Primary Fever (71%)
I did a very Alaskan thing yesterday; I voted in the Alaska primary and it felt great, for a number of reasons. One, I’ve never voted in a primary before; two, I’ve never voted in Alaska before; and three, I got to wear one of those “I Voted” stickers all day which was dark blue and had the eight stars of the Alaska state flag – eight stars representing seven of the big dipper and one north star.
Wrangellites voted at the American Legion, which is right next door to the police department/fire station, about a seven-minute walk from the Sentinel office.
I won’t go into detail about who or how I voted, but I will tell you the number one reason voting in the primary felt great (which will reveal who I voted for). For the first time in my voting career, the person I voted for won. What a new concept, huh? And I know it’s just the primary, and who I voted for in that does not necessarily translate into who I’ll be voting for in November, but it’s still this intensely amazing feeling, such a simple feeling.
It’s been rough. Because of the owner and his owner’s right to print certain editorials, for months leading up to the primary, the paper I write for had clearly thrown its support for Murkowski. It infuriated me. As small of a paper as we are, these editorials were clearly making a statement, one I wanted nothing to do with. And I had absolutely no control over it. I think it’s intense when any news publication, which claims to promote neutrality, obviously favors one candidate over another.
On top of that, with only a few weeks left leading up to the primary, the building the Sentinel office is housed in was bought by a new owner. The day after the deal went through, I saw this new owner walking back and forth in front of the office window and wondered what he was up to. Later that day, I saw what he had been up to clearly – 4 feet by 6 feet clearly. On both sides of the building, the new owner had nailed huge John Binkley campaign posters. I wanted to vomit. They still make me want to vomit. And now they will remain hung up as reminders of what could’ve been, and thankfully, hopefully, will never be.
There is something about a fresh face, a fresh female face. I know politicians can never be trusted, but there is something about Sarah Palin that makes me, for perhaps the first time, want to believe.
Wrangellites voted at the American Legion, which is right next door to the police department/fire station, about a seven-minute walk from the Sentinel office.
I won’t go into detail about who or how I voted, but I will tell you the number one reason voting in the primary felt great (which will reveal who I voted for). For the first time in my voting career, the person I voted for won. What a new concept, huh? And I know it’s just the primary, and who I voted for in that does not necessarily translate into who I’ll be voting for in November, but it’s still this intensely amazing feeling, such a simple feeling.
It’s been rough. Because of the owner and his owner’s right to print certain editorials, for months leading up to the primary, the paper I write for had clearly thrown its support for Murkowski. It infuriated me. As small of a paper as we are, these editorials were clearly making a statement, one I wanted nothing to do with. And I had absolutely no control over it. I think it’s intense when any news publication, which claims to promote neutrality, obviously favors one candidate over another.
On top of that, with only a few weeks left leading up to the primary, the building the Sentinel office is housed in was bought by a new owner. The day after the deal went through, I saw this new owner walking back and forth in front of the office window and wondered what he was up to. Later that day, I saw what he had been up to clearly – 4 feet by 6 feet clearly. On both sides of the building, the new owner had nailed huge John Binkley campaign posters. I wanted to vomit. They still make me want to vomit. And now they will remain hung up as reminders of what could’ve been, and thankfully, hopefully, will never be.
There is something about a fresh face, a fresh female face. I know politicians can never be trusted, but there is something about Sarah Palin that makes me, for perhaps the first time, want to believe.
posted by Siapiau | 10:45 AM
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