Complex Numbers

Hail to the Boss

I had a dream last night.

In the dream, the Democratic National Committee had punted Obama and Clinton, and instead thrown all their support and delegates to Bruce Springsteen as their Presidential candidate.

I had been helping the Republicans with the McCain campaign (which is how I know this was a dream; I'd never help the Republicans in real life). The Republicans in the dream were a bunch of older white guys. I left that assemblage and went up the hill to the Democrats - a bunch of younger people of mixed demographics - and tried to convince them that I wasn't a spy; I just couldn't be with the Republicans anymore now that Bruce was a candidate.

In the time compression you sometimes get in dreams, a few "days" later they had the election and Bruce won by a few votes. He made a statement like "I didn't really want to be President, but I'm honored that you chose me." I saw a newspaper with some version of the Born in the USA cover and the words "Hail to the Boss."

And then I woke up, back to the dreary reality of McCain, Obama and Clinton. Okay, it's not that dreary; for the first time in my life, there will not be the choice between the lesser of two evils, but simply between different viewpoints and approaches. Yes, I can see positive things about each of the candidates, and that's... weird... to me. Usually, like in the last election, I was like, "Anyone but Bush, even that loser Kerry."

I can also see negative things about each of them - McCain seems ready to continue, in some form, the ill-conceived war (but really, I don't see much choice there, myself); Obama's attacks on the status quo have their downside, especially in the way taxes are done. Clinton is Clinton; enough said. But overall, it looks like our long national nightmare might soon be over, even if we don't elect Bruce Springsteen.

Oh, I know Bruce would never run for office. He was a draft dodger and used to smoke dope... oh, wait, that doesn't disqualify you anymore. But anyway, he wouldn't want it, and I wouldn't really want it, because it would interfere with his tour schedule.

But a guy can dream.