I Have Reached Obama Overload

We've got Obama Overload at our house.

You may not find this particular psychological disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders (DSM), but I can assure you, it exists. I know because we have it.

It's certainly not one of those things you can predict. I thought we were normal, pretty-much-not-interested-in-politics type of people. I've spent my career in radio staying away from talking about it. (It's too divisive, and I need all the listeners I can get.)

I do know when it started. I can pinpoint the day. It was the day John McCain brought Sarah Palin onto the ticket as VP. That was the day my sleeping political animal awoke and came unleashed.

I couldn't sleep that night. I was too ticked off. I couldn't stop talking about it the next day. My friends (who might not be Democrats) told me to shut up. I turned to the only method of expression I had that wouldn't get me thrown out of restaurants. I wrote.

I hadn't written essays or op/ed pieces since college when I was editor of the newspaper. I've been a broadcaster for 20 years and we don't need to know how to string sentences coherently or how to spell someone's last name properly, or what kind of punctuation goes after a sentence fragment. (We just use dots.) But the choice of Sarah Palin for Vice President so insulted me that I pulled out my old AP style book and went to town. I wrote until 2 in the morning, and then I sent it out to everyone on my email list who might lean even slightly to the left of far right.

When I got up the next morning I was greeted with a massive amount of email. I realized that I had struck a chord, especially with women. I wasn't the only one insulted, nor the only one pissed off. And my email list encouraged me to write more.

So my next piece I submitted to the Huffington Post. And when they accepted it, I got another blast of euphoria. There were even more people who felt as incensed as I did! And I was connecting with them.

This, my friends, is the start. Sadly, I must say, the Huffington Post is the gateway drug of Obama Overload. I know. Because I didn't just check to see if anyone had commented on my piece, I started reading other pieces. And then other sections. Then older pieces of the writers I really liked. Soon I was checking HuffPo, (as we addicts like to call it), several times a day. I was sending url addresses out in emails. I was watching the slideshows of the Obama's PDAs and tearing up at the realness of it. I was watching the debates because I WANTED to, not because I had to. I was hooked.

So I hear you say, "But that is simply an addiction." That's how it starts, my friends. It only gets worse. Here's how you know you when you have crossed the line into Obama Overload (OO):

You find yourself putting off important tasks to read "just one more" political article. Soon it's 2 in the afternoon and you are sitting at the computer, still in your nightgown, reaching for the eyedrops to soothe your bleary eyes. People call and ask when you'll have their project done. You say you are in the middle of something really important now and will call them back when you break free. You just never break free.

Polls. I don't have to explain. All of you other addicts and OO'ers out there already know what I mean. You know where they all are. And you check them every hour.

You start talking with your children about history and they don't walk out of the room. Your daughter is a 22 year-old college student and only drops by when she's out of cash or needs the laundry done. Now you spend copious amounts of time together talking about the lost 2000 election and hanging chads, about what the Constitution says the job of the VP entails, and how the Republican Party ain't the way it used to be

You use certain code words around people to determine what their political affiliation is. And when you find that someone you thought was a McCain fan turns out to be an Obama supporter, you make new friends for life.

You have no real sense of time. You tell your daughter, who is waiting patiently in the car, that you will only be in the store for 10 minutes while you pick up the bubble mailers that are 3/$1.00, but in fact you emerge several hours later, (only after the security guard hustles you out because the store is closing). This is because you have been standing in the store aisle talking about Obama with one of your "new friends."

You get emails from your friends saying "I don't want to talk politics with you anymore. Please stop. Don't text me, either." Granted, those are from your Republican friends, but they are friends nonetheless.

You start downloading Obama ringtones. You attach them to the numbers of your Republican friends so you can at least have a laugh each time they call you. Plus the added bonus of pissing them off when they hear your phone ring.

You humanize your cats. When Clawdine, the little cat, starts horking up a hairball, you ask what her problem is. Your daughter replies "She's choking over the thought of Palin as Vice President."

And here's how I knew we had a real problem:

Your daughter admonishes Tim Robbins about voting. In a dream. Your daughter wakes up and tells you that she dreamed she saw Guy Ritchie. She asked him if he had voted for Obama, but he told her that he is not an American citizen. She tells him to spread the word to his American friends. Tim Robbins approaches and she asks HIM if he has voted for Obama. He says he is planning on it. She says "That's not good enough! Get off your duff. Early voting is still open. Don't plan... DO!"

