Candidates attempt to win elections through logic, but in the end, elections end up being emotional.
Sgt. Murphy is a 25 year old soldier I work with from Chicago. You would think she is everything that the Obama camp is attracting, young, idealistic, optimistic, and hope that a new perspective will alter what America has become. Yet we have had many discussions in which she explains why she simply cannot vote for him. She is well educated and has earned her Bachelors Degree in English from the University of Chicago. She feels that she should vote for him, but as she looks at him and his background she feels he is just not the right guy to fix our problems.
It is an interesting conversation and as the hours have turned into days and we are so immersed in every move the media makes she has not wavered in her position.
Last night Senator Obama, and the other two senators no one was paying any attention to, had a meeting where I work. The first two spoke briefly before Obama gave a nice ten minute talk praising all of the soldiers for the sacrifices they have made and the dedication they have show to not only American liberty, but also the freedom of the Iraqi people. I must admit, he is quite an inspirational speaker. I have met few people in my life who truly had charisma, but his was immediately apparent. He won the crowd over, all except Sgt. Murphy. She just stood there studying him.
There was the usually round of handshaking and casual conversation that accompanies one of these events. But Sgt. Murphy wanted no part of it and headed for door at the back of the room to leave.
I read an article today in the New York Times that talked about how on his visit to the Middle East Senator Obama had again demonstrated his ability to blend opportunity with luck to come out ahead. They went on to discuss how he has a gift for turning situations around to his favor.
The crowd was so large that many did not get a chance to shake hands with him, and he had a tight schedule so he had to go. He waved good bye and again thanked all of the troops. And as luck would have it he headed out the door no one expected him to take, the very door Sgt. Murphy was going out.
As he passed she faced him and he stopped to look at her. She looked at him closely before she put out her hand and congratulated him on the fine work he was doing to change the way we look at being American. He took her by the hand, looked at her name tape and rank and said, “It is I who must thank you Sgt. Murphy. Thank you.”
There was a pause, just a brief few seconds, but there was an obvious connection. I knew right there that the polls had changed. Take one vote from John McCain and put it in the Obama tally.
Sgt. Murphy is a 25 year old soldier I work with from Chicago. You would think she is everything that the Obama camp is attracting, young, idealistic, optimistic, and hope that a new perspective will alter what America has become. Yet we have had many discussions in which she explains why she simply cannot vote for him. She is well educated and has earned her Bachelors Degree in English from the University of Chicago. She feels that she should vote for him, but as she looks at him and his background she feels he is just not the right guy to fix our problems.
It is an interesting conversation and as the hours have turned into days and we are so immersed in every move the media makes she has not wavered in her position.
Last night Senator Obama, and the other two senators no one was paying any attention to, had a meeting where I work. The first two spoke briefly before Obama gave a nice ten minute talk praising all of the soldiers for the sacrifices they have made and the dedication they have show to not only American liberty, but also the freedom of the Iraqi people. I must admit, he is quite an inspirational speaker. I have met few people in my life who truly had charisma, but his was immediately apparent. He won the crowd over, all except Sgt. Murphy. She just stood there studying him.
There was the usually round of handshaking and casual conversation that accompanies one of these events. But Sgt. Murphy wanted no part of it and headed for door at the back of the room to leave.
I read an article today in the New York Times that talked about how on his visit to the Middle East Senator Obama had again demonstrated his ability to blend opportunity with luck to come out ahead. They went on to discuss how he has a gift for turning situations around to his favor.
The crowd was so large that many did not get a chance to shake hands with him, and he had a tight schedule so he had to go. He waved good bye and again thanked all of the troops. And as luck would have it he headed out the door no one expected him to take, the very door Sgt. Murphy was going out.
As he passed she faced him and he stopped to look at her. She looked at him closely before she put out her hand and congratulated him on the fine work he was doing to change the way we look at being American. He took her by the hand, looked at her name tape and rank and said, “It is I who must thank you Sgt. Murphy. Thank you.”
There was a pause, just a brief few seconds, but there was an obvious connection. I knew right there that the polls had changed. Take one vote from John McCain and put it in the Obama tally.
And this is how elections are won.
1 comment:
I wonder if McCain could have that kind of affect on a young, intelligent voter. If not, I bet he wishes he could.
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