Bronco Bama and Mitt Romney Head Down the Homestretch
When I saw and heard this video of a child's response to hearing one too many "Bronco Bama and Mitt Romney" advertisements, I couldn't help but sympathize and laugh a little bit, too. I just returned from a week away from the epicenter of politics that made me both more anxious for news and less tolerant of the invasion. More than that, the advertising is no longer necessary; people have already made up their minds.
When the clip went viral, NPR's Mark Memmott apologized to Abigeal:
"Dear Little Girl: Sorry We Made You Cry About 'Bronco Bamma' And Mitt Romney. On behalf of NPR and all other news outlets, we apologize to Abigael and all the many otherswho probably feel like her. We must confess, the campaign's gone on long enough for us, too. Let's just keep telling ourselves: 'Only a few more days, only a few more days, only a fewmore days.'"
When I left for Miami, I felt a bit like Abigael. That feeling returned when I came home and was bombarded by thirteen voice mails from candidates, dozens of slick flyers for candidates in my mail, and constant messaging and survey phone calls. I was almost as mad as Abigael was.
Although I was in another swing state, I was so busy that I saw little television and my primary news was an occasional sneak-peak from my iPhone. Nobody thinks about things political in Miami when you are hunkered down in a hotel, a hurricane sailing by to the east and many, including myself, were worried about their homes and families along the Eastern seaboard. It was a strange thing to experience. Political news was erased by weather news.
Usually I live and breathe the political scene. The statistics, the swing states, the ups and downs are all part of the charge for me. It keeps me going through the whole season and I don't tire of it and I look forward to every opportunity to talk and argue politics.
This year the break was nice. Maybe because we had such a long primary season and all of those debates to choose a nominee got old and the questions started to sound like bad rap music, repeating the same thing over and over.
The election is so close that it is scary, like a horror movie that you just want to shut out with hands over eyes and ears until the bloody part is over. And if my candidate doesn't win, I think it could be horrifying at best.
Latest presidential polls
Rasmussen Reports: Obama 48%, Romney 48%
Real Clear Politics: Obama 47.4%, Romney 47.3%
ABC News/Washington Post: Romney 49%, Obama 48%
Fox News Poll: Obama 46% Romney 46%
Fifteen percent of Americans had already voted as of October 29, and 33% have voted or plan to vote early. Others surely have made up their minds by now. After the debates, are there really any fence-sitters? What could they be waiting for? All that remains is for the votes to be cast and the beans counted. Advertising isn't going to change minds, particularly ads that have been run and heard for the gadzillionth time. Really, it is enough to make you want to cry, "No more, please!"
My preference would be to turn off the advertising and focus on the polls and the gossip, the issues and the exciting things. I don't want to hear any more negative advertising, or replays of the same old commercials. I'm with you, Abigeal Evans. But I can assure you that I will be tuned in on election day and into the night, following the returns, making notes, tweeting messages, and blogging. That's the fun part, and I hope you will have some fun then, too!
