It's almost over - FINALLY!

With less than 36 hours to go before the first polls close, one of the most historic and consequential US Presidential elections is almost over. It seems only like yesterday when this all began, even though it's been a whole 2 years. It is the first time I have really followed politics this closely, particularly US politics and I have learned a great deal about the inner workings of American democracy. A brief recap will refresh my ardent readers on the long but important journey this election has taken before I pose my last but most important poll of the year!

Let's start with the Democratic party. When Hillary Clinton announced in 2006 that she would run for President, who would have imagined that an African-American named Barack Obama would upset her hopes of becoming the first female President? John Edwards, joined in for fun without much of a chance in my opinion. Bitterly fought till the very end, Hillary maintained in defiance that she was better equipped to head the Democratic party to victory in 2008. Not realizing early that Barack's message of change would win over voters, she lost the first Primary in Iowa. Quickly, she tried shifting her campaign's focus from experience to change and managed a victory in New Hampshire but it was only the beginning of an uphill battle from there. Ignoring small states and assuming that everything would be over after Super Tuesday, she went on the offensive pulling out the Clinton attack which mostly backfired on her. Without a nomination after Super Tuesday, her campaign lost focus and Barack seized the lead with a string of victories after Super Tuesday. The subsequent splitting of delegates from Florida and Michigan by the DNC sealed the deal for Obama. On the Republican side, things were a lot different. The playing field included way too many players, McCain, Romney, Huckabee and Giuliani being the prominent four. Initially, it didn't seem like any one candidate had the party's clear support with Huckabee winning Iowa, McCain New Hampshire and Romney Michigan. Huckabee lacked the support of moderate Republicans, McCain of the right and Romney of non-Mormons. But after Super Tuesday, it was the Maverick that prevailed again after an almost dead campaign a few months earlier.

Once the nominations were in place, the next big event was the choice of VP for each candidate. Barack, understanding his weakness in experience chose Biden to augment his platform. McCain, in keeping with his Maverick spirit chose Palin, a relatively unknown Governor of Alaska and first female VP nominee in the Republican party. McCain's strategy of Palin as his running mate worked for him soon after the RNC with a boost of support from the right-wing and he pulled ahead in the polls. The economy, which has been on the brink of recession for months, had taken center-stage as the number 1 issue in the election. In October, the credit crisis finally showed its ugly face with the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the market crashed in ways not seen since 1987. Suspending his campaign, McCain returned to Washington to solve he credit crisis only to damage his reputation as erratic even further. He lost his lead in the polls among moderates and even in Republican stronghold states like Virginia. All the while the Obama-Biden team continued to focus on tying McCain to Bush, and claiming that a McCain victory would bring nothing but more failed economic policies in a 3rd Bush term.

With a day left before it's all over, neither candidate is taking anything for granted as both candidates are pushing their final messages hard in stronghold Republican swing states, hoping to woo undecideds to vote for them. The polls indicate a 7-8 point lead for Obama and based on the electoral college system, he is likely to make the 270 needed to become the next President. I had predicted in February that the election would end up being a battle between Obama and McCain (read my post on it). Not surprisingly, my prediction on this election outcome is an Obama victory.

Then there was...

Then there was brightness,
But now there is darkness.
Then there was happiness,
But now there is sadness.

Wishful thinking is to borrow,
Time more to spend on earth.
Left instead I am with sorrow,
Unexpectedly when life is dearth.

Then there were calm skies,
But now there are stormy seas.
Then there were sweet pies,
But now there are plain peas.

Lived I have letting things slide,
And regrets I have but a few.
One is not being by your side,
Caring for you when it was due.

Then there were fresh roses,
But now there are dry leaves.
Then there were scented cloves,
But now there is stale cheese.

Little much did I have a say,
When you left without a sign.
Waiting I am for the day,
When your sight again is in line.

OBAMA DOES IT!

Sixteen months after the long and bitter democratic primary season, Barack Obama claims the Democratic nomination for the President of the United States! Being the first black candidate on a major party ticket, Barack Obama has changed history and defined a new generation of politics for America.

Although Barack's nomination was in the making for a couple of months now, today reminds us all that anything is truly possible. Being the son of a Kenyan immigrant father and white Kansan mother, being a junior first-term senator who was almost unknown before he started this race, and running against an opponent with a political dynasty, the odds couldn't have been worse for Obama. Barack's success lies in his picking the right campaign message at the right time, being politically savvy, and having an opponent that stumbled more than once.

Moving to November, it won't be a landslide victory for the Democrats. Obama won the nomination of a party that is known to be socially liberal. Putting his name on the ballot at the national level is a much different story. It was evident is the last stages of the primary season that Obama still has difficulties wooing older and blue-collar white working class voters, a constituency that is critical to winning in November. He also continues to be plagued with controversies with his former pastors, and it is still unknown what else will come to the press before November. On the bright side though, he runs at a time when the country is ready for change, when Americans are tired of years of Bush policies, and when there is an unprecedented number of new young voter registrations that are more likely to vote for Obama.

I just finished watching Obama's victory speech and it brought tears to my eyes. The man knows how to stir a crowd and it is quite refreshing to see a leader inspire his people. It makes me feel proud of a country where no matter what the situation is or what the odds are, anything is truly possible.