If walls could talk

By Staff
Scot Beard
I love election years, especially when there is a contest for the presidency.
I enjoy listening to people – not the politicians but everyday citizens – talk politics. While there are issues such as immigration and abortion that spark debate all the time, election years seem to make most people passionate about a wide variety of subjects.
This year foreign policy, gay marriage and the slumping economy are sure to become major issues as the national conventions wind down and the nominees are selected.
I cannot wait to see how the nominees will handle these difficult issues. Will presumptive nominees John McCain and Barack Obama actually take a stand on soaring gas prices, or will they follow the stereotype of the politician and hem and haw around the issue to please as many voters as possible.
I am also interested in this presidential election because no matter which of the nominees wins, it will be historical. McCain would be the oldest elected chief executive. Obama would be the first black man elected president. If a third-party candidate actually won the election, it would be the first time a candidate from one of the major parties of the time did not secure the presidency.
I cannot wait for the national conventions to end so the campaigning can begin in full stride. I love it.
My wife Erin, on the other hand, hates elections – especially this one.
She was tired of the 2008 presidential election in the spring of 2007 when primary candidates were building their campaign platforms.
The reason my wife does not like elections is because she does not like politics. Do not get me wrong, she has strong political opinions and she can tell you why she feels the way she does.
What she does not like about elections is the constant barrage of coverage and commercials that accompany campaigns.
She tires easily of the mudslinging – in 2004 I thought she was going to kill every member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. She was not mad because they were attacking her candidate, she was tired of watching guys in a boat ride down some random river in Vietnam during every commercial break.
My wife does not like campaigning in any form, especially commercials.
The breaking point for Erin came earlier this spring. After years of renting, we were ready to purchase our first house.
We drove around various neighborhoods seeking for-sale signs. As I drove up a main road, she would look down the side roads to see if any property was available.
Several times we drove down a street hoping to get a realtor's phone number. Instead, we would find a sign expressing support for candidate X for city council.
After the third such trip, my wife lost her cool and went on a rant about why she hates elections.
Eventually, we found a house we liked and were able to purchase it.
I am glad the walls of our new home cannot talk. After they listen to my wife and I during this year's election, I am sure I would be embarrassed by what they had to say.