Election Reflection: Gratitude for lessons learned and a tribute to one of the people who taught them

Everything about this Election Day feels different, starting with the fact I didn’t go to my long-time polling place to cast my ballot. I voted last week because I knew several circumstances might keep me from getting to the polls today. I had to be satisfied today with the “I voted” sticker on the back of my phone case left from last week.

Although I didn’t actually vote today, Election Day ginned up lots of emotions and good memories in spite of all the raging personal attacks and downright meanness we saw this season. I’m reminded of a different time in my early career years when I had the chance to participate on the front lines of campaigns. While my recollection of the issues from past campaigns may have faded some over the years, the value of the lessons learned and friendships gained from these experiences has only grown.

Friendships and relationships forged from campaign work are unique. These are people you see at their best and their worst, at their most confident and most doubting, with coffee-induced highs and sleep-deprived lows. Because of the intensity of the work, these are the people who can teach you so much, and they probably never even know it.

I was reminded just this week of the impact that campaign “family” has had on me when I learned of the death of former Lt. Gov. Nick Theodore’s wife, Emilie. I worked on the Theodore gubernatorial campaign in 1994 and had the pleasure of getting to know “Miss Emilie” through months of bus trips, debate preps, late night envelope stuffing sessions and hours of endless events, handshakes and hugs.

Miss Emilie was the personification of what can be good about running for elective office. She was kind, friendly and always had time for anyone who wanted to speak to her. I learned so much from watching her and the whole Theodore family navigate an intense statewide race with grace, commitment and respect for opposing positions. As I read tributes to her life and legacy over the past few days, I am grateful she touched my life all those years ago.

From a mayor's race to a presidential election and lots in between, I am also grateful for all the many people I still know from years of campaign work who remain in my life in one way or another… even if it’s as simple as an annual party invitation, Christmas card or an occasional Facebook post.  

Today, I’m grateful for all that I learned over the years from these candidates, their families and campaign staffers who trusted me to work for and with them. A few of the items on my gratitude list include …

• Discovering a love for the dance of politics and strange bedfellows and an appreciation for well-executed political strategy.
• Gaining a respect for honest and accurate reporters.
• Learning it’s possible to master the balancing act between running for an office and actually governing.
• Participating in the inner workings of campaigns that were based on well-researched policy rather than political opportunism and polling.
• Being part of both winning and losing election night speeches and the subsequent morning-after staff meetings where the candidates were equally gracious regardless of whether they won or lost.
• Discovering it’s possible to disagree vehemently over a political or policy decision and still maintain respect for the other person.
• Getting a chance to prove myself in several campaign jobs when, on paper, I probably didn’t have the experience.
• Taking part in the hard decisions made in the back rooms of a campaign office – decisions that were separated by the thin wire of doing what’s right versus doing what might bring down the other guy. In every case I witnessed, doing right won out over political opportunism.

Over these years, I’m grateful to have shared the high of a squeaker win. However, I’m also grateful for sharing the low of the surprise loss or the disappointment in knowing we all gave our very best for this candidate we believed in and lost our jobs anyway because he lost.

One thing I’ve learned is that losses like those can illuminate new possibilities. I hope that lesson will be the case with our country going forward.

But today, by loss I don’t mean which candidate wins or loses. I mean the damage and losses caused by the ugliness of this election season – the loss of civility, trust and the diminished focus on the general good of the people. Neither side can claim innocence in this.

Recovery from this will happen one person at a time only if we practice acceptance, seek out strength in our common struggles and just be kind.

Let's do it!

 

(A little trip down memory lane)