Last night I watched the election results along with millions of others. When Pennsylvania and then Ohio went for Obama, I felt this was looking good. Little by little, the results moved across the United States and the numbers began to add up. Finally it was clear that when the polls closed on the West Coast, Obama would be our next president.
When California, Oregon and Washington came in, I cried. I didn't expect to do that. But I felt an overwhelming rush of pride in this nation in which I was born and where I grew up, raised my own family and always believed was special. The people had voted, and it was overwhelmingly to move in a new direction.
I listened to the commentators talk about what it meant. Some of them still didn't get it. Chris Matthews asked why would Obama have run a 50 state strategy? Why contest all 50 states when he wasn't going to win some of those states? There was an answer to that question and it came when Obama gave his speech.
But first another speech had to be given and it was from John McCain who showed graciousness and generosity of spirit as he told his followers to support this new president. McCain has been like two men all the way through this election. Last night, the good John McCain, the one a lot of us wanted for president in 2000, that man showed up to tell us he is still there. I felt warmth for him, but seeing the anger on the faces of his supporters told me a lot of them didn't feel that same thing.
Tom DeLay was evidence of more of that negative thinking. Nancy Pelosi will run the country, he told MSNBC with his usual nasty way of talking. The crowd listening to McCain would have been more ready for that kind of talk then what McCain said. They were mad that Obama won.
Will people like that really come together to support Obama for the good of the country? Will the Right engage in more of the negative, self-defeating tactics they used against Bill Clinton and whose distraction led to the inability (of Congress and President) to deal with the rising al Qaeda and bin Laden? Already there is a group out there, online, who have a petition up to impeach Obama before he even gets in office. Never underestimate the willingness of some to cut off their own noses out of spite.
Finally last night, Obama and his family came onto the platform in Chicago, and he gave his first speech as president-elect. He was somber, happy but made clear the work has just begun for him and the country. He took seriously what he has before him even in that moment of victory because as he said, it was never about just winning. It was always about being able to fix the problems in this country.
Obama gave the answer to why it was a 50-state strategy. It was to be the president of all the people. He wants to work for those who voted against him and those who voted for and supported him. He does not see one part of the country as the only thing that matters. He doesn't see us as red and blue but as the United States. He said he will tell us the truth about things and will work to make us all strong again. I believe him and I cried again.
We all won last night. Some of us just don't know it yet.
16 comments:
Rain I think that people like Tom DeLay will do everything that they can to undermine Barack Obama. There is a lot of hate and animosity in the country right now.
Yes, for all our joy and excitement over Obama's win last night, there are big numbers of those who feel nothing but hate and anger and it's sad and it's scary. I hope and I believe that Obama can bring us together, but he has a long and maybe dangerous road ahead. I, too, cried tears of joy and excitement, but there's a lot of work to be done.
It is incremental, but the Tom DeLays are beginning to lose their power. Look what happened to Elizabeth Dole after her shameful political ad. There is hope that the country is sick of the Karl Rove's of the world.
I've been waiting to read what you would say this morning, rain, because I knew it would echo what I feel about last night. We cried watching Obama's victory speech. His poetic eloquence is so stirring, and his vision for the country is so deeply moving. For the first time in my life I feel like I really have a President who represents the people. All of us. It is a changed world today.
Yes, I cried too last night as the results came in and hope was beginning to become a reality. I cried too because I remembered how I felt as a teenager back in Ireland when JFK was elected, because I remembered Martin Luther King's " I have a Dream" speech; I felt that the dream had come true, and I cried to see Jesse Jackson crying and know some of what he must be feeling after all these years.
And then I cried some more listening to Obama's speech and I feel that change is here, it won't be easy but it can be done if everyone works together for it.
And I felt more emotion than I imagined I would when I heard John McCain's speech, he impressed me, and showed me something of his integrity, and humanity, and the experience of his life, and that was not something I had seen before.
A great day.
I hope you didn't think that all the ugliness was going to go away. I know you're not that naive. Limbaugh and company will start their crap today and keep it going interminably. That's what they do. The only way they'll stop is if it stops paying so well and the haters of the world stop listening.
I stand by what I said at my blog: it's time for us to come together and get to work to help our new president with the gargantuan task we facing in fixing this country.
Yes, he will make some mistakes and yes, I will kvetch when he does but the bottom line is he is our president and we as Americans need to give him our support.
I watched every minute of this historic night Rain. I watched, as you did, as every state went to Obama or McCain and saw early on that Barack was clearly going to be our next President...something I had long hoped for, but really felt from the beginning of his journey, would happen. A man of inspiration, hope and honor...it was his time. It was his place. It was truly meant to be. I know there are a lot of people who don't like to think of it that way, but I have felt that way about him from the beginning; and the more I heard him speak....the more I knew it was true.
The WORLD is celebrating today...literally. AMEN!
Good recap of election night. Hope has received a rejuvenation and now we can settle down for the hard work ahead. Meanwhile, let's celebrate for a while longer.
One thing that Barack never promises... is that it will be easy. He asks for our help because he has always said 'it's about US' and he will always be honest with us. Nothing will be done overnight, or even in a year, or maybe even in a term, but he's honest about that. We know he's going to work on the issues he has promised to work on, and he'll keep us informed about everything. I believe that he will. I think he will be a president who means what he says.
I'm not naive enough to know that he won't have any number of roadblocks facing him once he's in office; but I don't see him as just any other president....he's different. He's going to show everyone just how different he is. There, now I've said it. I think I'll stop right here...
As a Canadian I was thrilled to watch last night as history was made.
No longer are American's, in our eyes, big brash bullies who ruin the playground.
You people have inspired Canadian's and the world with what you have done last night in electing Obama.
This will sink in and be evident in time when all non-Americans look at you with envy in the coming days.
Well done!
Rain, Great congratulations !
Out here , Obama has now advanced from being a proper noun , to a verb/adverb/adjective.....people write about when we would get our own Obama, are we ready for our own Obama, when will our own people realise that one needs to go out there and vote like your life depended on it..... etc etc.
Truly, he is a world phenomenon.
Hopefully he does a good job. He is a great communicator so he has two directions that he could take. He could rally the nation and the world and end up being like a Ronald Reagan or if he makes bad economic and foreign policy decisions he could end up being like a Jimmy Carter. I am hoping for the Reagan.
Bravo for the people of this country! Bravo for our right to choose and bravo that the past eight years are truly behind us!
Onward and upward, America!
Terri
http://www.islandwriter.net
Right now I'm so proud to be an American and to have done my small part in making history. I believe Obama is an intelligent, thoughtful politician who is deeply interested in policy. Something George Bush was not.
The road ahead is long and bumpy, but it feels so hopeful to have a leader heading to the White House.
I've never known a politician more inclusive than Obama and it will suit him well.
INDEED, INDEED! I echo all you said Rain, and I too wept and wept and wept, with Joy and Pride in our Beautiful Country and Our People! This was a Great Great Day for America!
THANK THE LORD!! Now let's just keep him safe and healthy!
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