Change has come to America
There are no words adequate to describe the feeling this night has left me with.
Though this is technically my ‘first’ election, it really felt like my third. I watched through the eyes of a child-transitioning-to-teenager as Bush was elected in 2000, and again as a 15-year-old who had actively participated in Howard Dean’s campaign prior to Kerry’s nomination. Now, at 19, not only have I had the sincere pleasure of voting for a man whose ideologies I feel truly passionate about, but I – WE, have all witnessed history tonight.
My emotions really weren’t quite sure what they wanted to do with themselves. Initially, I was in complete and utter shock, and the banner on the screen declaring Obama President didn’t compute – it took me a few seconds to scream. I saw the hundreds of thousands of people on TV cheering, laughing, crying – all things I did in the space of about ten minutes. A friend and I ran outside of the building we were in and just started jumping up and down in the parking lot. When I saw my roommate, we didn’t say anything – just embraced. And I’m not quite sure when I made the decision in my mind, but I am going to be in D.C. on January 20th to witness President Obama (God it feels so good to say that!) get sworn in. I’m going to be there with several friends from school, plus the beautiful and talented Elysa Montfort, who is up at some outrageous hour of the morning across the pond at Oxford watching Prop 8 results with me.
Ladies and gentlemen, I cannot express how unbelievably lucky we all are to be here tonight. If anyone had told me four years ago tonight what I would be witnessing in 2008… Well, suffice to say, I wouldn’t have even been able to imagine just how powerful this night would turn out to be. Looking back, I wasn’t even able to properly imagine it during the primaries. I’m not even sure it’s really sunk in yet – that may come tomorrow, or it may come on January 20th.
So, on behalf of myself and Elysa, I want to offer my congratulations: To Barack and Michelle Obama and their family – The Bidens – To America… and last but not least, congratulations to all of us.
Madeleine said,
November 5, 2008 at 2:23 pm
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED! YES WE CAN! YES WE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Last night’s total shock is finally starting to wear off and feelings of excitement, relief, utter joy, and pride (a feeling I would have been devoid of for another four years) are beginning to take over. Part of my shock was not knowing quite what to do…I was eight when Bush was elected the first time. I’m unfamiliar with the feelings associated with having a President who isn’t an incompetent conservative. The best five moments of the evening, in order:
1) Watching CNN’s final projection flash across the screen.
2) Hearing his speech and seeing him with his girls again.
3) Witnessing Virginia actually elect a black man for President. (That was when we opened the champagne)
4) Watching him get Ohio. That was when it was over.
5) Switching to Fox for the hell of it…and noticing that there was a guy vacuming in front of the main screen. Absolutely hysterical.
Joshua M. said,
November 5, 2008 at 4:03 pm
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
wooooooooooo
wooo
wo
Yay. I can’t even comment anything intelligent on this right now, b/c I’m so happy.
aditi said,
November 5, 2008 at 5:01 pm
I didn’t cry when CNN projected Obama the winner. I was moved by both speeches, but did not full out cry during either. It wasn’t until the families came out after Obama’s speech and I saw Biden’s mother and Obama’s daughters that I broke down, which feels like the wrong phrase to use. At that moment it hit me. And it wasn’t just about Obama’s win specifically, but rather everything it stood for. Watching him on the stage all these not so out there anymore hopes came rushing to my mind. I mean one day I will be able to see a woman on that stage, or an indian or hispanic or hell even hopefully one day a non-Christian.
The excitement that so many people around the world feel right now is amazing….the amount of screaming that went on last night, the number of pumpkins thrown out dorm windows, the hugging of random people, the ignorant morons yelling fuck McCain. Hell, even the ladies from The View(yes, i watch….and enjoy) were getting along and looking and sounding hopeful and happy. Even the shrill one was pleasant, while still managing to be shrill, go figure.
I hope all this lasts. And a great and moving post Laura. Already planning my trip to DC for the 20th.
Kristen said,
November 5, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I had the honor to serve as part of Obama’s Voter Protection Team in Ohio since I’m a law student… I was a poll observer who made sure everyone got to vote by regular ballot. I live in a very Democratic county so it wasn’t extremely surprising that Obama won it, but I was told that the precinct where I was assigned was a very white upper-middle class area, so when we counted up the votes, it was special to see Obama had won by 200 votes. At the end of the evening the poll workers had to push a button on each voting machine to make it print out the results on what looked like a really long cash register receipt. The other lady working with me as a poll observer and I got to look at each printout before it was sent to the board of elections and she read me the numbers for President and I added them up. It was super-cool that I was the first one to have the election results at my fingertips and it was a pleasure when I could stand up and announce that for the 4 precincts voting at that location, Barack Obama had won with 900 votes over McCain’s 700. Still, I had to go home and turn on the tv before I could really celebrate. About 10 minutes after I got home, NBC called Ohio for Obama. I was still rather reserved after the shenanigans that I witnessed the last two elections in this state… I was wary that the Republicans would pull some nonsense and cheat their way to another victory… but the Obama team was ready for them this year and stopped the shenanigans before it could happen. And I got to serve as the first line of defense to protect every voter who walked through the door into the polling place… and for that, I am honored.
