When We Voted for the Best Man

Listening to all this "red state vs. blue state" talk, it's easy to think that we have always been a divided nation. It makes one wonder if people are actually looking at the candidates at all.

Well here's a little reminder of a time when the American public was less tricked by slick, media savvy PR teams and manipulated by rooms full of handlers and scriptwriters. When we looked at the candidates, and saw that one of them was, well, just plain better.

Let's start in 1916, when Woodrow Wilson defeated Charles Hughes. Check out that complete beat-down! I don't know much about Charles Hughes, but I bet he thought he was more popular that that. Reminds me of one of those New York rock bands that thinks they are Radiohead just because all their local shows are sold out. And what's with Oregon? I wouldn't be surprised if someone named 'Jeb Hughes' was the governor at the time...

What a Difference 4 Years Makes

Cut to 1920. A man named Warren Harding proceeds to eats James Cox's lunch. Ouch! How do you face your wife and kids after that one? Again, I don't know much about Cox's campaign, but I imagine t-shirts, bumperstickers, and lawn signs that said "America Loves Cox!" and that wouldn't have helped much. Or maybe it was the fact that Harding really looked like a president. Go ahead, Google him... You see what I mean?

OK, next, we'll see some seriously dramatic red/blue action. The year is 1928, and there doesn't seem to be any party loyalty at all! A guy named Herbert Hoover steps in and makes a blended margarita out of a guy named Alfred E. Smith. (No, I'm not making that name up). Apparently Hoover came into office during a booming economy, and only a year later came the great depression.

Hoover didn't do much as the economy spiraled down the toilet. And he was against the government stepping in. So just 4 years later, Franklin Roosevelt pwned Hoover!

Take a look at that map. Its so blue, it looks like it just fell into the ocean. Must have been strange to live in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut or Pennsylvania that year!

So what's my point here? Well, I think America is slowly starting to see who is the best team this election. Who is the smarter candidate, tougher, and more diplomatic. Who thinks hard about big decisions, and shows a better understanding of what is happening in main street America. Who can unite us and inspire us to make the change we need.

In 4 years, maybe there will be a great Republican team. And maybe I'll even vote for them. But right now, we must stop putting party first when we vote, and start putting the needs of the country and the people first.

That's why in this election, I'll be voting Obama.