Final stretch

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

As we were finishing up this paper, I let out an exasperated sigh. “Man, I’m ready for the election to be over,” I said.

Everyone in the newsroom muttered, “Yeah, me too.”

Even News Editor Dennis Myers agreed. “I usually find campaigns exciting—so many good stories—but this year, I just want it to be over.”

“There are so many other stories we could be covering,” said Associate Editor Jeri Chadwell. “It’s especially hard to focus on the election right now in light of all the horrible things that happened around the country last week.” She referred to the terrible, hateful massacre in Pittsburgh and the attempted mail bombs sent to “liberal” media outlets and Democratic Party figures.

So, we get it. You probably took a look at this week’s cover and said to yourself, “Don’t tell me what to do, you hippies! And besides, I already early voted last week, like every civilized person does in 2018, so you hippies are a little late.” (Not sure why you felt the need to call us hippies twice, but whatever.)

We compiled some quotes about voting in this week’s editorial (see page 3). One from Marshall McLuhan: “American youth attributes much more importance to arriving at driver’s license age than at voting age.”

At this office, we’re exceptions that prove that aphorism. I didn’t get my license until I was in my 20s, but I was writing columns for my high school newspaper before turning 18. I wrote a presidential endorsement in 1996 that convinced my dad to cast his vote on my behalf. (I’m not going to tell you who it endorsed.)

But the point is this: If we nerds are sick of the election, I’m sure the rest of y’all are too. But don’t worry. We’re in the final stretch. There’s only one thing left to do. And that’s vote.

(OK, fine, it was Ralph Nader.)