Tomorrow, enthusiastic but inexperienced Rob Republicans and Don
Democrats will show up to monitor polling places in swing states.
Rob has been warned that Democrats plan to “steal” the election from Bush by sending fraudulent voters to the polls.
Don has been warned that Republican plan to “steal” the election from
Kerry by using challenges and intimidation to discourage legitimate
voters.
We’ve been listening to Rob and Don on the Internet, for months now,
and all of us have higher blood pressure as a result. (Lisa Williams blogged about this in a way worth reading.)
Thank heaven, the real world isn’t the Internet. I saw this with my own
eyes in NH yesterday, as Bush supporters outside a Kerry rally and
Kerry supporters encountering Bush supporters on the street treated
each other with good-natured decency.
In the real world, Rob and Don look at each other and see human beings.
OK, maybe Rob looks like the jerk who once dated Don’s sister’s
roommate, and maybe Don sounds like Rob’s least-favorite-ever guidance
counselor… but Don doesn’t sound like a guy who wants to do
partial-birth abortions on live two-year olds and Rob doesn’t look like
a guy who would murder Iraqi babies to get their oil fields.
At least, that’s how I’m hoping this will turn out. I’ll be so glad when this election is over.