So, I took the twins for their first trip to the voting booth today.
Wow.
We went at 11:30. I figured that was safely in a quiet period, before a lunch rush but well after people would be at work.
The line was still 40 minutes long.
The kids handled it well. Hunter was in one of our umbrella strollers, and Aden was riding high in our new Kelty carrier. I think they did handle it well because the mood on the line was very upbeat. I heard a dad with a kid in a stroller behind me talking on his cell phone about it, and he said he was cautiously optimistic about Obama winning.
I hope he's typical, if Obama happens to lose. Otherwise, a lot of people are going to be extremely angry if we end up with another 2000 scenario, where Obama wins the popular vote and loses the Electoral College.
I hadn't really thought that possible until today. And I still think it's unlikely; I think McCain has to win Pennsylvania to have a shot, and if my neighborhood is typical of black urban turnout, then metro Philly is going to swamp the central and western part of the state.
But if McCain manages to win, I can see how a big Blue Coasts turnout could easily give Obama a comfortable popular vote margin.
That would be serious icksville.
As much as Obama worries me, if he wins the popular vote, I hope like hell he wins the Electoral College as well.