Election day memories – Back Through the Years

Election Day ’04 is almost here.

No more annoying telephone solicitations, slick-looking brochures cluttering up the mailbox or television commercial messages touting – or bashing – candidates in a nightly barrage on the boob tube.

That negative attitude doesn’t mean that I dislike the process, or that I won’t be waiting and watching the election results Nov. 2 – and Nov. 3. As is the case for many other folks here in Clinton County, I expect to be firmly planted in front of the television for the duration of election coverage – no matter how long it takes.

It’s true – I’m a presidential election junkie, and it’s all my brother’s fault.

Looking back, my desire to watch the 1960 election results probably had as much – if not more – to do with being allowed to stay up late with my big brother. After all, Rollie had just graduated that past June from Rodney B. Wilson – he was a ‘college guy’ to his little sister who was only eight years old at the time.

Rollie was cool – so, his interest in watching the election was cool, too.

I can’t honestly say that I have any concrete, visual memory of watching that 1960 election coverage, or of the debates that preceded it – or even the celebrated and often-cited address from Inauguration Day in January, 1961: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." Those images are forever burned into my mind courtesy of video clips, shown over and over in the ensuing years, not because I actually remember seeing them.

What I can claim as my own, personal remembrance is sitting in front of that little black and white television, with the screen flickering and wavering in the otherwise dark living room, alone with my brother after our parents had gone to bed.

That’s a much bigger treasure than this election will deliver.

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Thoughts of past elections did prompt me to wonder about memories that other folks might have – what’s their most vivid presidential election image? Asking people at 10 a.m. to reply to a message by 5 p.m. on the same day did cut down on the quantity of responses – it was sort of a last-minute column idea – but certainly not on the quality. The following replies are much appreciated.

I must admit that part of Paul McNamara’s reply really drew my attention – and my envy. Paul wrote, "The most fun was sneaking into the 1960 Democratic National Convention with a college friend. We didn’t get caught, and it was really exciting."

I would have been less enthusiastic about the other event that he mentioned – but I understand his point of view. "Evie and I enjoyed the inaugural for George W., four years ago."

An email reply from a St. Johns native – who now resides in the sunny Southwest – is thoughtful and reflective, as expected. Ben Munger wrote, "This will date me, but my first memory of an election is the Eisenhower/Stevenson election. I remember thinking that Eisenhower was a war hero and obviously had the hearts of everyone, but how much smarter Stevenson seemed to me - and that it was a shame that this kind of strength could not be translated into votes.

"We wanted to feel safe and were suspicious of someone who thought complexly about things. I am sure I am using current logic to filter those thoughts, but it is a strong sense of the past as well."

Reflections from a St. Johns duo also note the power that words can have – both inspirational and humorous.

Marsha Dedyne recalls John F. Kennedy’s speech on Inauguration Day as producing "a renewed spirit in America that was a call to duty for everyone – an uplifting feeling." Bob has a more light-hearted election memory. "When Truman defeated Dewey, I remember listening to Truman’s response on the radio," the long-time Clinton County resident says. "I remember Truman mimicking a reporter’s claim that Dewey had won – I’ll never forget how that sounded."

While they’re not ‘real-time’ responses to my election memory request, the following sampling of newspaper accounts taken from the 1980 History of Clinton County does provide a snapshot of what area residents were thinking about during past election years.

November 1896: "Ten thousand people attended the Republican mass meeting in St. Johns, nothing like it has been seen in the history of St. Johns. There were over 1,500 people, by actual count, in the evening parade. The Republicans proposed to give a rousing majority for McKinley and the whole Republican ticket."

November 1932: "Franklin D. Roosevelt carried Clinton County over Herbert Hoover by 481 votes. Hoover received 4,627 and Roosevelt 5,108.

"St. Johns mayor George Schoenhals defeated John Espie in the election which will send him to the State Legislature as the first Democratic representative from Clinton County since the early 1890s. Clark S. Gregory was elected probate judge and William M. Smith was defeated."

November 1936: "All Clinton County Republican candidates were elected by majorities. Roosevelt’s New Deal received 4,286 votes, 554 less than Landon’s 4,840. Mr. Landon carried only two or three small states out of the entire 48."

November 1956: There is no mention of the presidential race in the ‘Once Over Lightly’ section of the History of Clinton County – but, the following is noted, "The vote on fluoridation of the city’s water supply in St. Johns lost 753 to 1,397 in Tuesday’s General Election.

"Timothy M. Green was elected Probate Judge in a tight race against incumbent Judge William Morriss."

Some things are just more important than an electing a president.

November 1964: Clinton County, normally Republican, joined much of the nation in giving a plurality to the Johnson-Humphrey ticket. It’s the first time since 1932 that a Democratic presidential candidate has carried the country."

It’s without a doubt, also the last time that’s happened here. Time will tell about Nov. 2, 2004.

No matter whom you vote for, or what your political persuasion is, please do exercise your voting privilege next Tuesday. A price has been paid for that liberty – we must honor the sacrifices made by others on our behalf.

Happy Election Day.