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By Jim Thompson
HCP columnist

As this election season comes to an end, I want to thank the publisher and especially you, the readers, for encouraging me as I have expressed my opinions.  

In a few days, hopefully, we’ll know how this election turns out. It has been an especially tense election season, when, if we truly followed the Biblical guidance, it would never be. The Bible says all government officials serve at the will of God. And it means all – no exceptions.

Often I am envious of my Mennonite friends along the Sugar Tree Ridge area. Invariably, they ask me, “Now, who is the president of the United States?”  

They have the New Testament approach to our elected (and unelected) government officials. But my excuse is politics is "so much fun." I just hope it is accepted when I get to the Pearly Gates, so to speak.

Although I was born during the Truman Administration, the first presidential race I remember was the 1956 contest between Dwight Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson. In 1960, on the day after the spring day when John Kennedy won the West Virginia primary and clinched the Democratic nomination, we were staying in a hotel in Charleston, W.Va.  

I remember it distinctly. I had sunny side up eggs for breakfast and the restaurant table had a glass top; never saw that before. We were on our way to Roanoke to a funeral.  

About 10 miles after we started out that morning, I got car sick. And I think that happened for about every 10 miles until after lunch time (I didn’t eat lunch). We almost missed the funeral due to my roadside stops.

The 1964 presidential race was while we lived on the farm at Marshall. Don’t remember so much about that one.

In 1968, I was a freshman at the University of Cincinnati. Hubert Humphrey came to the campus (I saw him). Richard Nixon visited the old Cincinnati Gardens. I was there, too.

In 1972, I got to vote in the presidential election for the first time. Don’t remember much about it or the 1976 election, although I do remember the USA 200th anniversary on July 4 that year.

In 1980, we had moved to Cape Girardeau, Mo., and I was quite interested in that race.  I had had enough of Jimmy Carter; and apparently, I was not alone. There has been a lot said in this cycle about Reagan carrying every state but Minnesota in 1984. Quite frankly, I don’t remember it.

In 1988, we were living in Wadsworth, Ohio (near Akron). What I remember is George Bush being shown a scanner at a checkout lane in a grocery store (obviously, he didn’t get out much) and Dukakis in the military tank – both amazing video opportunities.

My mother was in intensive care in the Middletown, Ohio hospital during the 1992 election. She lost consciousness upon hearing that Clinton had won and didn’t revive until the next Valentine’s Day (absolutely a true story).

By 1996, I had moved to Atlanta when Clinton won his second contest.

In 2000, after all the mess of that race, we were at a Christmas party a few weeks later.  

I got to talking to this lady I did not know (I knew her husband). I was surprised at her vacuous thinking. When she told me she had written letters to “the nice” Bill Clinton and he had personally answered them, I lost it.  

She then announced very loudly, “I am leaving, ---- (her husband), please get my coat!”  

When my wife, Laura, heard what had happened, she (Laura) was appalled, and I was in the dog house for a period of time for being so insensitive.

I thought 2004 was a snoozer.

The race of 2008, I felt, was a watershed event and led to the divisiveness we have today. I remember about a week before the election being at a friend’s house in Wisconsin. We were gravely worried about the direction the country seemed to be heading. I just saw him this past week in Oxford, Ohio, and we reflected on the perspicacity our thoughts of that evening 16 years ago had been.

As far as I was concerned, the race of 2012 was a throwaway race. Based on the mood of the country, no one could beat Obama.

I found the results of 2016 particularly pleasing. I have said many times before that Donald Trump is the kind of client I have had to deal with throughout my career and his personality, while I don’t particularly approve of it, is one with which I am thoroughly comfortable.

You can say what you want about 2020, but I felt the Democrats were motivated to win it by whatever means necessary (read into that what you wish).  

And now we are here, 2024, with just a few days to go…

Thanks for reading.

Jim Thompson, formerly of Marshall, is a graduate of Hillsboro High School and the University of Cincinnati. He resides in Duluth, Ga. and is a columnist for The Highland County Press. 

Comment

Matthew (not verified)

2 November 2024

Thanks Jim, for the time, thoughts, and effort you put into these writings. A modern-day pamphleteer!
I remember 1984. I didn't know how much of a landslide that was at the time. I was in elementary school.
So, in 1988, it made sense to me that VP Bush would win. And he did.
It was a reality check in my young life in '92. How can the Commander in Chief of Desert Storm lose to an Ark. Gov? The 3rd party H. Ross Perot was a factor. And the Perot political movement was a precursor for 2016.
In 1994 I was voting for the first time. And what an introduction it was. Newt Gingrich and the Republicans reclaimed the House and Senate for the first time in 40 years. Rush Limbaugh also took over my AM radio from Gary Burbank.
I was home on leave to vote for WWII Veteran Bob Dole in '96. I was so disappointed when I heard the results as I was driving back to NC. I was preparing for my first deployment with the Landing Force of the 6th Fleet. I didn't trust Clinton, but everything turned out alright.
2000 was surreal. Gore could've won easily if Clinton would have resigned before or after his perjury impeachment.
I was hoping Bush would have wrapped up the war or terror soon after the 2004 election. That was not the case.
McCain earned my vote 40 years before his Presidential run.
Romney was milquetoast.
In 2016, millions of Americans were just tired of career politicians and the legacy news media.
In 2020, this is why we're tired of career politicians, the media, and their power-grabbing tactics.
Now 2024. Hopefully we will hear references and comparisons to Grover Cleveland.

Matthew (not verified)

3 November 2024

Many have heard that old thought-provoking question: Living or deceased, Who are the 3 people you want to meet? Yes: Jesus, great-grandparents, Hank Aaron, Abe Lincoln, etc... are common answers. Sticking with a political theme, I want to meet 3 men that are still alive that I knew about early in my life. I want to know more about: Lt. Col. Oliver North USMC, Justice Clarence Thomas, and Speaker Newt Gingrich. That would be a really interesting sit-down dinner. I think those guys are the original pioneers in our current expedition in making the Country good and decent again. Pioneers take the arrows. Ollie North has scars physically and figuratively. Semper Fi, Sir. Justice Thomas and Newt faced mean-spiritedness wrath of an opposition political party and a partisan press. I would love to know their whole story and their perspectives.

David Anthony Mayer (not verified)

3 November 2024

Today on NBC's Meet The Press their final poll was tied at 49%. Leaving 2% for others or undecided. Hopefully with the stark contrasts between the 49ers, we see a record breaking turnout. As MSM keeps talking about the undecided vote impact, I cannot understand how anyone can be undecided. And today it appears that Iowa may be a swing state. Ignored by both contenders. In my opinion it has been the most absurd POTUS election year of all time. Starting with the only a few primary candidates. A country with no bench strength. Scary.

Matthew (not verified)

3 November 2024

In reply to by David Anthony Mayer (not verified)

Kamala has never been to Iowa. She never made it to the first primary season contest 5 years ago. She was the first one that dropped off the bench. I doubt Iowa will be a surprise this year. That random recent opinion poll on Iowa seems absurd.

Matthew (not verified)

4 November 2024

In reply to by David Anthony Mayer (not verified)

I cannot understand how anyone can watch Meet the Press, or NBC for that matter. I haven't watched Saturday Night Live in 30 years. I guess SNL is in trouble with the FCC because NBC was worshipping Kamala, like usual.
49% - 49% doesn't mean much. An acute observer of the Constitution and presidential elections know that a majority of Electoral Votes is what is key. Then the House of Representative state-by-state break-down by party in the next Congress is even more important than the nationwide popular vote.

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