Election Day '08.

11:00 am

It's finally here. Election Day 2008 - the one they say is an election for the ages, bound to go down in history books. The one that we will all look back to when we're talking to our grandchildren about our heyday. And I'm as swept up in the Obamania, as are a lot of young people. The same 'young people' who have more often than not, been branded 'apathetic'.

Yes, I was in that category too. Of course, I talk in a totally different context - one in India where I left home before I was eligible to vote. But had I been there, I doubt I would've been anything but apathetic?! Americans talk about hanging chads, misinformation being spread on the day of polling, last minute negative attacks, etc. I've heard of such different things in my state.. I talk about local goons and thugs with guns taking over the polling booth, chasing all of you out and them casting illegitimate votes for the leader of their choice. I talk about false voter registration cards, voters bribed with material stuff and a promise of food to feed their hungry stomachs, unbelievably arrogant politicians who get away with anything, huge political machinery that churns out nothing but negativity, two dueling parties that just switch control every other election.. Yes, a far cry from what plagues elections in America.

All this has long dumbed down my whole 'I can vote, and make a change' attitude whilst in India. And I carried that along with me here in 2004. Politics was something I honestly didn't care about. I was just one person, how was I going to make a difference? Of course, I always knew that every single person counts. But hey, what was I going to do about it!

And this year, along came Obama. Finally, someone who was young, not jaded by the political machine, a good orator, a clean image. And here I am today, having sat down and followed pretty much everything I could along the campaign trail, totally biased toward him of course! The whole message of 'Hope' could have been nothing more than rhetoric, but it did spark the younger generation's imagination. And the idea of crossing the racial divide and actually seeing a black president was immensely appealing. I read this article this morning and many others, the authors with whom this message has resonated, and I'm happy that my generation is optimistic for the future.

I love the fact that Obama is in Chicago today.. my dear Chi-city! And I'm sure that I, along with so many people, will be watching and waiting for that final declaration of Obama's victory. Tonight, is indeed the night..

8:55 pm

Chi-city is obsessed, with our 'homeboy'. Grant Park is filled with throngs of hopefuls. Illinois is of course, a blue state. But several thousand people are gathered here today, to countdown with Obama.

South Loop looks like its Tirupati, only twice over :)

11:29 pm

Yay. Euphoria.
Now, yawn.