I have contacted a therapist for help with our problem. After we talked for 2 hours about why America needs Obama, she agreed to put us in a 12-step program. The first step is making sure Obama gets elected. I think the other 11 will fall into place on November 5th.

Comments

[feyangel]

I tried to post earlier today and the "system" wouldn't accept my comment-- your commentary here was SO ME!! I laughed out loud this morning in the midst of SUCH electional stress!!! THANK YOU!

AND, hours later, just having watched Obama being declared the WINNER-- all I have to say is what a HEALTHY ADDICTION!!

GO OBAMA!! YAY US!!!!

[ladydriver]

Hi, my name is ladydriver, and I'm a 2008 presidential election addict, and, yes, I suffer from Obama Overload. I started with the online Obama community, and the condition escalated greatly when I discovered the HuffPo site. I have all of the symptoms listed above, except I don't have a cat.

Since PA doesn't have early voting, I'll be in line as soon as the polls open in the morning, and I agree with the author that it's the first step and the other 11 will take care of themselves.

[Fedup79]

My whole family has this! We talk of nothing but this election--I have sent many a HuffPo link to anyone I think might appreciate and I NEVER get any work done! : I feel so much better knowing that I am not alone in this obsession and I have no idea what I'm going to do after tomorrow....thanks for sharing! :)

[Franb]

I plead guilty to many of those -- and I'm an Australian!

At the school where I work, people come to me for news of the latest shifts in the polls, and I give an update at our Monday morning staff meeting, covering such issues as early voting and shifts in the white male and evangelical demographics. I rattle off states and even obscure county names in Ohio and Georgia that I'm never likely to visit, give the latest Sarah Palin dirt an airing and struggle to come up with an answer as to what I'll be obsessed with Post Wednesday Sydney time.

Yup. I've got it bad.

[exasperated4]

man, you hit the nail on the head. I totally have OO! This is the fourth Presidential election I have voted in, but the FIRST one where I have been soooooo involved, emotionally. It's like, when I find out one of my friends or a family member is voting for McCain or "really likes Palin", I die a little inside. I am soo ready for this election to be over (and for Obama to win--obviously!!) that I can't stand it! AAAAAGH!!!

[yooper1]

It's nice to know I'm not alone. I thought I was getting more than just a little obsessed. Don't know what I'll do on Wednesday after spending almost all my time on the computer going from story to story and site to site every day after work. I've even gotten my boyfriend looking over my shoulder part of the time. He's become a more rabid Democrat than I have and that's saying alot. He even watched the debates and didn't change the channel ;-) He's even had to cook his own supper half the time 'cause he can't get me off the computer.

[kimp]

Ok - now that I've stopped laughing at the reason for your cat's hairball (perfect!) I too can admit to having succumbed to OO. I have never, and I repeat, NEVER thought about voting as more than just my duty as an American - trying to make my voice heard. This year is SO different, and you're correct, it began the day Palin was announced. I am proud to say that I've gotten my 54 year-old boss to vote for the very first time in his life because I have become THAT passionate about this election! I believe that Obama is going to win and all I can do at that point is offer up many prayers for this man's continued well-being and safety because I think that is going to be an issue after Nov. 4th. Keep the articles coming Pam - I know you've touched a nerve in me, and I am obviously not alone!

[superlayra]

OMG this is exactly what I have OO!!!! The other day my boyfriend made fun of me watching Obama 5 hours a day, and I started crying. He was like, what is wrong with you. I even made him volunteer with me yesterday. I am happy I am not alone.

[gavintiegirl]

I laughed & cried while reading this. I too have Obama Overload & it is serious. I have sent 100's of e-mails to family & I have yelled at my mother-in-law, fought with friends.

But it is these final days that I am at my worst. I have been crying all day. I cry at the realization that we are so divided in this country. I cry because this election has brought to light racism in people that I love.

I cry because CNN reports that black people are worried that their early voting won't matter and that something bad may happen to Obama like other black leaders. I am a 37, white, female and I too am worried that my early vote won't matter & that something bad will happen to MY President. My white friends that are against Obama; they say that they think after Obama moves into the White House, they will be the minority; that Obama will only look after the black people. I personally believe that this way of thinking is ignorant, but when the media makes it seem like because Obama is black that the black people care more, that makes me sad. This is the exact thinking that divides us.

I have a lump in my throat, ache in my heart that there are so many people out there that won’t embrace this great man, because of the color of his skin and they are willing to spread hatred rather than love for

[exasperated4]

Yeah, I was so upset when I found out about his grandmother's passing today that I cried a little at work, hehe....

