Do You Really Know What You Want?

Evil

Back in the day, when I was still in university, there was a saying around campus:

"Barnard to bed, but Columbia to wed."

Barnard, being the all-girls sister school to Columbia University. The implication, clearly, is that there are some people who you want to have a good time with, but other people who you want to keep for the long run.

I've been thinking about this recently as I've been watching the Obama phenomenon unfold. I have a theory:

Obama is the Barnard girl

Right now, it feels cool to support Obama. It feels good. You might even say, with all your heart, that it feels right. To be totally honest, I don't know why I am getting so worked up over this Obama thing, because I am not particularly political. I am not even a registered Democrat. (Or a registered Republican, for that matter. I registered "no party" in New York State.)

I don't know what it is that has me feeling this way. Maybe it's my befuddlement over how so many people are swept up in rosy words and promises. Am I a cynic? Maybe it's my inherent nature to root for the underdog, which Hillary has become. I am not a woman, but I feel like women are letting Hillary down. She's the first credible female candidate for president -- and who knows when the next one will come along? If it were 50 years from now -- two-plus generations from now! -- I would not be surprised. But women and men alike, right now, seem to have "bed" on their mind. Not "wed."

Here is the irony: Obama is going to win the Democratic nomination. The contrarian in me will just have to accept it. But Obama will go on to the general election to face John McCain. And then the American public will take a look at the two candidates, as starkly different as they are, and ask:

"Obama to bed, or McCain to wed?"

And they'll come to their senses and go for McCain. And then we're stuck with a crazy old man in the White House for the next four years, or more.

Post-script: But what about the 2012 election, you ask? Surely, Obama will storm back and claim the presidency. He'll have another 4 years of experience. He'll be that much stronger! No. You see, in four years time, Obama will be old news. He'll no longer be the agent of change. He'll no longer be the fresh new face that the public adores. We will know too much about him. We will have seen his warts. He will be just another Washington insider. I don't like my choices in this election. I think I'm gonna go for Nader.