Chatting With an Obama Believer

Chatting with an Obama supporter yesterday, left me with an insatiable desire to claw my eyes out.


This was not a woman I know - I was waiting in a long line at a grocery store when she walked up behind me, wearing an OBAMA t-shirt.

Curious, I asked, "Going to vote for Obama?" I said nodding, as if I understood her plight. Her eyes glazed over and she smiled that knowing smile. "Oh yes!" she exclaimed. "I first joined Obama a few months ago," as if she joined a church. I asked, "joined Obama," with my eyebrows raised practically up to my hairline.

She explained that she "converted from Hillary to Obama," and is now a devotee. So I bit. I asked her what specifically about his policies that she loved so much. She just stared and blinked, with a soft smile. So I instead asked her what it was about him that she loved so much. This was an easier question to answer because she practically bubbled. "I love how he brings people together," she said.

"To do what?" I asked kindly and softly.

She stared and blinked again... blinked like Nancy Pelosi at the State of the Union... blink, blink, blink, blink, blink...

"Uh, well, he has such an amazing ability to bring people together to get things done," she proudly answered.

"What kinds of things?" I asked again.

"Well, when people come together everyone benefits," she said.

I nodded and smiled. What kind of beast can argue with this logic? "How will you benefit?" I asked her.

"Well, like when people come together like say, in environmentalism, with more people recycling, the world will be a better place."

Now I was staring and blinking. Rapidly. My eyes were stinging. I bit my cheek.

"So if more of us recycle our garbage, this is Obama's doing?" I replied. I am confused.

"Well, okay. When people come together and are inspired by him, we all will benefit. We all will see the good in each other, and get more done" she explained.

I said, "Wow, he sounds more like a prophet than a politician." And then I moved in for the kill. "So, getting back to his politics, which of his policies do you like?"

Again she stared, and began to pick at her cuticle. The rapid blinking started up again. But then a smile started to form at the corners of her perfectly lined mouth. "The war!" she exclaimed loudly. "He's against the war."

Hmmm.

"Yes. He says he is against the war," I said. "So what will he do?"

Blink. Blink. Blink.

"Well," she said changing tactics, "He represents Americans."

"Okay," I said, practicing a level of patience unfamiliar to me, "How does he represent Americans? What does that mean?" I deplored. I felt as if I was talking to a kindergartener.

"He gives us hope for a bright future," she answered.

I had wondered when she would bring up "hope."

"How does he give us hope?" I asked, still smiling, but clicking my tongue.

She was now getting frustrated with my questions even though I was asking them in the nicest way possible.

"Look," she said, "I am just a Obama volunteer. We aren't given details. I just like him a lot. I know he will do great things for America. He will bring about change. He will bring back hope. He has plans. That's all I know," she finished breathlessly, clearly her way of saying that this discussion was over.

I thanked her for helping me understand Obama better, as if she had enlightened me. She smiled and rapidly blinked again. It was obvious she wished I would go away. But I was ahead of her in the line. Finally it was my turn - the clerk began scanning my groceries.

My blinking friend grabbed a People Magazine and stared at the pictures. I had just one more question. Turning toward her, and looking at the page she had opened in the People Magazine I said, "Well, at least you are in good company with Oprah - she loves Obama."

This was like talking about the Dali Lama to a Hollywood star. "Oh I know," she said with conviction. "And who doesn't listen to Oprah?" she added.


"Yup." I smiled. I bit my cheek again. And started blinking rapidly.