Hopeless Geek

The end of this election ran like the end of a really good movie, only it was real. Think about it:

A black community organizer from Chicago decides to run for state office to make the changes he can’t on the ground. He wins and spends some time in office getting to know the system and making himself known. After some time, he runs for the Senate and wins. Again, he makes friends and makes himself known.

Then he gives one unlikely speech at the DNC and the world starts to really pay attention to him. The next election cycle, on a cold Chicago morning, he stands before a small crowd and announces his candidacy for president. He runs a tough race against all manner of qualified people, narrowing it down to the biggest name in the party as his opponent. Through persistence, an even tone, and the support of the people he manages to win the nomination, and eventually the support of that opponent.

On to the main race, the other side chose a man that riles up the crazy people, the religious people, the gun people, and the intolerant people. The opponent pulls out all the stops, stoops to all the lows in an attempt to undermine Our Hero’s support. He presses on, talking about hope and change, about the future.

The days before the election, the polls are close and there’s the looming threat of the old, crazy man winning. People showed up in epic numbers across America to vote early and the numbers look good. Then he gets a call: his grandmother is dying. He leaves the campaign in its final moments to travel to her and be at her side one last time. She dies the day before she could see the election, but she managed to get her vote in!

The day of the election. People are still showing up in numbers that amaze the media. Everyone is shocked that the turnout is this large, but the exit polls are wonky. Some show Obama, some have surprising McCain numbers. It’s iffy. Then the actual counts start to roll in, and Obama wins Ohio and Pennsylvania. He’s won. People fall to the ground in tears around the world listening to the news. The streets of cities in other nations fill with joyous people, praising the work of this man and his supporters.

His opponent gives a well-prepared concession speech and walks away, taking defeat surprisingly gracefully. Then, Our Hero stands at the edge of the stage and looks out at his own crowd, stretching as near to the horizon as one can do in a city, and slowly walks down the stage. He thanks them, he says this is but the first step and it will be hard work, but assures them that they can take their country back. Then he pauses, looks to his daughter, and promises her a new puppy.

A new puppy.

That movie? That movie would blow Oliver Stone’s W out of the fucking water, man. Seriously. Do that one right, and your taxes will actually go up under Obama’s plan.

Happily for us, that there’s a true story. We did it.