My father was a Republican, a flag waving rompin' stompin' Republican educated at Texas A&M. I was schooled, at a very young age, that the only party was the grand old party. On my 18th birthday Dad took me to register to vote. That November I proudly cast my ballot for Walter Mondale. My father was defeated, a failed father. And I a failed voter, Mondale of course losing in a landslide.
My father tried for years to
correct his mistakes. He did everything in his power to show me the
Republican way. He tried, he really did, but in all that schooling he
taught me to be an independent, and critical, thinker. He also created a
political junkie who lives for this time of year. I never turned to
Dad's side, we battled for years, he finally resigning himself to his
vote canceling out mine (and vice versa). All his dreams came true when
they built the Bush library on the A&M campus, two of the
greatest things in the world coming together in one place. Dad proudly
wrote his check of support and then had my name added to the Donor Wall.My four year old daughter, who has a doll named Barack Obama, is going to cast her four year old vote for John McCain. My father, wearing an Aggie hat and waving a McCain sign, is dancing in heaven.
