105 Ways to Give a Book

A Personal (and Political) Message

Dear John,

Stop calling. I’m tired of getting messages on my answering machine reminding me that today’s the primary and to get out and vote for you. It’s over between us, Mr. McCain. It has been for a long time. In fact, I take that back. It never really even started for us, which only makes your continual calling all the more pathetic.

Okay, there was that brief flirtation years ago. But c’mon, the Democrats were putting up Kerry. In comparison, you looked so strong. But nothing happened with us. You have to admit it. I didn’t even give you my digits, which also makes your calls pretty disturbing.

You know this is hard enough for me already. Yes, I’m talking about Clinton and Obama. We need to talk about that. I’ve always been a fan of the Clintons and stuck through the tough times with them. I did. I like Hillary, and I love the idea of a woman president. But for years the country has been acting like an married couple hashing over the same old arguments and not getting anywhere. For the love of Pete, the last election had a huge focus on Vietnam. VIETNAM! Do you realize how long ago that was? Shouldn’t our attention be somewhere else by now? You were no help with your whole Prisoner of War thing going on. Not that I don’t appreciate what you did. Honestly. It’s just time to move on.

I’m with Obama now. He’s strong too, but he’s a fresh start. We need a fresh start badly, so badly. I can’t work out the old issues anymore. Red state, blue state. Clinton, Bush. Back and forth. It’s draining. With Obama I feel needed, wanted, excited. It’s good. It’s really good.

So John, the calls have got to stop. I’ll always treasure the good in you, but I can’t be yours. I can’t. I’m an Obama Girl now.

Sincerely,
Pam (Pookie)

7 comments:

Kelly said...

It could be worse. During the caucuses I had Huckabee's campaign calling me. Me! I'm practically a commie or something. I've never even been registered independent. I think they were just scaring us Dems for some reason. Creepy, creepy questions (mostly having to do with marriage "between a man and a woman")

I don't like McCain. And would write him a Dear John letter too. BUT, the fact that he's ended up the front runner has given me some faith back in the "American People." I was pretty hopeless there for awhile.

My vote has already been cast. For a candidate out of the race. But, I'll be happy with either Obama or Hillary, so go, Virginia, vote!

Mary Lee said...

You saw the Obama hope video that Liz in Ink linked? Well, go to Robin Brande and check out the flip side. Hysterical!

EM said...

Last week I was working the circ desk and unloaded an interlibrary loan request of THE AUDACITY OF HOPE. The owning library apparently knows something we don't about my man Barack: in addition to his Kenyan heritage, he's also Irish.

The spine label said "O'Bama."

MotherReader said...

Thanks for the tip, Mary Lee. That was hysterical.

EM, "O'Bama." Snort!

Kelly, frankly its exciting to have anyone calling or visiting Virginia at all. We're always written off by the Democrats, and the Republicans don't see the point of doing much campaigning here. It's one of the big reasons we went to the Obama rally. He'll never be back here again.

Anonymous said...

"We're always written off by the Democrats, and the Republicans don't see the point of doing much campaigning here."

Count your blessings.

I was at my mom's place in Ohio during the 2004 presidential election and it really was like being under siege. There was no advertising on TV that wasn't political advertising. None. Some lunatic put the voter rolls online and the phone never stopped ringing. It wasn't just the candidates... it was random people from Sweden and Finland eager to buttonhole swing state Americans.

The volunteers were so thick on the ground that my mom eventually gave up answering the front door. So they started coming around the back and knocking on the family room window. Not kidding. I wish I was.

It was a nightmare (up to and including the eventual result which I'm proud to say was not helped by voters in my mom's district).

I talked to her about all this on the phone recently and she's already laying in supplies for November. I told her she can come hide out in the relative peace and quiet of New York City.

Anonymous said...

Here's the McCain vid, for everyone's entertainment:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/11/9435/13800/190/454427

PS -- Love your Dear John letter...

Anonymous said...

I keep trying to get my godson to talk politics because he likes to say how he hopes "Iraq" Obama will win the election. I know I should correct him, but it's just. so. funny.