Political Memories

I’ve been listening to talk radio a lot lately. It’s awesome. It’s not that I haven’t listened to it before, I have. Since the womb practically. I was born in 1994, the same year as the Contract with America and just 7 years after Rush became nationally syndicated. There are old 90’s videos of a wee me saying his very fun to say name. Rush Limbaaaugh. Rolls off the tongue. The little duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun dun sound byte at the end of his show segments is dear to my ears. I could fall asleep to the sweet, sweet sound of Rush’s liberal lambasting. Yes, talk radio is very familiar to me. So are politics. I have many political memories stowed away in my head…

• 1st grade (2000-2001) Bush elected. Grandma and Grandpa from Mexico are over and Dad has the radio on all night. He yells up the stairs to us three different times, telling us whether or not Bush has won. Eventually Bush did win.
• 2nd grade (2001-2002) 9/11. Oddly enough, Grandma and Grandpa from Mexico are at the airport that morning and our cousins are in New York City (I think they were planning to eat lunch at the top of one of the towers that day) when it happens. After Dad calls Mom, I grab a granola bar and a butter knife to be prepared in case of the apocalypse. Grandma and Grandpa get to stay another week. School is different that day.
• 3rd grade (2002-2003) Iraq war starts the day of my 9th birthday party. Missiles fly and people protest. I feel like a part of history after I record it in my diary.
• 4th grade (2003-2004) Saddam Hussein captured while we’re on vacation in Cabo. We don’t believe Grandpa when he tells us. Cringeworthy radical Republican stage. While trick-or-treating in my teacher’s neighborhood I see a Kerry sign in her yard. I fight a strong urge to TP the place. Moving on…
• 5th grade (2004-2005) radical Republican stage lingers because of 2004 elections. Dartboard had pictures of Kerry on it. Kerry caricatures drawn, political cartoons and posters made and filed.
• 6th grade (2005-2006) Political blogs are confusing!!!
• 7th grade (2006-2007) I make a list of all possible 2008 presidential candidates and tape it to the pantry wall. It is soon forgotten in the move to North Carolina.
• 8th grade (2007-2008) Debates, Conventions and all the hype watched streaming online. SNL skits are pretty funny. Willow is totally my favorite Palin kid. Civil political discussions with liberal swimteam friends are awkward. Obama and Palin caricatures perfected. McCain’s jowls are super hard to draw.
• 9th grade (2008-2009) Bad time for Obama to win! Anger+hormones= much crying. But it was OK in the end!
• 10th grade (2009-2010) The world of talk radio is opened to me. I kind of understand the whole health care thing. Paul Ryan is super cute (for a 40 year old US rep.). Beck is entertaining. Mark Steyn’s accent is awesome. Willow is still my favorite Palin kid. Politics are still really confusing, but not as confusing as before. Palin and Obama caricatures are absolutely spotless. The 2012 election looms as the first time I get to vote and Rush is as diligent as ever!