The Sadness of November '04

John Kerry and Julia Thorn 1982

The sadness of November '04 that swept over our country after we realized that Bush won again was overwhelming. Horrible. I will always remember Aida's school principle showing me her crossed fingers the next morning and telling her that NPR just announced Kerry was going to concede at 10 our time. (Roxy, I don't know if you are reading this, but you are actually the one who gave me the bad news.) Watching her eyes tear up. I will always remember watching Kerry's concession speech at work and then later again that night at Lydia's house.

Life has gone on and most of us have passed through the five stages of grief. As obsessed as I am with politics and getting rid of Bush the sadness is pretty much gone.

However, every once in a while something will bring it back. About a month ago Al Franken was interviewing Kerry. It was an upbeat interview, but as he finished it up Franken said thank you and then, "I wish you were our President" "Me too" Kerry replied. Boom! a wave of sadness swept over me. I felt my eyes get a little wet.

I just saw on CNN.com that Kerry's first wife Julia Thorn passed away yesterday. His statement was so elegant and beautiful. I felt sad for their daughters, and the rest of their family, I felt sad for our country, but selfishly I mostly just felt sad for me and the President I should have.

"Julia was the best mother two daughters could ask for," Kerry said in a statement released by his office. "She always put our kids ahead of everything. She was completely committed to them and their future. Julia fought a hugely courageous fight against cancer and she passed away with the same grace with which she lived. Everyone who knew her will miss her beyond words."