Day 5: The four-year-old demographic

John McCain didn't stand a chance with Grace.

Earlier this summer she asked me about the candidates. She had heard Craig and I talking about the election and wondered about this mythical figure, the President of the United States of America. I told her in four year old terms how we elect a person every four years to serve as president or "boss" of the country. Being four and obsessed with the number four, she liked the idea of a four year term. She also liked the idea of being a boss, a skill she she would like to master and lord over her sister.

These facts were all fine and good, but she wanted to know more about the individuals who serve as president. She didn't like that we hadn't elected a woman in our history. She also wasn't too keen about the fact that most presidents were decidedly older (at least to a four-year-old). This was the first sign John was in trouble with this demographic.

What sealed the deal for Grace, however, wasn't the candidate's policies, philosophy or party, but rather their families:

"Barack Obama has two daughters just like my daddy!"

And with that her vote was cast.  This morning, when we told her Obama had clinched the election, she wanted to see pictures.  I showed her one with Obama hugging his oldest daughter, Malia.  Grace then asked, "but where's the younger one, the one just like me?"  

Just wait until I tell her the Obama girls are getting a puppy.   Next thing you know, she will be asking Craig to run for office.