Post Election Wrap-Up
Posted: November 6th, 2012 | Author: kristen from motherload | Filed under: Miss Kate, Paigey Waigey Wiggle Pop, Politics, Preschool | No Comments »Last night as the networks reported poll results from Ohio, Wisconsin, and Florida, monitored the Senate race, and Vanna-Whited high-tech color-blocked maps, I know what you were thinking. This is all very interesting, but what I really want to know is what’s happening at the McClusky house on Election Day.
Thankfully I’m here to tell you. (Although my infographics aren’t very impressive.)
Our day started early. Painfully early. At 5:30AM, in fact, when Kate—excited by the prospect of coming with us to vote before going to school—ran through the house turning on all the lights. This was followed by Mark bellowing just inches from my ear, “BACK TO BED, Kate! It is 5:30 in the morning!!”
At 6AM—around when we might have dozed off again—Paige banged open our bedroom door like she was walking into a Wild West saloon. “Is it time to do voting yet?”
Oy. Remind me never to hype an early morning activity to the children again.
I crawled into bed with Paige in the slim hope that we’d get a few more minutes of shut-eye. No luck. Instead I heard her four-year-old commentary on the presidential front-runners. “I want Brock Obama to win today, but then after he takes a turn I want Matt Romney to win.”
Yes, Matt.
At breakfast Kate channeled her Election Day excitement into sign-making. (She’s big on signage for our front door, as well as greeting cards for nearly every occasion.)
Some highlights from her rabidly enthusiastic, grammatically-challenged signs:
“Go! Oboma! Go! Go!”
“I [heart] Oboma xoxo”
“Goob luck Obomo! xoxo”
“Oboma Peawr!”
I don’t know about you, but I think these are all very peawrful messages. Looks like somebody might have a future in politics.
At our neighborhood polling center—a Korean Methodist church—two lines were formed. Depending on the street you live on you were shunted into Line A or Line B to vote. The girls waited patiently, waved to various neighbors and friends, and were stoked to each get an “I Voted” sticker.
On the walk home Kate skipped through the leaves and trilled, “I reeeeeally hope Obama wins!” Paige reached for my hand and asked, “Is Obama Line A or Line B?”
I’m so happy she’s grasped the two party system.
At the end of the day we got an email from the preschool. Turns out the political banter continued throughout the day. The teachers shared a snippet of a conversation they overheard on the playground.
Paige: My mommy is Mrs. Claus and Matt Romney is on the bad list. [She's referring to my Halloween costume, the dear.]
Annie: I want Obama.
Connor: I’m Bock Obama.
Miles: And I’m Mitt Romney.
Annie: I’m gonna choose who wins. You have to talk a lot. You are on the TV. Now I’m gonna choose who wins. Eeeny-meeny-miny-mo. Obama wins. Here’s your trophy!
Miles: No fair! I want a trophy!
Paige: Now I’m gonna pick who wins. Miles! Here’s your trophy!
Annie: My brother wants Mitt Romney to win. But he’s disgusting. Like throw-up.
Ah, good stuff. You’d NEVER guess that these kids were at a progressive preschool in Berkeley, would you?
The teachers’ email went on to report, “Everyone in our class voted on a ballot and decided who they wanted to be our next president. Ballots went into a voting box. At our afternoon meeting, we counted each vote, made a tally and determined a winner. It was a landslide, folks. Obama: 25. Romney: 0.”
Move over Nate Silver. Paigey’s preschool is nipping at your heels.
And who knows, Paige’s personal prediction might also come true. Maybe Matt Romney will be the president in 2016. Whoever the hell he is.
