I am a second year law student. I’m a pretty good student with an interesting background, including having worked on a Senate campaign and gone to a fairly prestigious undergrad. Like all second year law students, I am searching for a job. But one thing I have to keep in mind are the type of people who go to law school, and eventually become lawyers. Overwhelmingly, lawyers tend to vote Democrat. But my resume is very clearly partisan; most of what I’ve done since becoming an adult has been political in some nature.

I am on a Republican island in a sea of Democrats at the law school. Between the liberal professors and the liberal student body, I spend my day either defending my views or running into situations that can depress any Republican. Signs are everywhere asking me if I want to help elect Obama, or if I want to protest Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, or if I want to join the Law School Democrats. That’s fine, they have a right to free speech.

But the amount of activism at the law school has even surprised me. I even face it when I go to change my books in our lockers (yes, we have lockers in law school – it’s like high school for adults). Too many of the lockers have bumper stickers for Obama, or Kerry/Edwards or Dean or even going back to Gore/Lieberman. Just a few have McCain insignia on their lockers. Like I said, an island in a sea.

Walking outside of the school, just to get lunch at Wendy’s, I’m bombarded by folks who ask me if I want to register to vote for Obama. Really. I know I am in a college atmosphere here, but it’s starting to drive me batty.

I’m reminded of the old joke about the Manhattan socialite who, in 1972, was shocked that Nixon had won, because “everyone I know voted for McGovern.” But let me tell you, this is still minimal comfort when it is true. It’s hard to see the forest for the trees.

Politics have always been my personal love and hobby. I love following elections and analyzing polls, data, and policy issues. It’s fascinating to me. But this election – especially the over-the-top Obama “support” (I see it as more of a cult of personality) – is testing my patience. I can’t understand how people I know to be so smart could be so stupid in supporting a charlatan like Obama. I don’t understand how it is even possible 49% of the people in this country could support him. I fail to see the appeal, and I am one of the few in my age group who has not caught the Obama bug.

What am I missing? What is so appealing about him? What is this “change” of which they speak and fall all over themselves?

What must I do to stop worrying and love Obama?