I'm about to log out for the night, but I wanted to say something:

[MineralMan]

In 1960, i was a 15-year-old high school sophomore. JFK was running for President and I was very excited about that. I volunteered with the local Democratic Party to do whatever they wanted me to do to help. It was my first foray into politics. At one point that year, I found myself sitting down next to a local state legislative representative and we had a conversation. He was about 40 years old, so he was older than my father.

He could tell that i was very excited about being involved and that I was very tightly wound up about JFK and the upcoming election. I will never forget something he said to me. I'm paraphrasing, but I have a very good memory, so this is very close. He said,

"It's really good that you're excited about this election and about Kennedy. He might win the election, but he also might not. Here's the thing: Don't put 100% of yourself into a particular candidate for office. That sets you up for being devastated if he doesn't win. Think about this: Instead of tying yourself totally to one candidate, think about what will be best for the country, the state, your home town, and your family. Don't just vote for a name. Vote for general principles. Anyone can lose an election. Always be looking for people to vote for who are likely to move things in the direction you think they should be going. That's more important. You'll never be completely satisfied with any politician, but you will always be OK if the person you vote for is heading along the better path."

I'll never forget that conversation, 60 years ago. I can't remember that state legislator's name, but I remember his words. Once again this year, it comes to mind just now. General principles and direction. We can get that, but we can't always get exactly the person we like best.

[cry baby]

1. Rec

[mahina]

2. This is such a great post.

Imua! (Onward, roughly)

[Joinfortmill]

3. Loved that. Thank you

[radical noodle]

4. Wise words

Thank you!

[efhmc]

5. We do not have any idea how what we say might impact a young person.

So take the time to spread your good wisdom carefully to others.

[tnlurker]

6. Good post

nt

[DownriverDem]

7. So true

What a great memory.

[dhill926]

8. excellent advice....

[FifthColumn]

9. Busing

The advice I got about voting was, "It's like taking the bus. You can't always go directly to where you want, so you pick the one that goes closest."

[TommyCelt]

42. Wow...

A quite progressive friend of mine gave me EXACTLY that same bus analogy, not 2 weeks ago. Eerily similar to the OP, she prefaced it with "Don't fall in love with your candidate."

It IS good advice. Particularly when the proverbial house is burning down.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

10. Great story and wise words. Thanks 🙏🏾

[Dem2theMax]

11. As someone up-thread said, wise words.

Thank you for sharing.

[Vivienne235729]

12. Never truer words. ❤

[grantcart]

13. Yep

Similar experience

Only time after McGovern massacre I let myself go was Obama.

[Hekate]

14. Great post

Here's to the future.

[MustLoveBeagles]

15. K&R

Thanks for sharing

[MaryMagdaline]

16. K&R

[2naSalit]

17. When I was young...

though my dad was in the military, both my families came from political tribes. At a fancy political gathering around that time, I was a little younger than you, I heard someone say something quite similar and it was restated by my graduate advisor many years later. It's the sense I try to employ in many of my decisions when it comes to politics and policy.

Wise words indeed.

[Wounded Bear]

18. Wise words, and we just lived through it...

2008 we elected Barack Obama.

2016 people stayed home because 'there wan't anybody as good as Obama' on the ticket. We got Trump.

It takes a long term committment to good principles, not fad populism to one guy.

[hibbing]

19. Nice n/t

[Karadeniz]

20. Thanks for sharing this wisdom!❤

[yaesu]

21. We need another FDR & Bernie is as close to FDR has we have ever been. nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. ....

[Stonepounder]

32. Right On!

What I think is the right direction for the country and what you think is the right direction may be very different. But if we all vote for what we think is the right direction, then with just a little luck the candidate(s) who most closely seem to be trying for the direction that the most voters is right for the country are the ones that get elected.

[Mazeltov Cocktail]

22. Vote for the damn dogcatcher...

I had a guy who worked for me who listened to that pos while we worked, he was a nice guy, widowed cancer survivor, steady, hard worker, I loved the guy.
Except for the Limbaugh thing...he made the same points you are making...

[abakan]

23. vote blue

period

[gldstwmn]

24. As long as it isn't Bernie right?

[alfredo]

25. A tip of the hat to you

[wendyb-NC]

26. Great story, his words are timeless.

Thank you, for sharing your experience and now your wisdom.

