Most years, a reporter who stands outside a polling place to interview voters will get a fair share of people who don't want to talk, don't want to give their name, just want to slip quietly away.
Not this year. Voters yesterday wanted to talk, needed to tell the world how strongly they felt, were perfectly willing to give their names.
They felt strongly about a lot of things. Almost all of them had to do with Barack Obama.
They liked what he said about helping people get a college education. They liked what he said about the U.S.'s role in the world.
They liked him. They liked the hope he talked about.
They liked that he wasn't George Bush. They liked that his running mate wasn't Sarah Palin.
There were so many factors in what made them feel strongly it was hard for most people to articulate exactly what it was that had them jazzed about this election. Their willingness to talk - their need to talk - said it all.
- Terri Hallenbeck
