Gearing Up for the Election
What a busy year, politically. Granted it's an election year, so it's busy for everyone, but I've managed to make it to three different rally events this year. I have seen Bill Clinton speak (he was campaigning for Hillary during the primaries) and saw Barack Obama speak at Minges (see past post). I was in the standing group for both and was able to shake both of their hands. Both were impressively good speakers. Then, on Tuesday of this past week, I went to see Sarah Palin (also at Minges). While she wasn't nearly as impressive of a speaker (she was the only one to use a teleprompter), she was VERY real. She spoke to the crowd like she was talking to a group of friends. She's not going to win any awards for oration, but she understands how to communicate. From watching her, I felt like she has a lot of potential as a politician, but isn't quite ready yet. The best way I could describe listening to her was by comparing it to how I feel and sound when I'm teaching something for the first time versus when I've taught it for the or ninth. The first time, I know the material okay, but I'm nervous about kids asking questions that I won't know and I hover over my notes because it's comforting. Now that I've taught civics for the NINTH (man I'm feeling old) time through, I KNOW that stuff. I don't have to plan anything (I still do, though). I could walk in and teach that class blindfolded, with no supplies and no notes and make the kids ask "how do you know all this stuff?". I'm not being cocky, but I am sure of my command over the material and it comes out not just in what I say, but how I say it. There is just a confidence that comes with experience and from what I could tell Tuesday, Palin is still a first year teacher. I will be interested to see what she does when she has some more experience under her belt.
Anyway, everyone should get out and vote. Don't worry if you haven't registered, in most states there is some variation of One-Stop Early voting where you can register and vote on the same day. Look it up. And PLEASE, educate yourself on ALL of the people running for office, especially your state and federal legislators. While the presidential candidates get all the attention, it is those legislators that are making the decisions that affect us most. Quite frankly, the president and governor can't do much of ANYTHING without them.
