I haven't always been political, and definitely wasn't partisan for most of my life. Something about invading a country that had nothing to do with the one that attacked my city, running up a massive debt while paying for that bogus war, being called unamerican and traitorous because I dared to question it, etc.
I have also been appalled by the naked racism that has emerged from the opposition...this is not to say that everyone who voted against Obama did so out of bigotry--there is lots to disagree with that has nothing to do with race. BUT I was disgusted by the birther crap and all the other blatant dogwhistles which became acceptable behavior. Disagreeing is fine and a great American tradition. Calling Obama (who is actually further to the right of Nixon and would have been classified as a moderate Republican back when I started voting)a clown, a socialist, a Kenyan, a secret Muslim, etc etc etc was shameful. I was embarrassed to see how much public disrespect the Republicans gave him. Apparently they were shocked to discover that the disdain they felt was not universal
