Milwaukee, Wisconsin. South side. 7:45 am - heraldblog

Milwaukee, Wisconsin. South side. 7:45 am

I walked my daughter to school this morning. The school gymnasium doubles as the neighborhood polling place, and by 7:00 am, I was told, the lines of voters snaked out of the gym doors, around the hallways, and up the staircase to the second floor. "I've never seen this many people lined up to vote," said one teacher, who's worked at the school for five years. By 7:45 am, people near the front of the line said they had been waiting for an hour. I just sat off to one side and took it all in. Another teacher walked up to me. "It sounds like victory," I said. She smiled and crossed her fingers. We both knew the other supported Kerry. It's unspoken with most teachers.

I talked to a young man, about 26, who said he was voting for Kerry. I asked him what issues were most important to him. "Economy? Draft? Environment?"

"I just don't like Bush. I don't like is attitude," he told me.

I heard that over and over all morning. I asked my neighbor "Patty", who is 18, who she was voting for. "Not Bush," was her answer. "He, like, really annoys me." Again, no specific issue. Just an overall feeling that the President wasn't taking us in the right direction.

Here's hoping.

An election day poem

The proudest now is but my peer,
The highest not more high;
Today, of all the weary year,
A king of men am I.
Today, alike the great and small,
The nameless and the known;
My palace is the people's hall,
The ballot-bow my throne!

The Poor Voter on Election Day by John Greenleaf Whittier

That clever liberal media

Wolcott writes:
"If the press who hailed Bush after 9/11, salivated over his aircraft-carrier landing, and immediately (erroneously) claimed the Bin Laden tape gave his campaign a last minute fillip is in the tank for Kerry, they've done of genius job of disguising it. And I admire the way every conservative blogger manages to omit Fox News, talk radio, Clear Channel, and Sinclair broadcasting from their j'accuse of media interference."

Can you spot the Republican in this photo?

Caught on tape outside a Florida pollling place over the weekend:

2.11.04 15:37

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To date 4 Comment(s) TrackBack-URL

john / Website (2.11.04 17:56)
I passed a few polling places this morning on the way to work (7ish) and I was surprised to see them all with huge lines. Granted, this is the Bay Area of California, but I think it is a good sign and I won't be surprised to see a big margin for Kerry, at least in the popular vote.
Thanks for the picture!

Tara / Website (2.11.04 19:42)
Down where I voted in Milwaukee, there was a line of at least 150 people at 7:15 in the morning. Absolutely crazy. Regardless of who wins, I'm happy that this election is getting people out to vote. It's an important freedom to have.

(2.11.04 20:50)
That's sounds surprisingly serious, Tara. Are you feeling OK?

Neill / Website (3.11.04 16:43)
im just glad i voted last week.