The records on the right get cynical
The records to the left get political
"B Side Wins Again," Public Enemy

I've been listening to a lot of Public Enemy these days. The election fuels a lot of that sort of thing, as there's nothing like intelligently-channeled rage to get the blood flowing.

I'm interested in the election, but I can't stand it anymore. I don't watch a lot of network TV, so I've been spared most of the ads. Nonetheless, the inane level of discourse is turning my stomach. I can't wait for the next 16 days to fly by.

But the election isn't the whole story. Lately, times have been feeling a lot like 1991. Or 1992. The end of my college days, when I roamed the streets of Columbia, Mo., blasting Public Enemy or Guns N' Roses or Ice T or Anthrax out of my car. Days when I considered Guinness Extra Stout the height of the brewer's art. Nights spent spinning the latest in weird music at the college radio station. And when Missouri fell behind 35-0 at Texas last night? The nostalgia rushed over me in waves.

Good times, man.

Not that I want to relive college. Unlike a lot of people, I like where I am. I always have--at least since I got out of high school. Even that year spent in godforsaken Battle Creek, Mich., had its high points. My introduction to the beers of Bell's comes to mind. I think almost anyone who likes beer would gladly give up a year of their lives for such a revelation.

At times like this, though, I do hearken back to my favorite job. I got paid $500 a month to work 80-100 hours a week for the Clinton campaign in Kansas City. I made a total $1000 for my work during that campaign, but I had a blast. I got to talk to all sorts of people, meet just about every famous Democrat that happened through K.C. in the fall of 1992 (a surprisingly high number) and even spend a night with my feet up on the roof of the visitors dugout at (then) Royals Stadium.

And I remember that campaign. It was nowhere near as nasty as this one, though there were the requisite bimbo eruptions (Gennifer Flowers's Penthouse spread came out in October; the office bought a few for "research") and such. The Bush campaign wasn't so much genteel as somnolent. The Clinton campaign was energetic and a little overeager. Indeed, it's safe to say that most of the unpleasantness in that campaign came from "our" side.

There was hope then. Never mind the health care debacle that emasculated the Clinton administration even before it took office. I still remember how good I felt on election night and at the inaugural two-and-a-half months later. There was a giddiness in the air despite the dreadful recession we were in at the time.

As the days left before election day dwindle, I'm feeling more and more hopeful this time around as well. The election of Barack Obama won't erase centuries of slavery, segregation and bigotry. In fact, it might even encourage a few small-minded people to tread even further down the paths of ignorance and fear. But it will be historic, and I like being a witness to history.

My sons will be skipping school on January 20 to attend the swearing in of our new president. This would be true even if John McCain somehow manages to win, but that's just not bloody likely. As Max likes to put it, we will see the first "brown" president take office. And we'll hear what he has to say. And unless global warming picks up the pace, we'll be sipping hot chocolate all the while.

One of the most striking memories I have from college is the image of a gang of frat boys all decked out in pink polo shirts chanting "Fight the Power" as Chuck D.'s shouted out the rhymes for the theme song to Do the Right Thing. It was surreal. Maybe stuff like that is why hip-hop turned from the political to the macho and became a whole lot less interesting. Maybe that was some sort of foreshadowing of the "Republican revolution" of 1994. Or maybe it was just a bunch of drunk frat guys acting like assholes.

Could be all three, come to think about it.

But no matter. I've got hope flowing through my veins, and it feels good. Sixteen days is what we have left. And then maybe we can spend a bit more time looking forward than looking back.

Jon Worley has associated with a fair number of terrorists.