So I had to take that mix of grief and fear and make myself do something useful, since I was about to talk to undergrads at City - knowing that the majority of folks in these particular classes were that group I was yearning for last time, first-time voters for Kerry. I knew I couldn't walk into that classroom a basket case: I had to check in and see how they were feeling, and present it in some sort of context. I felt a little like teachers must have the day after 9-11; it also required me to step away from mourning long enough to *find* that context.
Of course, they were very sharp, and just as when they're discussing Keats or Phillis Wheatley, they raised points I'd missed: "Everyone who actually experienced 9-11 voted for Kerry. What were these other people thinking?" and (I loved this one) "Everyone who votes for Bush should go to Iraq!" (echoing Eminem's "Let him impress daddy that way").
I ended up talking more about 1964 than 2004: about the rebirh of the conservative movement and the machine that Karl Rove perfected, even though he didn't build it. "There's lots of work to do, " I said.
And now I'm falling asleep at the keyboard. More later. including obout Kerry's concession.
though p.s. -- an apology: I misspoke about the youth vote. It did rock.
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