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Nov. 5th, 2008
God Bless America!
Nov. 5th, 2008 01:33 pmWOW.
What. A. Day! I am truly overwhelmed with the significance of yesterday's events--it's impossible to overstate how big this is to me. After voting, I went into Manhattan to the dentist and then to partake of free coffee. CNN had set up a big gathering place in Times Square with a board to write on, huge screens, and all sorts of things. I wanted to stay--it looked like it was going to be a lot of fun--but had to go to work. Afterward I went down into Rockefeller Plaza where NBC had set up an "Election Plaza" with MORE big screens--they were also handing out little maps with red and blue pens. I stayed there for a little bit (during which I went downstairs to Ben & Jerry's to get my free cone!) but when they called South Carolina for McCain, I got so upset, I knew I had to leave and calm down. Ridiculous, right--of course South Carolina is going to go for McCain. I was able to calm myself a bit on the train ride home, but naturally, as soon as I got off, I whipped out my phone and was checking the New York Times site. And calling my mother--I was obsessive about the Virginia returns. Virginia is as red as they get--they haven't voted for a democratic president since 1964--and yet this year it was a battleground state.
I got home, fed the cats--bouncing in and out of the living room where Mickey had the TV on--and then bounced out the door to Jason's. Jason had ABC on--he said they called results more conservatively than the other networks. We chatted for a while as the results trickled in. Then my Mom called--she told me CNN had just called Virginia--for Obama. Virginia voted for Obama. I am crying right now writing this. Virginia, my home state of Virginia, the home of massive resistance, voted for a black man to be President. I am so proud, I...I can't possibly convey how proud I am of my state, of my friends and family who live there, who helped change people's hearts and minds.
Then when I was still on the phone, Jason yelled that ABC had just called the entire race for Obama. THE. ENTIRE. RACE. We went NUTS--we were yelling and I was on the floor. Poor Benjamin started crying. My Mom heard all of this. The words were flashing across the screen PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA. I still can't believe it. I still. Can't. Believe it. I had hardly dared to hope--four weeks ago, I didn't want to get emotionally invested because 2004 was so, so hurtful. And yet the polls kept saying Obama, Obama, Obama. Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes. I allowed myself to hope, and then I started hearing about the Bradley effect. How awful that would be if people were lying to the pollsters--I couldn't let myself believe that might happen again. Surely we've learned something in the last generation...
Jason and I were marveling--it's actually true, it actually happened. Then ABC called Florida for Obama and we went nuts again (and poor Benjamin got upset again). It's just amazing. We watched footage from all over the country of people crying, celebrating, cheering. McCain came on and gave an extremely classy and gracious concession speech, although of course some of the followers booed what he was saying. Nice. He is so much better than some of his followers. He talked about the history of this election--I especially liked that he talked about
inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans, who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president, is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.
This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight...
It was a really good speech. I have to say (I didn't want to write this before, I was afraid I would jinx the election) that although I could never vote for McCain, as I don't agree with his stances on the issues, I think he is a good man, and worthy to be President. Certainly he is infinitely more qualified and worthy of respect than our current President--no matter what the results were, anyone would've been an improvement over Bush. McCain is a war hero, he went out and actually fought instead of pulling strings to stay stateside and play poker (there is NOTHING quite so loathsome as someone who encourages war without actually suffering the consequences himself--how I despise Bush)--he suffered for this country and I respect him quite a lot. I also don't hate Palin--again, I could never vote for her (and I don't think she's qualified to be Vice President--and I will say it bothers me that she's so intellectually incurious. But I admire her grit--she's a natural politician, and she never backed down under some pretty heavy criticism (which I thought was, for the most part, fair criticism). I hope she learns from her mistakes (and evolves on the issues) and becomes a better campaigner.
And then Obama came on himself to speak with his beautiful family. The two adorable little girls--they're gonna grow up in the White House! The youngest children in the White House since Amy Carter. His speech was terrific, of course--the man has such a natural charisma. I stayed to watch it and Paula came home sometime during this and got very excited as well, upsetting poor Benjamin yet again! We all hugged and then I headed out to do some celebratory drankin' with Griffin.
