Fighter’s Chance

Here we are, less than a few days until we know who our next President will be. Excitement, tension, nervousness, and general anxiety may be filling your next few days depending on how involved you are with politics and the government future of our country. If you’re an Obama supporter, I would imagine you are in a state of ultimate giddiness “knowing” that come Tuesday night, Obama will be plastered across our nation’s media outlets as the President Elect. If you’re a McCain supporter, you are more than likely sitting in a nervous and anxiety filled heap of flesh awaiting the outcome of the popular vote and more importantly, the Electoral College counts.

I compare Obama’s political campaign to the New England Patriots team of last year. They were undefeated, rarely threatened, and were anointed as the best NFL football team ever to grace the playing field. They were even given superstar treatment as they converted their perfect regular season by having their final regular season game shown on multiple major television networks… a first. It sounds similar to Obama’s campaign does it not? He’s the front runner, the early appointee, the unbeatable superstar of the political arena.

McCain’s campaign is also comparable to a football team of last year, the New York Giants. New York had their issues and labored through many games while on their way to the playoffs. They weren’t seen as an NFL championship caliber team, but they had a fighter’s chance by being in the playoffs. Anything can happen when it’s a single elimination playoff. In the end, the dominant Patriots were beaten by the upstart Giants ruining their attempt at a perfect season. To many Patriots fans, they stole something that wasn’t supposed to be theirs. They didn’t “deserve” to be champions.

Now, we see this situation in our current political process. Obama has been in the spotlight since he entered the race and has received rock star status since “defeating” Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Primary races. McCain is basically the Republican sacrificial lamb similar to what Bob Dole was when he ran against Bill Clinton. However, McCain still has that fighter’s chance. Just like the Giants proved, anything can happen. Polls before the election are not actual votes cast. Come Tuesday night next week, we could see a 4^th quarter comeback similar to Ronald Reagan’s comeback in 1980.

Yes, the McCain supporters are right to be nervous and worried because all facts point to a landslide victory for Obama based on current polls. But, until the actual votes are counted, he’s still in this race and until that last vote has been counted, he has not lost.

Excited or worried, we all still must vote. Vote for something more than money. Vote for someone who has the ethical and moral standards we can trust and believe in. As I’ve said before, don’t vote and you don’t get to complain.