Congrats Obama!

[Misty_Morning]

I am proud of America.


Maybe now, the race card is folded and put away.




Maybe now...we can stop the other forms of hatred and discrimination.




And BTW, I didn't vote for him ( it was a long hard decision)...but he is now my president...and I shall follow him.


Rock on Barrack...Rock On America!

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I am proud of America.

Me too.

 

[AchtungNight]

Congratulations Barack. I knew you could do it.

Now remember to do a good job, okay? You've made a lot of crazy promises and you're the first black President. The race card ain't gonna go away until you do a great job- and then maybe not until your successor does one too. Sad but true. Be like Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, the first Hispanic to hold his office, who's doing great so far. Don't do a bad job, like say the first Hispanic US Attorney General. You've got our support. Good luck.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Maybe now, the race card is folded and put away.

Actually, I think the race card is what got him elected. It was played differently than normal, but I still think that is why he was so popular.

But I voted for him nonetheless and am happy to see that he won (even if I am not going to say anything of the sort in front of my die hard republican father).

Congratulations Barak, and the rest of the country,world, and what not.

 

[Safe_Bet]

I am proud of America.


Maybe now, the race card is folded and put away.




Maybe now...we can stop the other forms of hatred and discrimination.




And BTW, I didn't vote for him ( it was a long hard decision)...but he is now my president...and I shall follow him.


Rock on Barrack...Rock On America!

Don't be too proud. Queer is this year's black. The bigots and haters are just switching to a different target is all.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

MISTY

As soon as you pay your slave raparations, maybe we'll retire the race card. Show us the money.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Chicago is humming. Restaurants in Hyde Park were giving out free breakfasts this morning, and everywhere I went you could hear people talking about how they were openly weeping last night. They had around 200,000 people at Grant Park in what was truly like a messianic visitation. The grip this election has had on people's imagination just can't be overstated. I actually thought it was being played down, but it erupted in full force last night. People were phoning each other, "Are you going? Are you going?" Even if you didn't have tickets, Mayor Daley just invited everyone to come downtown and celebrate and they did. It was rapturous.

That's the thing. It's the symbolic import of his election that's moved people, a symbolic import that speaks to an entirely new vision for America, and some people just don't understand it. Some people hate it. But it's entirely separate from what kind of president he's going to be or what his tax policy is or his stand on abortion. He's a renewal of the American myth at a time when it badly needs renewing, and as such his election is already a huge victory not just for the nation but for the world.

The city of Chicago has been transformed overnight. It's the most amazing thing to see strangers smiling at each other like they've pulled something off, like they're part of something bigger than themselves now. You can only hope that this feeling spreads to the rest of the US in the weeks ahead.

--Zoot

 

[epiphany65]

Congratulations America! I know that roughly half of the electorate is disappointed, but I hope they support their new President. There are enough enemies of The US worldwide and I hope that everyone concentrates on them rather than in-fighting. These are tough times and Obama will need the support of all -- for the good of the country.

 

[jomar]

...

That's the thing. It's the symbolic import of his election that's moved people, a symbolic import that speaks to an entirely new vision for America, ...

He's a renewal of the American myth at a time when it badly needs renewing, and as such his election is already a huge victory not just for the nation but for the world.

--Zoot

Yep. That's what I told my daughter last night. She's doing a semester abroad and sees that Europeans have a love-hate relationship with the US, not to mention they think we're nuts.

People around the world quit holding their breath last night.

 

[3113]

Actually, I think the race card is what got him elected. It was played differently than normal, but I still think that is why he was so popular.

Um. No. Honestly, Thee, there are many black politicians that could have run (have run) and likely wanted to run and they would NOT have won. They would not have won because their background wasn't squeaky clean, or because they were too much like preachers in church, or too similar to McCain, in which case people likely would have voted for the white man.

I mean yes, of course there were those who voted for Obama only because he was black. But that kind of popularity isn't connected to a skin color. This isn't a matter of people saying, "Black is cool looking and I want black," as if the choice was between two iPods. No. What made him popular is that "it" factor that he has. He has "it." I don't know if you can't hear it, but I can, every time he speaks. McCain doesn't have it. McCain made a nice speech last night. He's fine. But he doesn't excite; he doesn't make you want to work for him, gratis and late into the night. He doesn't make you feel proud and ready to bust into tears of joy because he won.

Feeling THAT, making people feel THAT has nothing to do with color. It has to do with an ability to hit the right note. Like the right music which moves and excites those who listen to it. Obama can say something that's been said before, yet make it new and fresh and sparkling. He has that magic. It's no one thing, its a combination. His voice, his youth, the way he sits, stands, moves, the feeling he gives that he's inclusive, and welcoming of everyone. And his good looks.

