As a scientist, I don't hold much regard for anecdotal evidence, but my small, unscientific sampling of the undecided voters in my life has made me very happy so I'll go with it this time!

Over the past 3 days, I have had conversations with four previously undecided friends and family members, and each has come around to the decision to vote for Obama over McCain.  Note that I generally follow my own advice and try not to discuss politics with anyone I wish to remain friendly with or related to, especially when their views diverge from mine.  In these cases, I'd made the pitch for Obama  in varying degrees of intensity over the past few months, but really, all of these folks have come around in the last week or so with little recent input from me, which makes it even better.  So, here are the results of my survey:

1.  My 86 year old Aunt was a Hillary supporter, but was seriously considering McCain, based primarily on Obama's lack of experience.  I have avoided all political discussion with Aunt because she and I tend to be brutally honest with each other and often end up rather cranky when we disagree.  This is exacerbated by the fact that  she has openly stated that Dammit, she is 86 (85, 84, 83, 82, 80) years old now and can speak her mind at will.  So I hesitantly asked her how she felt about the election, and she surprised me by saying that she just couldn't vote for McCain with Sarah Palin on the ticket. She knows how fragile the 72 yr old's health may be, and she is happy with Biden on Obama's ticket and she will be voting for them.   One FLORIDA undecided vote to Obama.

2.  A colleague/friend who is a registered Republican who was with McCain all the way called me Sunday from her current temporary home in Sweden to tell me that she'd just heard that Colin Powell was endorsing Obama, so she'd be voting for Obama too.  THIS was exciting and unexpected!  She is the one of the four I'd discussed the election choices with most vehemently, and while nothing I'd said swayed her, Colin Powell did!  A second FLORIDA undecided vote for Obama!

3. Yesterday an old friend called from California just to catch up (and for advice on her recent life epiphany).  Suz had been leaning McCain for reasons that totally escaped me ... she is the most free-spirited, ecologist-type  I know, and she'd never fully explained her McCain support.  She was still "undecided" when we talked, but after going through the pros and cons, and deciding we really need a BIG change, she came in for Obama, and promised me her vote. (She is in California, so I am not too worried if she flips back).

4. An even older male friend called from Massachusetts, and he has decided to vote for Obama as the lesser of all the evils.  Dan and I go back 34 years, and we've had some shouting matches in our day over politics, and indeed he even shouted his reluctant support for Obama at me ("I am a TRULY independent voter and will make the best choice for the country regardless of party affiliation, unlike YOU ... yada yada"). He said in a 3 way race, he'd have voted for Hillary (SHOCKER, he hated Bill). He also told me he had considered Nader, until he saw a televised interview (no details on who, when, or where) in which Nader was "shit-faced" (drunk) to the point that even the interviewer had asked him if he'd stopped by the martini bar before the interview.  Salacious gossip, I know, and I haven't bothered to corroborate it, I just think it's funny.  Dan has owned a bar for 30 years so he knows "shit-faced".

So there you have it.  Three women and one man who'd seriously considered voting for McCain are choosing Obama for various reasons, and it gives me all kinds of hope for the future - not just in regards to who gets elected - but in people in general - where all manner of folks seem to be striving for, and making choices towards,  hope and improvement in the USA.

And that makes me feel better.