'I Got 99 Problems, but a BUSH Ain't One!'

On the night of President Obama's first day in the Oval Office, a party was held to celebrate the people who had put months of their lives on hold to make that day a reality--the campaign staff. It was a chance to show appreciation using the resources a new president has at his disposal--big stars, heroes of the campaign, and the newly sworn-in officials themselves. We were entertained by Arcade Fire and Jay Z. We were thanked and complimented by Kal Penn, David Plouffe (Campaign Manager, commonly thought of as a superhero in these circles), and Joe and Jill Biden. They enthralled us with statistics of what our work had created--including over 5,000 neighborhood teams hosting over 13,000,000 volunteers (a record by any standard of poltical campaigns), thousands of visits from speakers on behalf of the campaign, and, ultimately, 365 electoral votes.

The main act, of course, was when President Obama and the First Lady took the stage. Obama spoke without a script, because he knew the message he wanted to convey. A community organizer at heart, he understood that the many people gathered in that room were responsible for record turn outs showing support on election day. He also knew of the sacrifices that people made--big ones that were known and the little ones never discussed--to be a part of his journey which had led to that moment. He conveyed his pride in all of us, his thanks, and his hope that all of us would continue to work for the goals for which we advocated on the campaign in whatever path that brought.

At the end of the night, walking out the door meant the festivities were over and the days would turn to work. I said goodbye to friends with whom I shared a unique experience no one else quite understood, but a common connection that became more distant every day. There was no denying that we were returning back to our own worlds where my own path is still so uncertain, as is that of so many with whom I worked... and yet my heart remained in a dream. This experience has already created in me a passion to which I want to continue to grasp tightly.

During the campaign, I became obsessed with FiveThirtyEight, a fantastic political blog that tracked polls surprisingly accurately and appreciated campaigns by crediting the work of organizers. They reported on the ball. It's the best version I've read, and, if you follow the link, you can read about where I 'stole' my entry's title.


Time: 30 minutes (Tempo)
Place: Hilly Quarry
Weather: Mild Cold
Distance: 2.6 miles
Feeling: I can see the attraction to this kind of run...
Overall grade: B