Bob Dole and the Voices Behind My First Echoes
“If the economy’s good
you’re not going to beat Clinton.”
–Richard Nixon’s warning to Bob Dole
shortly before his death in 1994.
Did I get ground in the gears
of a Republican propaganda machine
or did I come up with a valid reason
to vote for Trump in 2016?
November 5, 1996:
Seven years old and standing in line with my parents
to vote for the next president, I ask
who do we want to win? Bob Dole, they said.
I don’t think I even knew who Bill Clinton was.
That night, I stayed up watching votes get tallied
like the scores of a extra long basketball game–
ooOOOHH C-A-T-S or some shit like that.
But of course, Dole fell short, and if I had known
the word, I’d have thought
‘FUCK Bill Clinton’
like he was Duke or a Louisville Cardinal.
It was a sentiment that last only a few days,
because again, seven,
except now I could recognize Bill on TV, thinking
there’s that jerk again
which may have been all it would ever be
if not for the headlines soon to meet our eyes:
CLINTON LIED
a statement so loud that decades old echoes
not only still deafened
but had only been strengthened
by the converging sounds of Bosnia,
Benghazi, and a suspicious private email server;
the evolution of who a contentious man would later dub
‘Crooked Hillary Clinton.’
Returning to 2016, it’s hard for me to fathom
how the Democrats could have stuck to their guns
ignoring the morphing reality of pitting establishment Hillary
against the refreshing (if ultimately calamitous)
presence of a non-politician Trump.
I recall the agony of seeing who Trump was
but being completely unable to trust a Clinton,
how my vote would absolutely change
in any other version of that race;
how there may have been millions just like me,
we winnable few.
Now today, years later
seeing what has become of that change in history,
I wonder what might have happened if the Democrats
had given us better choices–if they’ve learned since then.
I wonder, despite standing by decisions from 2016,
if maybe Hillary would not have been so bad after all.
Or have I always been ground in the gears
of a Republican propaganda machine?
4 thoughts on "Bob Dole and the Voices Behind My First Echoes"
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A bold, honest write. I respect that. The history behind the ‘machine’ is a key element, too.
Thanks for sharing.
Yes, the history is so important, both on the national level but also the individual level. I believe it’s critical to for us to try and see why people make the choices they do because personal histories can be so varied.
I often hear the phrase, ‘“Vote for the person, not the party,” which carries a certain appeal and logic. However, it’s also important to recognize that political parties are not arbitrary labels—they represent distinct ideologies, historical legacies, and policy priorities that resonate deeply with many individuals. People don’t necessarily align with a party out of blind loyalty or indoctrination; rather, they often do so because the party’s principles reflect their own values and vision for society. This emotional and philosophical alignment deserves thoughtful consideration alongside the evaluation of individual candidates
It’s fascinating to explore how perspectives and values develop, strengthen, change. Good account of that experience. Write on!