Not because of the results, but because I was very tired of the campaigning. I’ve never been so glad NOT to live in a battleground state (although it might have been cool to attend a rally). Alabama’s electoral votes were a given on day one, so the national candidates pretty much left us alone, but we had a congressional race that turned nasty. I was so tired of the commercials, the mailings, the robocalls… The poor folks in Presidential battleground states must have felt like they were under siege from the candidates. I know they were glad to see the polls close and this election come to an end.Regardless of how I feel about a political candidate, I have great admiration for anyone who runs for public office. It takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there and take the flack. Your entire life becomes fair game for anyone to criticize and question. Good dog, I can’t even imagine it. (Okay, so I can, and it’s not pretty. Especially when you were stupid until the age of 22.) What kills me though is the fact that so much of the scrutiny and “hard-hitting” questions are complete and utter crap. With all due respect to Joe Biden, past may be prologue, but what’s more important is what I’m doing today with the info from my prologue.
(I wrote a paper in college blasting Tipper Gore for her campaign to require labels on albums with explicit and/or violent lyrics. It was CENSORSHIP! A VIOLATION of the First Amendment! NAZIS! Stone her! Shall I forever be judged on my stand on that one issue? A stand I made at the age of 18? An issue on which I’ve since adjusted my thinking to at least not compare it to Nazism? Oh, and let’s not even talk about some of my friends and their stupidity. One was an avowed anarchist at 17 – and Goth before Goth was cool. He’s now a city councilman and respected community leader. I expect to see him do bigger and better things in the coming years—unless of course I release that great photo of him in the Anarchy Now! t-shirt and black nail polish.)
I wouldn’t make it through one primary… much less an entire campaign. I certainly wouldn’t make it through gracefully, either. Not with my temper. I'd snap at the first stupid question about my sixth-grade boyfriend. (See, anger issues. Something else for my opponent to use against me.)
So Candidates, regardless of which ticket you ran on – Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green Party, or Lunatic Fringe – you have my respect. I admire you because you care enough to put your entire life up for discussion in order to serve. Even if I vehemently disagree with every plank in your platform, I’m impressed with your passion.
You may not have gotten my vote, but you have my respect. Even if I think you are a complete whack job.
Have you ever run for an office? Even if it was just for secretary of the Junior Class? Did you win?
PC
~Who ran unopposed in her recent Chapter election~
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is NOT a political thread. The Playground doesn’t take sides. Who you voted for is none of my business, and I don’t want to know. Any comment about a specific candidate – good or bad – or the outcome of the Presidential election will be deleted.
20 comments:
I've never ran for an office of any kind, not even in school. I don't even know what duties our high school class president performed. I do remember that it was more of a popularity contest.
I'm glad it's over too.
Other than the unopposed candidacies in our chapter elections, I only remember running for one thing in college. I was President of the German Club one year. There were only about 8 of us getting German degrees and 4 of us graduated the same year, so we kinda rotated the offices around. Junior year was my turn.
I was never elected to anything in high school cause if you remember from last week, I wasn't one of the cool kids.
I never ran for office of any kind in school because I never knew when we were going to move again. But that was ok because I was not a very adventurous person anyway. I also have never run for office as an adult because of my lack of adventure.
I am so relieved the campaign is OVER. I also was glad not to live in a battleground state. I found the whole thing super distracting. What is so sad though is that I actually lost a friend over her assumptions about my political affiliations (which are fairly uncertain on most days). Thankfully, this was not a dear friend (obviously someone who knew me well would know I am politically confused hehe). But it still hurt. What happened to agreeing to disagree? Anyway, it's over now and I also admire all the candidates (nationally) for their commitment throughout as well as the grace in which they accepted loss or win.
I would also never make it through the vetting process due to my idiocy as a youth. Ah well. I figure the Romance Chapters might take me as I am...
I guess running for the HOD board two years ago was my first time. Running unopposed, it was easy to win. Then, of course, the ill fated National Board election, where I lost. (Not that I am complaining AT ALL.)
I think for me, at least for a good while, my political ambitions have been squashed. Can you believe at one time, I was going to be a politician? I have a degree in it. I changed my mind when I hit (must be the magic age) 22 and realized I didn't want to spend every day of my life fighting with people. My ulcers couldn't take it. :)
I think it does take a lot to put yourself out there for public office. I was president of my junior class -- does that count? ;)
I was the Rush chairman for two years for my sorority, but that's the only office I've really ever held.
I'm glad the election is over too. I agree that it takes a special person to put their life on review to run for a public office.
I was elected president of my old HOA, but that's because no one else wanted the job.
I've run for office a few times, always unopposed. What is it about RWA chapter offices that do that? *g* I've been VP, Pres, and now VP in two different chapters. It's easy to run unopposed. :)
I'm so glad the election is over as well. I'm tired of hearing about how bad every last one of the candidates was. Heaven only knows what somoene could dig up from my misspent youth.
And aside from HOD the only office I ever held was President of a local production group - we did plays for the community. I ran unopposed there as well.
Instigator
I ran for VP of HOD many moons ago, but it was unopposed. Are we counting that
And yes, I am eternally thankful that the elections are over.
Agreed, I'm glad the elections are over. You have to deal with mail, tv ads, phone calls and such. Most of it was just too negative to endure.
I haven't ran for office nor would I. And yes, some of those people do put theirselves and families out there, which is something I would not do.
robertsonreads
I was nominated and elected to the UAH Staff Senate for a 2-year term at large. First hand experience on what it means to have your hands tied. Actually, we did get a few things accomplished, but the political wheels turn very slOOOOOOwly.
And, yes, glad the Presidential election is over! Couldn't be happier about that.
I never really ran "for" an office --I ran from it, but I somehow I was always elected anyhow; mostly because I was usually the only person who could not say "NO!".
Honestly, I never had the desire to run for anything. However, I've headed up commitees and always seem to get volunteered.
I'm also glad the elections are over and I so appreciate your comment: "you have my respect. I admire you because you care enough to put your entire life up for discussion in order to serve."
Hmm, for some reason I kinda expected this group to be full of folks with all kinds of ambitions to run their corners of the world :-)
Seems we all end up doing the work, whether or not we wanted the job...
Nope, I've never ran for an office. Living in a battleground state can drive you up a wall. We were receiving an average of 16 calls a day! So yes I am glad the election is over.
I would never be able to do all of the traveling that the four of them did!
Nope I have never ran for an office.
Hugssss
LindaH
Nope I never ran for anything. I am sure I would want to.
I was in a battleground state and it wasn't pretty. I couldn't stand the nastiness of it all and my finger was finding the mute button with my eyes closed. And how they think those phone calls (especially the ones waking me up) were going to change my mind one way or the other has to be nuts.
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