Yesterday, I Finally Said Good-bye to My Old Demographic: My Little Brother Beat Me...

[CorpGovActivist]

... fair and square, though I still haven't called him yet to concede.

On January 4, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2586727&mesg_id=2591912">I described a 4.5-hour car ride with my little brother, in which he bet me that Obama would outlast Edwards.

I patiently explained to my little brother how Iowa caucuses work (and how Edwards had a built-in surge on the second round); he didn't know the process, so he asked some good questions, and hopefully I gave some good answers. I laid out how that Iowa momentum would carry Edwards into NH, where a second place win would be enough to keep the momentum going (though a surprise first place win there might still be possible). I explained that this would help secure Edwards a vital union endorsement in Nevada, gain Edwards national media exposure in time for South Carolina, and propel Edwards into the fracas of Tsunami Tuesday, flush with new cash from donors who'd already started giving at 12:01 a.m. January 2, to conceal their "traitorous" contributions from the Clintons.

I conceded the power of Obama's appeal, but kept probing my little brother for specifics. I was willing to be persuaded, but just didn't get much beyond his "gut feeling" (which surprised the heck out of me, given that my little brother is a pretty analytically sharp guy).

When we were kids, we shared a room. I built us tent forts by tucking quilts under the mattress of the top bunk bed (mine), and by securing the other end into the doublewide set of dresser drawers. Sometimes we let our sister in; sometimes it was just us guys. He's playing guardian to all the Star Wars stuff we played with under that tent fort, but both of us are scrupulous about which things are his, and which things are mine. We just can't bear to break up the set. (He doesn't know this yet, but if his wife and he have a kid and we don't, that's the first bit of "wealth transfer" I plan to do.)

We wrestled. I always won.

Until that one day.

That one day, it was all I could do to subdue him. I broke a real sweat, a consquential sweat, a sweat not collateral to the activity.

And so, I retired, undefeated. And soon after, I went off to college.

Yesterday, I got pinned on the mat, fair and square.

Good God, do I have a lifetime of wet willies coming my way. To the victor go the spoils.

So, if you need me, I'm gonna put on my 8-track of 80s music, clip a coupon for some Geritol, and scan the paper for the early bird special, then go out and buy a phone with great big glow-in-the-dark numbers, so that I can see them to call my little brother, and congratulate him.

- Dave

[GodlessBiker]

1. "Gut feelings" are one of the most important things we have.

[CorpGovActivist]

2. Yup...

... and I'm an intuitive person, but I prefer having facts to feed those intuitions. I "get" the appeal. It only takes about a nanosecond for me to figure out that I like and trust the Obamas much more than I like or trust the Clintons.

- Dave

[Barack_America]

3. Out of curiosity, what is his gut telling him now? n/t

[CorpGovActivist]

4. I Don't Know Yet...

... I can't find my false teeth, and I forgot why I walked into this room. I'll call him later and ask. And listen hard.

- Dave