CNN just called it for Obama. The United States of America has just elected its first black president.
Look at that crowd in Chicago, will you?! It's stunning. Waving American flags, ebullient. CNN is focusing on all the happy young faces, but a moment ago, there was an image of a grey-haired older black man, standing there looking overcome by the gravity of the moment. I would love to know what's going through his mind right now, and his heart. This is an amazing moment in our history. Even if you didn't vote for him, you have to concede it.
I hope you will all join me and pray for our new president, and for our country. It's a new world now.
Last night, I read a story in our local city magazine, D, about the Jewish experience in Dallas. There was a long passage in which the author discussed how powerful the KKK was in Dallas County back in the 1920s. It was thoroughly mainstream (I'm proud to say my newspaper, The Dallas Morning News, fought them).
Tonight, a black man running for president of the United States won Dallas County. I am a Dallas County Republican, and I didn't vote for Obama. But that's pretty damn great.
UPDATE: I wish to associate myself with Ross Douthat's remarks, especially this:
And then, of course, there's the fact that Obama has just been elected President of a nation in which he could have been bought and sold as a slave just seven generations ago. I don't think there are any words adequate to the occasion of America electing its first black President, so I'll just say this: This may be a bleak day for the Republican Party and for conservatism, but come what may in the years ahead, it's a great day for our country. Barack Obama deserves congratulations, tonight, but so does the nation he's about to govern: We've come a long, long way.
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Feel free, Franklin. It's difficult to pass up the opportunity in such a target-rich environment. Projection is a wonderful thing, isn't it?
Okay, now Barack Obana has become President( thank goodness} i think there are a couple of things he may consider to give help to all living in America, firstly get an nhs system up and running and get rid of private doctors and hospitals and dentists etc. he would just have to make sure everyone could pay a couple of dollars a week into the national health service,to cover costs, so there will be a few unhappy money grabbing people who will lose, but it is the only fair way to ensure each and everyone can be seen and checked over and treated if necessary, that will take an awful lot of stress from families,and the homeless,therefore putting not only money back into their pockets but they won't get so sick with worrying about where the money would come from when they do get sick,
Secondly stop the war, killing is wicked and senseless. bring the troops back and save not only lives but money which is spent on killing,he can keep troops at the ready in case of trouble but by the looks of his popularity world wide we should all be just fine, so lastly well done
maya and Sig,
I see that my last post went over your heads. Either babies have intrinsic worth, or they do not. If they do, then they must not be killed through abortion; they must be protected. I'm sorry if you think that's mean. But it's really no meaner than banning say, rape (an analogy which appeared to soar past you).
The pro-lifers that I know spend their time and money helping women with unplanned or difficult pregnancies. Which you would understand if you watched the video that I linked to above.
God bless
Geez, first right wing loopiness from Nightstalker and now left wing loopiness from Valerie Venn. Valerie, it would take a lot more than everyone "paying a couple of dollars a week into the national health service" to cover costs on any conceivable single payer system. The Swiss and the Germans and the French seem to provide excellent care for less per patient than our trainwreck of a health care system can provide, but it isn't free, even if nobody pays out-of-pocket expenses. Assuming we choose to go that way, prepare yourself for huge tax increases to pay for it, offset, one hopes, by the disappearance of the fifty dollar Tylenol and the payment of premiums to greedheaded insurance companies. Since everybody would like unlimited health care options, but there are limited dollars available, nobody can get everything they want. Choices will still have to be made, and people will still experience stress. Concerning your second point, if you really think that Osama bin Laden is going to hold off on his next bit of asymmetrical warfare because President Obama is popular, I don't just have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you, I've got a deal for the whole damn borough.
It was a wonderful night, and an inspiring, impressive victory speech by Obama. I also really liked McCain's gracious concession speech. It was nice to see the real John McCain come back - long may he endure.
I also thought Michelle Obama's dress was unattractive, but there's no accounting for taste. I've disliked Jesse Jackson for years, but his tears struck me as genuine, and I felt for him.
My first, snarky thought was that Jackson's were phony tears, then that he as crying because he wasn't standing up there in Obama's place, but then I wondered if perhaps the man was not only moved, but perhaps just a little bit ashamed of the kind of man he's become. Yes, probably overthinking this one.
Anyway, I think this is a great moment for our country, and I am hopeful that Obama will be an even better President than he was a campaigner.
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