There were lines outside the school stretching probably a good 100 yards or so and the better part of an hour, maybe longer, to vote. Probably two-thirds the people voting were African American. It was a poignant moment seeing them, and especially the young children many brought with them to share in the experience, in an historic opportunity, the first truly viable black candidate for President. I knew, standing in line, my own vote would be cancelled out, but my heart went out to them, in a unique experience of cultural identity. I still remember the pride I felt, as a young American Catholic boy, with Catholic John F. Kennedy as President. I thought about the black female US EPA client contact from Sumter, SC (my dad was once stationed at nearby Shaw AFB) in my first Oracle DBA gig, Dr. Annie Brown, whom had attempted to recruit me to Grambling State University in 1994, and black Oracle DBA's I had mentored while working for Oracle Consulting and whom had served as job references; what are their thoughts today?
I also think of John McCain, whom has run an honorable campaign, never letting race be an issue (although Obama seemed to play the race card at one point by suggesting the McCain campaign was going to say that he doesn't look like the (white) men on American currency). I was proud of his principles in apologizing for an old vote against recognizing MLK Day and to address the National Urban League, knowing from the get-go less than 10% of blacks will vote for him today.
I still have a pang of regret that the first serious black candidate for President was not a highly qualified person such as widely respected former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Colin Powell, a governor, lieutenant governor or mayor (e.g., Michael Steele), or a business executive. The nomination of a fourth-year Senator with at best modest legislative accomplishments (which only a minority of his supporters can identify) and no administrative, military or (light) foreign policy experience, based primarily on his oratorical eloquence and perceived even temperament, is disturbing at a time when we are still involved in Middle East, the economy has suffered one of its stiffest challenges in decades, and we are running high twin deficits.
A heavy turnout generally favors Democrats; all the national polls leading up to the election show an Obama win. I hope for the best, but I am prepared to accept the verdict of my fellow Americans.
Today I was privileged to vote for the best qualified candidate for President in my lifetime: John Sidney McCain. Win or lose, to quote Martin Luther: "Here I stand; I can do no other."
