November 4, 2004
As I read the polls, I keep thinking about the 2004 Election.
Christopher and I lived in Prague, and voted by absentee ballot for Kerry. At the time, the possibility of Bush winning didn’t enter my head, not because I was naïve (although maybe that, too) but rather because both the international media and the international community were so anti-Bush that the idea seemed almost laughable. CNN and Newsweek International openly mocked him. Anti-American graffiti was everywhere. In discussions with our friends—both Czech and expatriates—it was totally far-fetched; silly, even; like, Yeah, RIGHT.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and because of that experiene, I have to admit that I’m holding my breath until Wednesday morning. Poll or no poll, I’m afraid of feeling as I did then.
From my journal; November 4, 2004.
Sitting in our living room in Prague, watching CNN International and taking notes because someday my children will ask, “Ma, what happened during the 2004 election?” and I want to be able to say something more intelligent than, Honey, it sucked, or Kiddo, it was awesome! The media we get here is so anti-Bush is doesn’t seem like the man has a chance in Hell; however, so far as we can tell, The United States is evenly divided. On television, they say the election is too close to call and predict that the decision will be made, yet again, in the courts.
8:30 pm: Karl Rove, who really might be the Devil.
9:00. An Iraqi woman is interviewed. “I hated Sadaam,” she says, “but now is worse than Sadaam.” An old man says, “Bush, Kerry, doesn’t matter, we’re hungry! They liberated us, fine, now leave us alone!” And another: “I hope the other one wins, for Bush has already destroyed our country.”
10:15. Larry King talks with a panel, evenly split Republican/Democrat. It’s frustrating to watch. They look at exactly the same facts and see them exactly the opposite. Like, say there’s a flower in the center of the table. King asks, “What color is this flower?”
The Republican says, “Red.”
The Democrat says, “Yellow.
12:00. Email from Jeff in Chicago: I may have to move back to Spain or actually get involved in politics if W. wins.
13:45. Lines of people waiting to vote. Looks like a total cluster-fuck.
17:12. Still lines of people waiting to vote. Newscaster confirms cluster-fuck.
21:00. Lines, lines, lines. An international correspondent reports that, “Bush has done more to alienate Europeans than any other American president.”
22:45. I go to bed. Nothing will happen till morning.
6:45. The coffee is already made; Christopher stayed up all night. He is furious, pacing our tiny living room. CNN reports the projected electoral vote: 249-188. Bush is winning.
7:26. Republicans win the House. Republicans win the Senate. I consider the damage they can do and am in awe: how is this even possible? On TV, a political analyst is saying, “Is this really the country we live in?”
8:00. How fast it changes! The numbers climbing for Kerry. He’s now at 242 electoral votes to Bush’s 249. Ohio, the state that’ll make or break, is too close to call. There’s discussion of uncounted ballots, the “Provisional” ballots. It’s like Florida in 2000.
8:29. Edwards addresses a crowd of cheering Democrats. He says, “We’ve waited four years. We can wait one more night,” and “John Kerry made a promise: every vote counts and every vote will be counted!”
8:40. They’re talking about the lawyers getting involved.
15:00. I put on my sneakers and go out. Here is my Czech street with its cobblestones. Here is the sky, gray and white like it wants to snow but won’t. Here is the potraviny. I buy bottled water and salted cashews. I stop at the post office to send mail. A letter to my mother and my credit card bill. I stop by the internet. I walk a little further to the courtyard in front of St. Ludmilla’s Church. It’s a wide-open space surrounded by benches. Grammas sit on them. Couples kissing. The tram and metro lines both stop here at Namesti Miru and there are people everywhere. Walking, coming, leaving, going, moving, living. And something in me is so sad—for what I’m going back to, the lack of hope. In me, now, the lack of hope: Bush will win.
I look around at all the Czech people, who endured so much at the hands of their occupiers. I am about to return home to a country that democratically elected George Bush, and I’m ashamed. It was easier to deal with when he’d stole the 2000 election. Now I question not the president, but the American people.
I couldn’t be more disillusioned.
18:00. Kerry has conceded the election. Thai food for dinner (Kafka: 2 August, 1914).
18:20. Marketa sends us a text message:
OH NO! IT IS VERY BAD! I WOULD LIKE PLEASE TO CRY! SHIT! I DO NOT UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HAVE SO BAD THIS PRESIDENT! DO NOT BE SAD PLEASE I WILL STILL BE YOUR FRIEND EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE SUCH BAD PRESIDENT! I WISH YOU BETTER TIME MY DARLING.
Funny, looking back on this four years after the fact, that a twenty-two year old Czech girl could be so prophetic.
Funny as in Holy Shit funny. Not hahahahahaha.
Comments
I love that quote from Marketa ... pretty much sums up the entire experience.
Posted by: Christopher | November 3, 2008 8:06 AM