Politics and Joy

Most often, political involvement is an arena of strife and stress. Emotionally, good moments come at someone else's expense, and carry with them the inevitability of turn-about. Often, political joy is an unsatisfactory alloy of enjoyment of your own success and pleasure at your opponent's failure. Such an alloy makes a bell that rings hollow.

Only rarely have I felt something different through politics. The first time was the night that Bill Clinton won the White House. I remember meeting a neighbor in the middle of our street and drinking a beer with him, toasting our country's suddenly brighter future. The feeling was not one of malicious pleasure at running Bush from the White House - it was purer than that. It was a feeling that the country was on the right path, and people were united behind a new voice.

Tonight, watching the New Hampshire returns, I felt a bit of that spirit. Yes, there is a negative note of "anybody but Bush", but there is something else going on, too. There is a feeling that we have a group of candidates all of whom have a better vision, and each of their victories is a good thing. I'm happy for Kerry. I'm happy for Dean. I'm happy for Clark and for Edwards. I'm happy with the Democratic party, and I can't help but swell with optimism that our country may well make a bold and bright choice in November.

(Except for Lieberman. Lieberman is Bush Light - and was just on TV trying to make the point that he is more like Bush than anyone else in the group. If Lieberman were to get the nomination - God forbid - I'm not sure who I'd vote for.)