The Democratic Assumption

For the first time since LBJ in 1964, Nebraska's second district (which includes Omaha) this year gave its one, mighty electoral vote to a Democrat. Talk of this possibility ramped up after Obama won the Iowa caucus, but it still seemed incredibly unlikely (much like his eventual presidency). Ironically, I'd moved from the district to Michigan thinking that my vote could actually count for a change — turned out, McCain ceded Michigan when he pulled out his staff in early October, while Nebraska's third electoral vote wasn't secured for Obama until a few days after Election Day.

Omaha's The Reader thought the occasion was historic enough to donate a large cover story to the news. The project featured a "where were you" piece consisting of Reader writer's narratives. I contributed this:

Polling booth four, three blocks from my house in East Lansing, Mich., a reverse Nader effect, and Obama got my vote. The state was projected to be in the bag, but I hadn’t even had coffee yet, what if Joe the Plumber starts dating an Olsen twin this afternoon?

At 7 p.m. EST, as my professor explained where we/I had gone wrong on my mass media and society test, I was streaming MSNBC with CNN, CBS and Fox in three other panels on my 12-inch, beat-up iBook screen.

Comparing vote projections, counting pinstripe suits, feeling tech savvy.

It was the first time I’d streamed something live — it still feels awkward to say — and after eight weeks, the first time I’d taken notes on my laptop in the class.

But how could I truly engage what and how forces enable or disable individuals to fulfill their democratic roles of caring and competence when the answers were this class, blocking my news fix, and is Bob Barr pulling ahead?