Unlike many a journalist or blogger, I would not call myself a cynic. I actually qualify as (shhhhhh) an optimist. I know as a journalist, I’m not supposed to be such a thing, but I can’t help myself. It gets me through the tough times. Like today.

I have to believe that Obama will win this election, largely because I can’t deal with the idea of him not winning. (I also dig denial.) So instead of focusing on how scared I am he might lose, or how dirty tricks might keep voters away (don’t listen to those bastards), or all of those state-by-state scenarios that could cause it all to go so wrong, I want to focus on something positive: PEOPLE ARE VOTING.

This country has never been so jazzed up about an election. And even if it took everything sliding into the toilet for that to happen; and even if the polling places are so overwhelmed we have to wait hours; and even if dirty tricks and incompetence cause injustices and recounts and we have to wait yet again, weeks or months, for a final decision (and all of these things are a damn shame) — at least people are voting.

And I choose to focus on this.

(For a more cynical take on the election, as a well as a way more beautifully written and insightful piece that says a whole lot of things I agree with and wish I had said so beautifully, check out Mr. Lady’s blog at http://www.whiskeyinmysippycup.com/)