DaveTown

Winston had a large black dog
It followed him about
While Winston slept
It chased his dreams
Or lay there round and stout
It licked his face
It bit his hand
It growled
It snarled
It smelt
It gnawed away at Winston’s faith
In God
In man
In self.– Peter Brown

I’ve read a fair amount of post-election reactions from democrats, on a variety of blogs/news sites/message boards. It has been almost exclusively in the form of calling Bush voters names like stupid, ignorant, redneck, idiot and the like. It has been the antithesis of the openmindedness and tolerance that supposedly characterizes the liberal democrat.And then, like a cool drink of water after a spell in the desert, comes this post from a blogger named Andrew. If we all had this sense of balance, fairness, and charity, the political discourse in this country would be salutary, not viral. If the Democrats had run an candidate with these qualities, I would have given serious consideration to voting for him or her.

Please, read the whole thing. Here’s a taste:

Since blogging by its very nature is somewhat an act of benign narcissism, I will indulge that narcissism today, at the suggestion of a friend, and do a 10 Things You Don’t Know About Dave list.1. I’ve been a junior in college at least three times.

2. I was at one time a state chairman of the 3rd largest political party in America.

3. The first record I ever owned was an EP recording of the Banana Splits, featuring the classic tune “Doin’ The Banana Split”, which, oddly enough, was written and produced by late great Barry White.

4. My first job was pumping gas, back before the proliferation of self-serve gas stations.

5. In high school, I was runner-up in the voting for “Class Clown”.

6. I am a member of the United States Chess Federation, and am arguably the worst chess player in that entire organization.

7. My birthday falls on the anniversary of both the end of the American Revolutionary War and the beginning of the Second World War.

8. When I was in first grade, my life’s ambition was to become a Harlem Globetrotter.

9. I have had bylines in two different newspapers, one of which is now defunct. I don’t think there’s a connection there, but I can’t be sure.

10. I am named after a misdemeanor.

With apologies to William Goldman:

. . . here in Edmond, America. I spoke to two neighbors this morning, both who were at their polling place at least a half-hour early. The voting area was full. This is unheard of in our precinct.The prinicpal at my school reported being at her polling place around 45 minutes early and being the 50th person in line.

This is in a city and state which are going to vote overwhelmingly for President Bush. What must it be like in battleground states?

“Well, the one benefit of a Kerry victory is it would be the last we’d hear of John Edwards for four years.”