Pissing in the wind

So I lied about telling about the dog. That will happen (with pictures and everything - you'll even get to see his Princess Di impression!) but today I want to talk about the elections. You see, I've got something to tell you. I'm feeling guilty for hiding things from you, my invisible blog friends, and I've decided to share my dirty little secret. So here goes... in a primary year where I had a choice between a woman and an African-American, I really wanted to vote for a white male. Dennis Kucinich won my heart in college, and even though I'm a different person than I was back then, he still has it.

You see, I want to vote for a candidate who isn't afraid to say that gay marriage is okay. I want to vote for a candidate who talks with candor about poverty and the hellish mess that is our education system. In short, I want to vote for a candidate who says what he thinks - and, let's face it, who thinks what I do. I am fully aware that the only reason Kucinich's ideas get any respect whatsoever is that he's a white male. (Not that anyone in the mainstream will publicly admit to him being anything more than a crackpot, but he would most likely not have any voice at all were he female or a minority.)

So that's what I think of when I'm in my happy place. In practice, I think that my prime wish is for a president who can say what s/he thinks without dividing the country. And that is why Obama was my candidate. He did vote against invading Iraq, way back when it was a political risk to be against taking immediate, albeit poorly thought out, action. He gives speeches that make people excited about hope and change. Most of the high school students who registered at the library last month were talking about him. I want that kind of integrity and inspiration in the White House. Unfortunately, the reality of his campaign has left a lot to be desired. All that idealism needs to have some ideas to back it up. More ideas than "Hilary is so totally establishment".

Actually, after all that, you know what I really want? I want not to be pissed off every single time I listen to the news. I'm not sure that anyone could really provide that (I have some anger management issues to work through), but I don't know that anyone could be much worse than Bush. So that's really all I'm asking. (Oh, and please, please, please, no Huckabee!)