Christie Keith

"I believe, I believe. It's stupid but I believe."

That quote from "Miracle on 34th Street" has been going through my head since I realized last month that I want a black president, and if I can't have that, I want a black presidential candidate. I want it like I want air and water. I want to see people who have never voted get involved in the electoral process. I want to see people who feel disenfranchised -- black Americans, young Americans, mixed race Americans like my nephew, the children of immigrants -- see one of their own holding center stage every night on CNN. I want it so bad it hurts.

Maybe it's not that stupid. Maybe it's the only thing that can accomplish anything.

I started my blog during Howard Dean's presidential campaign. At the time I felt like the new kid on the block as a blogger. Today, I earn part of my income blogging. I spend a great deal of my leisure time blogging, too. I'm certainly not an A-list political blogger, except in the small area where pet blogging and politics overlap -- legislation, pet food recall, no kill.

Okay, maybe that's not as small an area as I thought.

But when it comes to national electoral politics, I'm just another voter with a blog. And one who is suddenly incredibly excited and energized about this election.

I want to believe that things can really change, for the better. That the age of inspirational leaders of great character and vision isn't over for all eternity. That a black person can be president, and that might heal the great aching bleeding wound of racism that's destroying this country.

And I want my beliefs not to be proven misplaced. I want them to turn out to be true.

"I believe, I believe. It's stupid but I believe."