In a little over 6 hours, my alarm clock will buzz, waking me to the start of what will surely be one of the longest days of my life. I'm going to open my staging location at 6am, make sure the runners are in place, and prepare myself for the rest of the day. It's the final 12+ hours in a 36 hour marathon for me the last three days.
For those of you (those very, very few of you) who've followed my story the last few months, you already know my story. Once upon a time I was too shy to canvass, and asked for the help of the community in giving me the nudge I needed to get out and help.
My worst fear was that we would lose and I would've done nothing, making the loss partially my fault.
More after the fold...
This is the culmination of a journey whose beginnings started four years ago today, in the mountain town of Boone, NC. I was a dirt-poor college senior then, a John Kerry supporter who flaked out at the opportunities I had to work for his campaign.
I remember that day four years ago, the day before the election. I was a news junkie during that cycle, listening, reading and watching anything election-related. On my drive home that day I subjected myself to the torture of Rush Limbaugh.
I remember him talking about how tight the polls were, and how many thought that Kerry would eventually pull away with the election. He didn't think so. He laughed his arrogant laugh as he seemed to goad the Democracts.
"Tomorrow we meet at dawn", he said, using the war-like language, inferring that this was a battle that the liberals would yet again lose, his self-indulgent machismo driving him to an annoying crescendo.\
We did meet at dawn that day. And we lost. I was crushed, knowing I'd done nothing but sit on the sidelines to watch our defeat. It was my fault.
Four years later, my life has changed. I'm no longer a poor college student. I have a good life, and no matter what happens tomorrow, I'm confident that I'll be alright.
But it isn't me that worries me. You see, its my little brother. Four years ago, he was only 16 years old. He was a high-school student, more interested in music, sports and girls than anything political. Today he serves in our armed forces, and there is probably little else in the whole world that could be more important to him than this country's leadership.
Although I credit the nudge given to me by this community, my brother is the reason that I first started to canvass, and its my brother whose the reason I'll be running the staging location tomorrow.
Its been over a year since I've seen him, and although I miss him dearly, I know he'll sleep safe tonight. But it isn't tonight that worries me. Its six months or a year from now. Tonight he'll sleep near a beautiful Hawaiian beach. Will his future mean no sleep, as he battles Iran in the Straight of Hormuz? With John McCain joking about bombing Iran, the decision as to whom I want for my President is an easy one.
I ask that you join me tomorrow to fight for my little brother. He needs you. If you fight for my brother, I'll fight for you. And if we all fight for each other, I don't see any way we could possibly lose.
Tomorrow we meet at dawn. Sleep up. Its going to be a long day...