No McCain stickers in my 'hood. I live in a blue state, in a blue town and what's more, Obama is practically a neighbor. I have never met the man, nor heard him speak in person but my husband has chatted with him on an airplane. Obama talked at my son's school in his Freshman year. We could carpool with Obama's kids except it would waste time and gas.
I've seen Obama's house and if it weren't for the Secret Service agents I would have taken a picture to post. But who knows, they might arrest me, confiscate my camera or shut down my blog, all for security reasons. Which would be ironic since Obama's house was pictured in People Magazine recently. That's how I know what it looks like.
Security is quite civil. But Obama's block is no longer a through street. It has about as much security on it as a U.S. embassy in an Arab country. When attending religious services this month, members of my synagogue were required to present ID before being allowed into the synagogue which is spitting distance from the Obama house. This was more of an amusing novelty than an inconvenience.
My friends who live a block from the Obama family wonder if the main street through Hyde Park near their house will have to be diverted if Obama becomes President. They already can't freely access their parking space in a nearby alley. We debate whether the Obamas will keep their house or sell. Unlike the Cheney house which is not allowed to be on Google Maps (honest) everyone in my area knows where the Obamas live. A local restaurant sells t-shirts that read Obama eats here. I'm debating buying one.
No one really seems to be complaining. I think we like the second hand fame and the team spirit. Sort of like when the Bulls were winning in the playoffs. Barack is the new Michael. Jordan that is. To date I have not seen a single McCain poster for miles. There must be a few Republican voters around--after all there are many conservative economists at the University of Chicago. I'll bet they are laying low about their politics around here.
The University of Chicago is probably thinking this is even better than a Nobel Prize winner. Good publicity as competition for graduating seniors is heating up.
As for me, well, it's just something to blog about.
7 comments:
I haven't seen any signs of McCain support anywhere in Kenwood or Hyde Park, either. I'm sure you're right, the people who plan to vote for him are probably too embarrassed to say so publicly for the most part. That seems to be true nationally in this election, and it's certainly true around this area.
But if you want to see McCain signs, you need go no further than Bridgeport, the home of the Chicago Democratic machine. Apparently there are plenty of racist white Democrats left...
I'll bet Kennilworth has a few (very tasteful) McCain signs unless they are banned by zoning laws.
JL, I deleted this particular comment. Sorry, it isn't the politics but it was a bit strong.
i wish i could procure an 'obama eats here' shirt! thanks for the insider's glimpse of the soon to be first family. we are mighty excited around my house.
Annie, let me know if you want a t-shirt.
i live in the "battleground" state of pennsylvania in a fairly republican area. it used to be strongly republican but it's changed in the past ten or so years.
i'm one of a few houses in my neighborhood with an obama sign out front and the other morning it was replaced with a mccain sign! i thought it was one of my neighbors playing a trick on me, but he denied it. it kind of made me mad, so i went out and got several more signs, but when i returned home--there was my old sign!
anyway, now i have two up and three in the garage in case any more go missing. : )
I just stopped back by, and thank you, Sarala.
I blew a gasket on Friday for a variety of reasons.
No excuse, but thanks. To you, not that other guy.
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