Elections on the Internet

I currently have open 4 different twitter tabs, CNN, NBC, NPR and facebook. My tv is tuned to MSNBC, so I can watch Rachel Maddow break down everything that is going on. I’m texting some friends, and facebook chatting a few more, and tweeting with others from all over the country and the world.

Election night (and large political events in general) are kind of the Super Bowl for nerds. My friends and I are sitting on our couches in every corner of the country watching the results pour in together. We’re making jokes and puns and making each other laugh, while we attempt to keep breathing and attempt to ignore the anxity onslaught as we wait to hear who wins and what ballot measures are going to pass. We’ve done our research. We’ve voted- in person, absentee, however we can. We’ve registered friends and tweeted polling locations and posted reminders on facebook for weeks. We are those new media political nerds that Drudge Report thrives on.

You know the way that hardcore sports fans get during the big game? They have parties and yell at the TV and post play by plays on all their social media accounts. That’s us right now.

I love it so much. It’s my version of an adrenaline rush, waiting for the percentages to change on my TV as Wolf Blitzer giddily stares at the giant map in the Situation Room. It’s never more clear than on nights like tonight, that I hang out with a bunch of nerds. And I mean that in the most affectionate way possible.

I’m not unaware of the irony that I am posting this blog post about how caught up in election night I get dangerously close to midnight, due to the single reason that I was busy getting too caught up in election night. 

I feel no shame about it either. I had fun tonight. And most of the people who I wanted to win, managed to win.

I don’t have anything profound to say today (or ever, probably) but I’d be remiss not to take a moment to comment on how happy it makes me to have a community of people who care so deeply about politics and understand the deep impact that all of these elections have on our country.

I’m proud of the nerds I call my friends. I’m proud of the people who treat the elections like the super bowl and treat campaign speeches like the golden globes.

Also. I really like all the jokes on twitter.