The following is an editorial that I wrote for
The Student newspaper.
Two long years of stump speeches and bumper stickers have brought us here. As Americans wake up this morning and make their way to the polls, the eyes of the world are upon them. At a time when, according to The New York Times, the future of America—and by extension, the world—“hangs in the balance,” we will all be awaiting with bated breath the outcome of what may very well be the most important election of our generation.
Personal politics aside, there’s no doubt that today’s election is a historic one. Senator Barack Obama is the nation’s first African American nominee, and Governor Sarah Palin only the second female vice presidential nominee. This is the first time in 80 years that neither candidate is an incumbent president or vice president, and the first time that both candidates have been born outside of the continental United States—McCain in Panama, Obama in Hawaii.More importantly, however, are the unprecedented problems that the 44th President of the United States of America will be inheriting come Inauguration Day. President Obama or President McCain will be forced to resolve two unpopular wars in two very unstable theatres in addition to the largest global financial crisis since the Great Depression. The president will also be responsible for righting the wrongs of the Bush Administration, overhauling economic and foreign policies that have turned world opinion against the US over the past eight years.
The truly global nature of the issues facing the next president has generated unprecedented international interest in this year’s race, especially here in the UK. In the past few weeks, much of the national and local media has dedicated considerable time to the campaigns, featuring detailed editorials on everything from the Bill Ayers kerfuffle to the comedic stylings of Tina Fey.
In Edinburgh, political organizations have sprung up in anticipation of the election. The Democrats Abroad—Scotland Chapter has taken an active role in registering American citizens living in Scotland for absentee voting, and have organized popular debate-watching parties in the city. Starting with the first presidential debate on 26 September, the group has brought together hundreds of Edinburgh Obama-supporters, including a number of non-Americans, to watch the presidential debates. Though thousands of miles away from Washington, the group provides a forum for political discourse that many in the city have found exciting in the month before the election.
Tonight, EUSA will be holding an all-night results-watching party on the big screen in Teviot for all students. In addition, election-themed meals have made their way onto the menus of the Teviot Library Bar and King’s Building House with Hawaiian and Southern flavours dominating dishes named after Obama and McCain, respectively. EUSA Vice President Services George Thomas told Student last week that “EUSA is committed to increasing involvement and raising awareness” with the election theme.
Indeed, if there’s any upside to witnessing the longest campaign cycle in recent memory, it is awareness. After two years of debates, town hall meetings and media saturation, we are all more aware of the pertinent issues and where the candidates stand on any number of them. Where previous elections have seen candidates zero in on issues like the economy or national security between the party conventions and election day, the drawn out primary process on either side of the aisle this time left no stone unturned. In 2004, Bush made it clear that he was a war president, and successfully shaped the debate around the national security question. In 2008, however, the focus drifted from ethics reform and healthcare to national security and, of course, the failing economy. The candidates have been forced to shape and reshape their campaign strategies first against members of their own party, then against those from across the aisle, giving voters a more nuanced understanding of a wider range of issues than ever before.
In recent weeks, however, a campaign once built on sound political discussion between two congenial opponents turned ugly. Sarah Palin accused Obama of “palling around” with terrorists while Obama supporters swiped at Palin’s family and intellect. At McCain rallies, supporters of the Arizona senator raised questions about Obama’s religious beliefs, equating Islam with being un-American. In Washington, pundits and members of congress openly broke out into partisan bickering, even when trying to pass emergency economic legislation. Undermining both candidates’ promise of reaching across the aisle, the election turned inevitably to partisan conflict, aiming to find and drive a wedge between blue America and red America.
Tomorrow, the political dust being kicked up in this final stretch of the campaign will begin to settle, and America will move on. No matter the results, no matter how the television talking heads spin the numbers and speculate why things turned out the way they did, there will still be only one America—neither blue nor red. It might have made political sense a week ago to race bait or use fear tactics to get those final votes in, but where will that really put us tomorrow? We can only wait to find out.
It’s almost surreal to think that the election is finally upon us. With closing arguments made, the world waits today. No matter the result, the election will change the course of global political and economic events in ways that neither we, nor the next President of the United States, can predict. As we celebrate our candidate’s victory or mourn his defeat, whoever he may be, it is time that we take a second to remember that tomorrow, we will no longer be separated by our political loyalties. Election Day is a time to celebrate a change, yes, but it also a time to reconcile. So, enjoy the day. Have an Obama burger. Or McCain burger, if you’re so inclined.
Tomorrow, the real work begins.
Sometimes when I've been away from Hawaii for a while, (borrowing a line from the ever-sad-he-moved-away-from-Hawaii singer Justin Young) I tend to long for familiarity. Having gone through a spring semester and summer internship in LA and three months in Europe, I have not been back on Maui since January, so it's nice to have some taste of home.
