Dems the Breaks.

This evening, in northwest Portland's Montgomery Park building, the Chair of the DNC, Howard Dean, M.D., spoke in support (the general "rally the troops" gathering) of Governor Ted Kulongoski. He was joined by Democratic Congressmen David Wu, Earl Blumenauer, Darleen Hooley, and Senator Ron Wyden. Several of the Oregon State Congressional representatives and senators also stood on the podium including a sharp looking representative candidate for one of Oregon's central Districts who is a Major in the Oregon National Guard. He has been recalled to Afghanistan as it turns out and will be on duty when the elections are held. If THAT isn't a slam dunk for the job, what else would be? He's one to keep an eye on for the future of Oregon politics. After all, why else would Ted and Earl and the gang make certain he's present to meet Dean and the big-wigs?

It was a good night for preaching to the choir. Governor K. was his usual nonchalant self and Dean fired us up with his typical-yet-manic messages from the party, "We're winning in Wyoming, Texas, Utah, and Ohio" to excerpt. "Keep the pressure up for these next three weeks and we'll see a fully Democratic Congress and an agenda that's strong on homeland security, education financing, economic growth, creating jobs, taxation curtailment, and the improving of all American's lives." We'd heard it all before, and cheered wildly nevertheless.

What struck me was my proximity to the gathering, down front and slightly left. I was away from the press (always a preference) but near to the aides of those on stage. They were freverantly jotting down notes on what their own people were saying. Likely preparing for spin-control or improvements for the next gathering. They spoke on Blackberries and Palm-phones. They sent texts and emailed from these handhelds as well with dutiful ease. I thought of the stress they must be under at this time and wondered if they had family, friends or others they saw outside the political landscape. Looking over their hands it seemed clear that they were all in a relationship, with an ass. The DNC was their life. Not one of the groupings of aides had a wedding ring or other mark denoting a relationship. Perhaps it's overly judgmental or I'm wrong to think this as fact, but their looks with fine clothes, expensive gadgets and rapid-scanning style of the amassed crowds (mostly for a gauge on the political acceptance rather than for a tasting of the "who's hot or not" level) backs up my thought that the political world that I have often considered as a potential, future career is not one in which my marriage would survive.

I'd rather not become one of the many politicians that go through a difficult explanation of saving the marriage by saying, "It's only for four years, darling." If that makes me a bad choice, so be it; but my family is foremost important to me, while civic matters are ones I can resign myself to being merely a critic.