I was 25 years old when I covered my first election day.
I worked for a small chain of weekly suburban newspapers, and my beat was the largest in the group—and the most Republican. The citizens of this small town voted regularly and predictably, with very little dissent.
Not at that time a very political animal, I shrugged when my editor told me to gear up for that November evening. It was 1996, and the national scene was pretty much decided. The Clinton-Gore camp was going to sweep again, winning handily.
I went home that Tuesday around noon, after my paper went to bed. The presses didn’t run, however; it was the one time each year that we delivered a day late.
I tried to nap, but instead found myself wandering around my apartment at loose ends. I clicked over to CNN idly, watching the returns.
That evening I dressed in my work clothes and headed off to Repubican headquarters to watch the local and national returns.
That night changed everything.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
My dear, no first report! Well, I’ll just have to quote my friend Mani then, “Hot Damn!”
Where were YOU when Barack Obama was elected president?
A god day for you huh? It was the first thing I thought of when I woke up this morning.. I turned on the news and did a little whoop whoop when I read the ticker at the bottom of the screen!
Go Obama!!!
hmm… ahem… that was supposed to say GOOD day for you… not god day for you…. I shall have to lean too prooff reed my riting!