[omgbrynnwtf]

You nailed this...epidemic, I'd say...on the head. You should feel the thick, political tension in my household. My parents are beside themselves with wanting Obama to win that I can't walk in late at night without some Keith Olbermann on the tube, making me want to cry because of how ruddy awful the republican party is behaving. The fact that my pretty much sister is havin' dreams is probably my next step. Tomorrow, Pam, it'll all be on tomorrow. Good thing I don't work! I can watch TV all day!!!

Oof.

[caseycasey]

Hi Pam,
Now confess... your post has been up 4 hours...how many times have you checked the comments?

I think this condition is far more widespread than you might think...and isn't that great!!

I have all of the above symptoms plus the added problem of sleeping on the couch night after night after nodding off while watching CNN and MSNBC into the wee hours. My husband wants to know what's going on.

And I'm torn about Sarah. As much as I want her back in Alaska ASAP, there is that secret part of me that thoroughly enjoys watching her crash and burn! I feel like it's safe here for me to admit my sinister evil twin side! If the stakes weren't so high, she would just be delicious entertainment.

Concerning post election withdrawal­...celebra­te on Wednesday, try to get back to real life on Thursday and then let's fill the void with action to make the changes that this country so badly needs. It'll take some work to heal the rift and division that McCain and Palin have created. I am so dismayed to see the hate and ignorance that is shown by some, and thankfully not all, at their rallies.
Let Obama's inspiration carry us forward now, we don't have to wait till Inauguration Day!

[Pam Atherton - Huffpost Blogger]

OMG!! Busted!!

I'm glad that you feel this is a safe enough venue for your "e vil twin side" to come out. And I do hope OO is as widespread as it appears to be!

I'll tell you a secret... today is my birthday. And when people call to ask what I want as a gift, I tell them an Obama Presidency. Needless to say, my Republican friends have stopped calling to ask me. Dang! I did so love the sound of those Obama ringtones!!

[bananasinmyears]

Pam - thank you, thank you, thank you. I do not live in the US and am not a US citizen; I live on the other side of the world, but am likewise "afflicted". I feel like I'm holding my breath, my life is "on hold" and my sanity hangs in the balance all at the same time. My stomach does flip flops every time I hear the words "the race is tightening". When I hear Obama speak my spirit lifts and I feel there is hope for the planet. When McCain or Palin speak I want to vomit.
I want Obama to win so badly I think my head is going to explode!
GOBAMA!

[bananasinmyears]

Oh and many happy returns.

[ladydriver]

Happy birthday, Pam. I hope you get what you want for your gift! I'll be doing my part to make it happen.

[vtmartha]

You describe my OO to a T!

[YB]

Me too! I'm a homeschooling mom in VA and my daughter's schooling (grade 3) has become very political. I didn't realize how much until we were visiting my parents last night and she made a remark about a campaign add on TV. My parents looked at me like "what did your 8 YO just say?!" I spend far too much time on this website. At the moment my daughter is doing a story map for a narrative she's writing so I'm not neglecting her too much. At least we're on task. LOL. Once she's done with that we're going to spend some time talking about the importance of voting. I've chosen not to vote early so I can be a part of the historical day tomorrow. We're packing up snacks, games, etc. tonight in preparation for the wait tomorrow. What am I going to do after November 5th?!?

[pshelleyg]

We too have it, but I'm so glad. it even led me and my wife to make some phone calls to the swing states at one of the Obama headquarters here in Oakland Yesterday, to try and encourage voters to vote early. Making the calls seemed a positive way to address the angst that we have over the election. We too contributed, sent our money in. Now, if he doesn't get elected, we can at least say that we didn't wallow in the overload. We acted because 4 years of McCain/Palin overload would be much too much to stand.

[dawnRSA]

I just sent a link to this page to the friend who introduced me to barack in nov last year, and (shriek) have FINALLY registered just to be able to post a comment on this story!! is this the last straw? do i have all the symptoms?

I clearly remember the day i emailed the same friend a few months ago after seeing Arianna on Larry King... all i said was 'Oh joy, I have discovered the Huffington Post website'.... she laughed conspiratorily. (is that a word?)

today though, my greatest concern is ..... withdrawal sympotoms....... what happens after all this? do we form support groups? OOA (Obama Overloaders Anonymous)

[ladydriver]

I'll join! I'm sure I'll need it!

[goosie29]

ME 2!