Moth to a Flame

The last time I lived overseas during a US presidential election was when Bill Clinton was first elected. I'm not sure we had email. I was more than old enough to vote. I know we always had to wait up late-late-late for TV reports on the Gulf War and important things like the Oscars.The International Herald Tribune was delivered daily but it is always just a half-step behind.

Life was all very paper-based. We had paper absentee ballots. The Democrats Abroad in The Netherlands tried to use a GOP Abroad survey to see how Dems Abroad felt about issues. Except the biggest issues in the GOP survey seemed to have to do with prayer in school and wearing flags on clothes. I threw away the survey. No way could I even answer those questions. It was all possible to ignore or pay attention to as my mood hit me and the time of day was right. 

Times have changed and I guess I have changed with them. I feel a little like a moth to a flame with this year's election. Part of me is thrilled to be away--the "wake me when it's over" part. Not that we get a lot of national election TV ads in Vermont. The results there are a foregone conclusion. It's just that this whole process goes on for too long. By the time the primaries are over we are all beat up. I felt a little silly telling an Armenian friend yesterday that for a four-year term our presidential contenders campaign and raise funds for two years. The next Armenian presidential election is in February 2013--only four months!--and they don't even really know who is running (which might be another foregone conclusion). 

The part of me that is in thrall to the flame feels very conflicted. I zoom in, and then inevitably get worried or frustrated about what's reported as happening. I back away. With the first debate I absolutely would not get up to watch, but I did scan all the Washington Post and NYT opinions the next day, knowing I could put it all down if I wanted. No surprises, I got worried and a little depressed and backed away again.

This morning, with the help of neighborhood dogs, I woke early and checked my iPhone for email messages. I noticed I could live stream the debate, so I thought "This is so cool. I will just try this to see if I can." I got there after Joe threw his arms in the air and mentioned JFK but before he leveled Ryan on his Congressional record and Ryan imitated Eddie Haskell in his closing remarks. 

I was as mesmerized by the fact that I could watch this from Armenia on a phone in the early hours of the day as anything. It was almost as good as live-streaming the NCAA men's basketball games from a former-monastery-now-hotel in Spain (but really, there is nothing as good as that).

Okay--so for now I am okay with this exposure. I got warm but not singed. Next week's debate? No way can I possibly risk flying close to that one. But I am going to be so-o-o-o-o drawn to that flame.

By the way, here is a shout-out to Martha Raddatz, who gave the best performance of all!