j said,
November 5, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Proposition 8 Protest Rally & Street Closures
Wednesday, November 5th
As deeply disappointed as we all are that California voters passed Proposition 8, we must not allow that disappointment to linger. This vote is a temporary defeat in the long march toward equal rights for all citizens in America.
Please join me for a protest rally tonight at 7 pm on San Vicente Blvd between West Hollywood Park and the Pacific Design Center (647 N. San Vicente Blvd. West Hollywood CA 90069) as we move forward towards restoring equality for all in California.
San Vicente Blvd, between Santa Monica Blvd and Melrose Avenue will be closed tonight starting at 6 pm. San Vicente south-bound traffic will be directed to make left or right at Santa Monica Blvd. Signs have already been posted to help divert traffic.
redskittles said,
November 6, 2008 at 5:02 am
There were so many points last night in which I was just so *proud*. During Obama’s acceptance speech I was grinning like mad. My expression changed with the crowd, smiling, beaming, clapping, crying a couple times when Jesse Jackson’s face appeared on the screen. As soon as I can I’m laminating the front page of my newspaper, a keepsake to show the generations that follow us. it’s amazing how much people were following this election. People my age (14) and a few years older. The tangible feeling of happiness from all the Barack Obama supporters in my school. Now, of course I have my share of independent friends who were not supporting either candidate, but the whole feeling of the day was happy. I don’t know what the day might have looked like if McCain had won. It certainly wouldn’t have been happy.
I can recall times last night after Obama was announced as our 44th President that I thought I might be going insane because I could hear a dull roar coming from outside my window. I live in a very liberal community, so it certainly didn’t take me by surprise people were celebrating. It amazed me that I could hear it. There were points when a group or a single person would run past the window screaming and whooping. One of my friends is going to try to convince her mom to drive her and a couple of friends up to D.C. to watch the Inaugural address. I hope to be there to see Obama sworn in.
I live in Ohio, so I was hoping that my state would elect the candidate I feel is going to bring real – and good – change to America. Naturally, I was excited when Ohio was announced as supporting Obama. I was even more pleased when Ohio was magnified to show that my county had also voted for Obama.
The only marring detail is that Proposition 8 passed.
I hope you update with your thoughts on this development.
redskittles said,
November 6, 2008 at 5:16 am
It seems like there is always more to say. But I’m posting another comment just to say this. As much as we should be celebrating, and as much as we achieved as a country what we never achieved before, there are still four years ahead of us. Four years in which need to be used to clean up the previous eight. We should be excited, yes. But he is also going to face challenges starting NOW. We need to realize just how much needs to be done. Maybe all of us can take the next week, month, three months even, to let reality sink in, but we ALL need to realize that Obama doesn’t have that luxury. We should be hoping and praying (if only figuratively) that he will succeed in the task he has been elected to do.
(redskittles = lizbeth from other posts)
Josh M. said,
November 7, 2008 at 3:40 am
Have you been to change.gov?
Holy hell you can apply for a job in the obama administration.
I repeat, oh my god, we have a president who knows about the internet.
William M. said,
November 9, 2008 at 4:30 am
Thank god he won!
If the democrats couldn’t win in all of this, that would have been sad. OBAMA! OBAMA!
Zara said,
November 15, 2008 at 12:01 am
It’s been ten days since the election, and I’m still getting used to hearing the words “President-elect Obama” come out of my mouth…we still don’t know who Missouri voted for–which really isn’t important in the entire scheme of things, but it’s a matter of pride for me as I worked diligently on the campaign. I just try to remember that while we achieved an enormous accomplishment on November 4, there is still an entire four years before us in which it will be all of our responsibilities to support Obama and Biden in their work and to keep being informed and involved in our democracy.
On another note,
YES WE DID!
Hope you two keep updating.
Darryl said,
January 26, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Hey Political Bitches I was hoping that you might look into some UK related politics at the moment in the news we have Members of the House of Lords offering to change rules for money, the BBC in hot water for not reporting the troubles in Sri Lanka and the BBC again in trouble for refusing to aid a charity appeal for the people of the Gaza strip.
Perhaps in looking into these subjects you might get your political juices flowing and put up some more posts =o) keep up the good work in your other projects and goodbye.