Old Timers--is this the most excitement you have ever seen?

[samuraiguppy]

This is only the 3rd presidential election that I have been obsessed with--but I personally (and my peeps) have never been so excited about an election, a candidate, voting, taking back our country.

Although I was interested in 2000 and 2004--my level of interest was nothing like this.

For those who remember back further than me--was there ever this much excitement? During the Kennedy years was it like this? When peeps were protesting Vietnam was it like this? This feels like a revolution to me!

[Blue_In_AK]

1. 1968 was a doozy. n/t

[villager]

4. '68 sure as fuck was.

n/t

[WheelWalker]

18. I haven't been this high since 1968

[cliffordu]

19. Ya, '68 was off the hook.

[WinkyDink]

22. Nothing will ever match 1968---GOD WILLING.

[shanti]

23. yes, 68

bobby held so much hope for us...:cry:

[FrenchieCat]

2. Screw the excitement.....I just want to win.

Suffering for 8 years ain't funny.

[samuraiguppy]

3. excitement helps get peeps to the polls. n/t

[gateley]

8. You're absolutely right. nt

[Beregond2]

5. 68

is the first election I remember much about, and it was insane. If there were a draft, it would be the same now.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

6. We're going to make history this year. Bank on it.

[TheKentuckian]

7. This is the dumbest election ever

it pisses me off to no end to even have to be up in arms about it.

It's like being asked, "do you want a billion dollars or to have your right hand amputated?". "I'll check back in a few weeks to see what you decide?".

I'm calling the clearest contrast maybe ever and can't believe we have people signing up for amputation, apparently fearing the other shoe will drop some time and "it's better to suck it up now. Plus, a billion is too much money".

[LibDemAlways]

9. Back in 68 when Robert Kennedy decided to challenge LBJ

there was a similar feeling. He touched voters in a very personal way. The night MLK was killed he spoke eloquently before a black audience about how his brother, too, had been the victim of tragic violence. He was a spirit of hope that the Vietnam War could be ended, that social justice could be realized, that economic opportunity could be expanded for all.

His assination was the death of a lot of 60's idealism and ultimately lead to the election of Nixon and an era of Republican corruption that we are still suffering through.

I'm glad that there are still young people revved up and excited about the political process. It bodes well for the future. It will only be through the combined efforts of millions that change will finally come.

[understandinglife]

10. Was there. Worked for RFK in San Antonio. Nothing like it ever, UNTIL NOW.

And, this time we are going to make it stick.

Peace,
Bob

[Awsi Dooger]

11. '68 is the first election I remember

My dad was a huge RFK supporter. I remember him discussing the California primary with a guy sitting next to us at a Huddle House counter in Miami. I was amazed at my dad's knowledge and I sunk it all in. Then the next morning I woke up before school and tried to watch my kids programs on TV. Instead, it was a weird scene of a guy shouting on a bullhorn standing on a bus, and still dark outside. I listened for a minute and realized RFK had been shot the night before. I woke my dad up and slowly told him the news. He was stunned and briefly turned on me, saying, "You better not be making this up." Then he collapsed in the living room when he saw it was true.

There's no doubt that was a big election. The third party run of Wallace added a variable. We had Humphrey bumper stickers plastered on our Volkswagen and Rambler. Then after the result my dad kept bemoaning that Humphrey was catching up but he needed another few days or a week. Nixon had unleashed the Secret Plan bullshit. I realize he never specifically used that term but it was attributed to him and it was definitely in the public discourse leading to the election.

Since I've been an adult, I was far more engaged in 2000 than any other cycle. I despised Bush and knew he was a phony, the most dangerous type of Republican, one who can feign moderate during a campaign. Gore looked like the type who would be a great president if he could only overcome himself and get elected. It was all the first debate, the masochistic sighs. I hosted a debate watching party that night and the apolitical women in my living room were aghast at Gore's behavior. One literally called her mother in disgust, saying she couldn't believe she had planned to vote for Gore. I was shocked the networks weren't picking up on that, in the immediate post-debate coverage.

My principal memory of election night: I nearly lost my voice shouting, "Gore! Gore! Gore!..." when they quickly called Florida, but as the night wore on I kept looking at the Florida actual count and it wasn't matching. Gore was always behind. It took the networks much longer than I expected to pull it back.

This cycle seems like we're playing defense, that if we lose it's an unforced error. That's not as exciting as 1992 or 2004, when we were trying to steal something from an incumbent.

[msongs]

12. no not the most exciting, unless u count how the dems r falling for repub framing of the election

the 68 election was the most exciting in many more ways. not the candidates necesarily but the election with so many twists n turns.

Msongs

[me b zola]

13. McCain/Palin is the most excrement that I've seen in a political team

...but I'm not an old timer, I'm just 45. Maybe someone else can remember more excrement on the national ticket. :shrug:

[asdjrocky]

16. I saw that.

:eyes:

[lutefisk]

17. I agree. You can almost smell it! It just fills the venues at every campaign stop. You nailed it!n/t

[samuraiguppy]

14. great comments

I wish I had of been around in 1968--it must have really been something!

[JimWis]

15. JFK was exciting -

It was the first time I was aware of politics and JFK was the first president that I really wanted to win. I loved the guy right from the first time he spoke and it was an exciting election. And I remember the day he was assassinated. My thoughts at the time, finally got a decent president and we lost him. I was pissed beyond belief. I hated Nixon, and it was back in the shitter again. And now were there again. But I have never been as excited and felt as strong as this time - Obama is the best I have seen in all these years and we really need him as president. Some of you may remember - JFK was the youngest candidate for president, and the first Catholic president. Sort of like the firsts now.

[tpi10d]

20. I'm 56

I was 8 when Kennedy was elected, remember parents were excited about him and I was thrilled about him. I remember writing a letter to editor of Time magazine regarding a less than flattering cover picture of Kennedy.

I remember the Johnson landslide, but I was still young. Definitely identified as a Democrat at 12-was happy about the outcome.

At 20 volunteered for George McGovern campaign. He wasn't as dynamic as Obama, but he was sincere. Definitely passionate about it and McGovern was a good guy. Just didn't have enough support of older voters-scary hippies and all. Very disappointed in the landslide defeat.

Obama IMO is the best of the bunch as far as public speaking-frequently breathtaking. Kennedy was great too. Bill Clinton was very good. I didn't get the "Reagan Great Communicator" thing.

To answer your question directly-yes this is exciting!

Video of Kennedy campaigning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXEkz6ksxdk

many more Kennedy videos there including the debates.

[SheilaT]

21. I would actually compare this

at least superficially to the 1960 election, which I remember.

Kennedy's Catholicism is analogous to Obama's race. There was a VERY common and popular perception that no Catholic could possibly be suited to the highest office in the land. My own parents, who had been Republicans switched to the Democratic party that year because they were also Irish Catholics, and that identification was much stronger than any loyalty to Nixon. Plus, Nixon was a slimy SOB, in some ways quite similar to McCain, although he had not been in the Senate (and prior to that the House of Representatives) any where near as long as McCain.

Interest was very high in 1960, and I think as a percentage of eligible voters, the turnout was very high -- more than 68 million votes were cast in a country with fewer than 180 million people. In 1968, after RFK was assassinated, the spirit went out of a lot of people who otherwise would have voted for him. In fact, that year (1968) 74 million people voted, and the population was over 200 million by that point. Nearly ten million of those voters cast a vote for George Wallace. I was not quite old enough to vote in 1968 as the voting age was still 21. I knew I didn't want Nixon as president, so I probably would have voted for Humphrey, although he didn't exactly inspire me.