Reflections on the Election

1. I am still savoring the results of the election. This was the most important election since 1984 when Reagan shut the door on 70s defeatism by trouncing the hopeless, recidivist, pandering Mondale. I have to give Senator Kerry credit for conceding quickly. I was certain after Senator Edwards' late night pep talk that he would fight it to the bitter end.

2. I spent Nov 1-2 volunteering in the NJ GOTV effort as my original plans to go Cuyahoga County, Ohio proved to be logistically difficult due to family obligations. I think the NJ GOP was stunned to say the least from the deluge of volunteers they got over the weekend after two polls showed NJ very close. Over the four days into the election the Bergen County office suffered from an embarrassment of riches -- having to rotate volunteers because they had more bodies than phones. I'd estimate I made 500 calls over the course of two days, mostly leaving messages to registered Republicans.

3. I need to learn to have more faith. Despite the Monk's confidence I was sweating it till Fox called Ohio. I sure as heck didn't see the 3.5 million popular vote bulge. Residing in NYC where the hate for Bush is white-hot and the MSM's incessant rants about new registrations and turnout certainly didn't help confidence.

4. The first sign of that it might be a good night for the Republicans came about 8:15 as the family settled to dinner. (Thankfully I never saw the 'early' exit polls.) Fox News reported that the gay marriage and civil union ban had passed in Ohio. It meant that Rove's GOTV operation got the base out.

5. Give the Swift Vets all the credit in the world. Amazingly underfunded, they blunted Kerry's momentum and effectively raised valid, haunting questions about the Vietnam service that he used to bludgeon opponents for the past 20 years. By the way, how about releasing your docs, Senator?

6. The media paradigm has changed dramatically with Dan Rather and CBS ironically giving it the final shove. Eight months ago I'd spend a good part of my day reading the New York Times. Sure it's bias was evident. I had never heard of Little Green Footballs or Powerline. Now I log on to www.nytimes.com to check the sports at the end of the day. The mainstream media tried their damnedest to drag Kerry across the finish line with reporting that was openly biased and often scurrilous. They are still in denial about the reality of news and commentary through alternative channels. Matt Drudge gets 10,000,000 hits a day - that's more than Dan Rather's Evening News. The MSM will have to give better and fairer reporting or become increasingly irrelevant.

7. The hatred for that the left developed for Bush was unbelievable. The outrageous appellation of Bush = Hitler basically summed it up. And they accuse the red states of anger and ignorance?

8. Read Unfit for Command. Just to get an idea of the bullet the nation has just dodged.

9. Read Peggy Noonan's The Case Against Hillary Clinton. Prep for '08.

10. Before the playoffs I told the Monk that as a die-hard Yankee fan I would endure a Yankee loss for a Bush win. Damned good trade.

P.S. For the truly foolish and ignorant who are advocating secession, I recommend a biography of Abraham Lincoln.