I'm not going to say his color had nothing to do with how people voted--one way or the other as, after all, he was unpopular with many only because of his skin color. But I do not for one minute believe that his skin color translated to his enormous popularity. It got people's attention, but it was the least of many factors that won him this presidency.

 

[fieryjen]

Very well said, 3.

Now America just needs to remember that this election didn't magically heal their foreign relations. It's just a start to re-gain the respect of the other nations.

 

[shereads]

Chicago is humming. Restaurants in Hyde Park were giving out free breakfasts this morning, and everywhere I went you could hear people talking about how they were openly weeping last night. They had around 200,000 people at Grant Park in what was truly like a messianic visitation. The grip this election has had on people's imagination just can't be overstated. I actually thought it was being played down, but it erupted in full force last night. People were phoning each other, "Are you going? Are you going?" Even if you didn't have tickets, Mayor Daley just invited everyone to come downtown and celebrate and they did. It was rapturous.

That's the thing. It's the symbolic import of his election that's moved people, a symbolic import that speaks to an entirely new vision for America, and some people just don't understand it. Some people hate it. But it's entirely separate from what kind of president he's going to be or what his tax policy is or his stand on abortion. He's a renewal of the American myth at a time when it badly needs renewing, and as such his election is already a huge victory not just for the nation but for the world.

The city of Chicago has been transformed overnight. It's the most amazing thing to see strangers smiling at each other like they've pulled something off, like they're part of something bigger than themselves now. You can only hope that this feeling spreads to the rest of the US in the weeks ahead.

--Zoot

It has spread. Not everywhere, not to the people who don't want to understand the positive implications of this and might never understand - but to so many people.

And this time, the youth vote really did make itself heard. They did not, as Jon Stewart warned on election eve, stay home and play Super Mario Brothers. They voted. They mattered.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

EPIPHANY

Naaah. Half of America isnt disappointed McCain lost. Obama's election is necessary medicine to correct a few things.

For one, it gags the blacks. America is now over the race-card theatrics. One of the bruthas is now THE MAN. It frees them to do something different besides bellow and loot.

Two, the Republican leadership now has to make amends with its conservative wing. The party cannot hold national power without us. The party cannot sneak off and climb in bed with moderates without paying a price.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

On the other hand, I think maybe his color did have something to do with it. His color had something to do with it just like color has something to do with soul in music, with authenticity and the ability to speak across all classes and for all people. I don't know if any white politician could have pulled that off.

The Four Seasons made great music, but the Four seasons would never be the Temptations or the Miracles or the Four Tops. This is the first president with Soul.

 

[sr71plt]

And this time, the youth vote really did make itself heard. They did not, as Jon Stewart warned on election eve, stay home and play Super Mario Brothers. They voted. They mattered.

The youth vote? I don't understand. JBJ assured us the youths were staying home; wouldn't vote at all.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

The kids didnt vote here, and from what polling data I've seen they didnt improve their turnout significantly over past elections. Ditto for the blacks (but 1/3 are felons).

Jeez, Clinton never broke 50%. Even McCain did as well as Kerry.

Hell, I voted a straight Democrat ticket and I think Hitler was a flaming queer socialist.

Obama got elected to be rid of the moderate Republicans. In 4 years Obama will be another Jimmy Carter has-been.

 

[jomar]

On the other hand, I think maybe his color did have something to do with it. His color had something to do with it just like color has something to do with soul in music, with authenticity and the ability to speak across all classes and for all people. I don't know if any white politician could have pulled that off.

The Four Seasons made great music, but the Four seasons would never be the Temptations or the Miracles or the Four Tops. This is the first president with Soul.

But...Clinton was the first black president.

 

[cloudy]

Um. No. Honestly, Thee, there are many black politicians that could have run (have run) and likely wanted to run and they would NOT have won. They would not have won because their background wasn't squeaky clean, or because they were too much like preachers in church, or too similar to McCain, in which case people likely would have voted for the white man.

I mean yes, of course there were those who voted for Obama only because he was black. But that kind of popularity isn't connected to a skin color. This isn't a matter of people saying, "Black is cool looking and I want black," as if the choice was between two iPods. No. What made him popular is that "it" factor that he has. He has "it." I don't know if you can't hear it, but I can, every time he speaks. McCain doesn't have it. McCain made a nice speech last night. He's fine. But he doesn't excite; he doesn't make you want to work for him, gratis and late into the night. He doesn't make you feel proud and ready to bust into tears of joy because he won.

