Great stories from the Voting Booth

I'm going to post some links throughout the night to some powerful stories from polling places and voting booths around the nation. Check them out!

• Dream from my Father: Why, as the son of a Navy pilot, I couldn't bring myself to choose a candidate until today.
• This is a day for glory!: My polling place is at the fairgrounds in Southern Maryland, about 40 minutes from Washington, D.C. This used to be tobacco country, but is slowly being developed, or other crops are grown. We waited until 10:00 to vote, to avoid the lines. When we got there a 97-year-old Black man was being wheeled out of the polls in his wheelchair. It was the first time he had ever voted in his life. When he came outside he asked if anyone could give him an Obama button. There were none left at the Democrat's booth so I gave him mine. He was so proud and I started crying. He looked at me and said, "Why are you crying? This is a day for glory." I am still crying.
• Our special voter of the day: At 3 p.m. on Election Day, the Foundry Methodist Church voting station in Dupont Circle was doing light but brisk business. As I signed my name to receive my ballot, one of the poll workers loudly asked another to ring the small bell on their table. "Everyone please listen up for a moment," he boomed while holding on to an old black woman standing perhaps 5'2" with a huge grin. "This is our special voter of the day. She's 95 years old and this is her first time voting." As everyone in the room took her in and the thundering applause echoed through the old church basement, her glinting eyes quickly teared up and she somehow managed an even bigger smile.
• I did not vote for Obama today: I have a confession to make. I did not vote for Barack Obama today. I've openly supported Obama since March. But I didn't vote for him today.
• From the Right: Sure, there's much about an Obama administration that troubles me. Yes, I'd probably feel a lot better if he didn't have huge Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress. Yes, I'm worried about what he'll do with taxes and who he'll appoint to the Supreme Court. But in the end, Barack Obama inspires with eloquence, surrounds himself with good, competent, people and seems to have good instincts about big issues -- political and cultural. Ultimately, we elect presidents to deal with both the current situation and the unforeseen one around the corner. For me, today, that means Barack Hussein Obama gets my vote. I hope he won't let me down, but I pray that he won't let the United States of America down.
• Not a voting story but ...: I work in Alpharetta, Georgia in a very Red area. I just went out for lunch to get the emissions tested on my car. Took it to a place where, when you walk in, the first thing you notice is a copy of the Ten Commandments on the wall. Outside: Old white man who is testing my car sees the “GLBT For Obama” sticker on the back of my car. “That sonofabitch better win!” says he, with a smile. Maybe there is hope. Of course, I’m sure he didn’t know quite what the GLBT meant.

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