[bdamomma]

28. loved your post

very wise comments.

thanks MineralMan

[William769]

29. Great post.

[Dem2]

30. Well said

good advice

[KPN]

31. That's why I support Warren and Sanders ... what is best for the country and heading along the

better path.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

34. That's your opinion, but it clearly isn't everyone's. The real point, though,

is that you shouldn't get so emotionally attached to any politician or candidate that you can't make a reasonable judgment about whether that person is the best for the country. Too many people seem to have an almost cultic devotion to their favorite candidate, and that will always lead to disappointment eventually - even if that person wins.

[KPN]

35. The primary isn't over. I'm not making any assumptions and I don't think you or anyone else

should, including about someone's emotional attachment and ability to make a reasonable judgement. And please don't lecture me about what is "a reasonable judgement". It is, in fact, my opinion as you say. And my opinion and judgement are every bit as legitimate as yours.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

36. I didn't say your opinion was irrational or illegitimate. I was only referring to the OP,

which makes the point that becoming too attached to a particular candidate will lead to disappointment. Your opinion is your opinion and I was not suggesting that you had arrived at it irrationally.

[c-rational]

33. Wise words and good advice. Thanks for this post.

[PatrickforO]

37. Thoughtful post. Thank you.

That local state legislator was right.

I'm not all that excited about Biden, but I loathe Trump. We've got to get him out of office, and Biden will at least begin moving us in the right direction.

I'm still rooting for Warren - liked her from day 1. But she has little chance now.

And I think Bernie is heading for defeat. While I like his platform lots better than Biden's, we cannot allow this to divide us. Bernie could still win, but if Biden is the one who does let's all get behind him.

[calimary]

38. Very wise words, MineralMan!

A wonderful read! Thanks so much!

[BlueMTexpat]

39. We must be

around the same age.

The advice may be good, but I've never been able to follow it.

I remember JFK vividly. I saw him in person when he visited MT in September 1963. I'll never forget how the sun burnished his hair as he spoke in Great Falls before a packed crowd. Yes, a packed crowd! And in north-central Montana to boot!

Two months later, he was murdered. That was the first time that my heart literally broke.

Fifteen years later, his brother Bobby was murdered. That was the second time that my heart broke.

I met Ted Kennedy in person. He would have made a good President. The fact that he didn't ever become the Dem nominee is likely what allowed him to live as long as he did, I am very sorry to say, The US has always seemed to have a viciously violent streak towards Democrats, save for Lincoln.

I pieced my heart together again and voted blue every single time. I didn't lead with my heart again until 2016.

In Nov 2016, that political heart was smashed to smithereens. I am STILL trying to find all the pieces.

This year, I am STILL leading with that heart, although it's never been what it used to be. I'll KEEP ON leading with that heart until my candidate is no longer in the race.

It is likely to be smashed to smithereens yet again. This time, it may not ever quite recover.

But I'll still vote blue.

And I will NEVER learn NOT to lead with and follow my heart because I will always stand up for what and whom I believe in.

[Ingersollman]

40. Great

post. We need to heed those words of wisdom.

[randr]

41. Thanks MineralMan

Somewhere along the way I came to think of our elected reps as "temp help". We select them to carry out our agenda and limit the time they have so we can re-evaluate their performance.

[MineralMan]

43. Thanks for all the K&Rs and replies while I slept.

Love you all!

[nilesobek]

44. Is politics like professional sports "fandom?"

We support our candidates by donating campaign funds. We buy the swag in the form of buttons, bumper stickers and yard signs. So there is a financial investment.

Being a Seahawk fan for 43 years, I can see how that financial investment, however small, can help bolster the emotional investment into candidates. We love our team! We still KNOW we are the best, and so on.

That's what we're dealing with concerning the Bernie Bros. Remember all those small donations? Somehow they meant more because of the sacrifice ratio?

People have to grow. I had to come in here in 2015-2016 and congratulate those New England fans on DU for their victory over my Seahawks.

That was some bad tasting crow and I'm about to taste it again.

Sincere congratulations to Joe Biden, (he is a GOOD man), to the Biden team and their supporters on DU.

Now that wasn't so hard.

[MineralMan]

45. It sort of is, but politics matter more to people's lives than professional sports.

During primary season, we have many choices. We should vote for our favorite candidate. I guess my point is that the choice we prefer may not win, but the other candidates are all moving in a good general direction, compared to the other party's alternative. If our favorite loses, we still need to vote in the General election for the candidate who is heading the right way. If we don't, we get the other party's candidate, and that's usually not what we are looking for.

[SWBTATTReg]

46. How lucky you were / are to have such advice, so early in life!! NT

[LymphocyteLover]

47. perfect advice