Feeling THAT, making people feel THAT has nothing to do with color. It has to do with an ability to hit the right note. Like the right music which moves and excites those who listen to it. Obama can say something that's been said before, yet make it new and fresh and sparkling. He has that magic. It's no one thing, its a combination. His voice, his youth, the way he sits, stands, moves, the feeling he gives that he's inclusive, and welcoming of everyone. And his good looks.

I'm not going to say his color had nothing to do with how people voted--one way or the other as, after all, he was unpopular with many only because of his skin color. But I do not for one minute believe that his skin color translated to his enormous popularity. It got people's attention, but it was the least of many factors that won him this presidency.

Very well said. I'm still a little close to weepy. This is just so huge for me, and it's hard to explain why.

I think Maya Angelou said it best this morning: "This is just so overwhelming. My country has grown up."

 

[3113]

I think Maya Angelou said it best this morning: "This is just so overwhelming. My country has grown up."

Not to undermine Maya there, but given the passage of Prop 8 and others, I'd say that we just grew up out of elementry school and into jr. high. We've still a ways to go before we're adults.

 

[sr71plt]

Not to undermine Maya there, but given the passage of Prop 8 and others, I'd say that we just grew up out of elementry school and into jr. high. We've still a ways to go before we're adults.

Agree. And unfortunately national politics is not exactly that sort of maturation process. We still have to worry about what the lunatic fringe might do--and that's an inevitable part of the American persona too.

 

[JackLuis]

What I find interesting...

What I find interesting is that Obama isn't culturally BLACK.

True he is a true African-American, but raised by a white family and doesn't use ebonics.

I doubt Jessie Jackson woud have beat McSame. He doesn't have Obama's smooth delivery or non-agressive style.

I hope he does something about the economy and instructs his Atty. General to go after Bush/Cheney for teasonious crimes against the American people.

But I think he is going to turn out to be another machine Democrat.
<sigh>

 

[sr71plt]

What I find interesting is that Obama isn't culturally BLACK.

True he is a true African-American, but raised by a white family and doesn't use ebonics.

I doubt Jessie Jackson woud have beat McSame. He doesn't have Obama's smooth delivery or non-agressive style.

I hope he does something about the economy and instructs his Atty. General to go after Bush/Cheney for teasonious crimes against the American people.

But I think he is going to turn out to be another machine Democrat.
<sigh>

I wouldn't look for him going after Bush/Cheney in any legal way. That hasn't been part of his program to now, as far as I can see. (Maybe I'm wrong and have just missed it.) If it hasn't been part of his platform before now, I don't see it coming up later. It also flies in his "get on with forging a new future" mystique. And therefore, I don't see him just settling in to party machine comfort either. I think he'll delver an ambitious program and challenge Congress to either innact it or publicly reject it (and thus shoulder the responsibility for not doing it).

One possible glitch for him, though, is that I'm not sure that folks have focused on his "move the troops from Iraq to Afghanistan" stance. I think they just expect him to bring them all home--and that they haven't been listening to what he's been saying on that.

If it weren't for that, I'd expect him to pull the troops home and then say, since you've been paying $10 billion a month on this rat hole, we can surely continue spending $10 billion on recovering infrastructure and beefing up health care. Then at least we'd have something tangible to show for the expense.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I doubt Jessie Jackson woud have beat McSame. He doesn't have Obama's smooth delivery or non-agressive style.

Hell, who does? That kind of class doesn't grow on trees.

 

[slyc_willie]

One possible glitch for him, though, is that I'm not sure that folks have focused on his "move the troops from Iraq to Afghanistan" stance. I think they just expect him to bring them all home--and that they haven't been listening to what he's been saying on that.

I've been wondering about that, too. Had a guest at the restaurant the day after the election make the comment that she "can't wait until the boys come home," meaning her two sons in Iraq. There's no guarantee that either of them are coming home any time soon, and if they do leave Iraq, they stand a good chance of heading to Afghanistan.

On a related note, one of my co-workers is a Marine captain currently in Afghanistan. The last I heard from him (about a month ago), he said he was looking at another six months over there. It's going to be a long time before current tension in the Middle East even begin to relax.

 

[slyc_willie]

Hell, who does? That kind of class doesn't grow on trees.

No, the man definitely has charisma. It'll be nice to have a president who booth sounds and is intelligent. Maybe now when I travel to Europe, people will stop asking me where my cowboy boots are.

Obama won't be the magic pill a lot of people in this country want, but at the very least, he's offering a cool glass of water. To paraphrase Harrison Ford from the Late Show after Air Force One was released, Obama is the "kick-ass president."