state guy. The Duke. No apologies. Something about Bush I didn't like from the start. Though I did hear GHWB speak once in person (at Salem State College) after he was out of office and I was impressed.

1992: George HW Bush vs. William Jefferson Clinton: Didn't vote for Bush the first time, certainly wasn't gonna do it the second time around. Clinton had a magnetic personality and like this current election, the country needed a change from a Republican stranglehold on the Presidency.

1996: Bob Dole vs. WJ Clinton: Dare you think I would vote for Mr. No personality over Bill? Oh, no. Despite Clinton's sexual promiscuity, I think he was a better than average President.

2000: Al Gore vs. George W Bush: I voted for Al, who would have done an admirable job in the Oval Office. Too bad Al couldn't even carry his home state of Tennessee... never a good sign. I have four words about GWB: "Deer in the headlights." 'Nuff said. Damn Florida chads. I must say though that I was never more proud to be an American during this election. Amid all of the confusion and dispute over Florida's electoral votes, there was never any violence when the country went from a Democratic administration to a Republican one. How many times have we heard of fighting, murders and crime breaking out in other countries over elections where a different party is coming into power?

2004: John Kerry vs. King George: I am proud to write that I have never voted for a Bush and I never will. John Kerry, another Massachusetts guy, still would make a good President if he decides to run again someday. [Even better for him if he gets tabbed for a Cabinet post in 2008.] Damn Ohioans. Get it right in '08, will ya? One headline I read after the last election asked something like, "how can 50 million Americans be so stupid?" (referring to the re-election of Bush). Well you get what you ask for most of the time and America did with four more years of the current administration. "Deer in the headlights" still applies to W. Always will.

2008: Barack Obama vs. John McCain: At the beginning of the Presidential race I was a supporter of John Edwards and attended a town hall meeting of his last December in Derry, New Hampshire (my first such event, ever - of which I have photographic proof.) But since he dropped out, I've made no secret of the fact that I've thrown my weight, such as it is, behind Barack Obama. Another precedent broken - for the first time I've contributed financially to a Presidential campaign. Heaven help us if McRabid puffy cheeked squirrel guy wins...

I've even gone so far in this space to predict an overwhelming Electoral College victory for Obama, similar to the beating Mondale/Ferraro took in 1984 at the hands of Reagan/Bush I. Now let's see what the final results will be this time. No matter who wins though, I'll be happy to be done with the political ads and mailings that go along with such campaigns.