Damn. DAMN, y'all. We helped make history! Our first president who wasn't a white male. It's...overwhelming. I hope this decisive victory brings us all together to help rebuild this wonderful country--ALL of us together, conservative and liberal, republican and democratic, gay and straight, black and white, all of us together, we are all brothers and sisters.
'Cause I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget those who died, who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you, and defend her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land--God Bless the USA
Yes, we can.
Yes, we CAN.
What. A. Day! I am truly overwhelmed with the significance of yesterday's events--it's impossible to overstate how big this is to me. After voting, I went into Manhattan to the dentist and then to partake of free coffee. CNN had set up a big gathering place in Times Square with a board to write on, huge screens, and all sorts of things. I wanted to stay--it looked like it was going to be a lot of fun--but had to go to work. Afterward I went down into Rockefeller Plaza where NBC had set up an "Election Plaza" with MORE big screens--they were also handing out little maps with red and blue pens. I stayed there for a little bit (during which I went downstairs to Ben & Jerry's to get my free cone!) but when they called South Carolina for McCain, I got so upset, I knew I had to leave and calm down. Ridiculous, right--of course South Carolina is going to go for McCain. I was able to calm myself a bit on the train ride home, but naturally, as soon as I got off, I whipped out my phone and was checking the New York Times site. And calling my mother--I was obsessive about the Virginia returns. Virginia is as red as they get--they haven't voted for a democratic president since 1964--and yet this year it was a battleground state.
I got home, fed the cats--bouncing in and out of the living room where Mickey had the TV on--and then bounced out the door to Jason's. Jason had ABC on--he said they called results more conservatively than the other networks. We chatted for a while as the results trickled in. Then my Mom called--she told me CNN had just called Virginia--for Obama. Virginia voted for Obama. I am crying right now writing this. Virginia, my home state of Virginia, the home of massive resistance, voted for a black man to be President. I am so proud, I...I can't possibly convey how proud I am of my state, of my friends and family who live there, who helped change people's hearts and minds.
Then when I was still on the phone, Jason yelled that ABC had just called the entire race for Obama. THE. ENTIRE. RACE. We went NUTS--we were yelling and I was on the floor. Poor Benjamin started crying. My Mom heard all of this. The words were flashing across the screen PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA. I still can't believe it. I still. Can't. Believe it. I had hardly dared to hope--four weeks ago, I didn't want to get emotionally invested because 2004 was so, so hurtful. And yet the polls kept saying Obama, Obama, Obama. Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes. I allowed myself to hope, and then I started hearing about the Bradley effect. How awful that would be if people were lying to the pollsters--I couldn't let myself believe that might happen again. Surely we've learned something in the last generation...
Jason and I were marveling--it's actually true, it actually happened. Then ABC called Florida for Obama and we went nuts again (and poor Benjamin got upset again). It's just amazing. We watched footage from all over the country of people crying, celebrating, cheering. McCain came on and gave an extremely classy and gracious concession speech, although of course some of the followers booed what he was saying. Nice. He is so much better than some of his followers. He talked about the history of this election--I especially liked that he talked about
inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans, who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president, is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.
This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight...
It was a really good speech. I have to say (I didn't want to write this before, I was afraid I would jinx the election) that although I could never vote for McCain, as I don't agree with his stances on the issues, I think he is a good man, and worthy to be President. Certainly he is infinitely more qualified and worthy of respect than our current President--no matter what the results were, anyone would've been an improvement over Bush. McCain is a war hero, he went out and actually fought instead of pulling strings to stay stateside and play poker (there is NOTHING quite so loathsome as someone who encourages war without actually suffering the consequences himself--how I despise Bush)--he suffered for this country and I respect him quite a lot. I also don't hate Palin--again, I could never vote for her (and I don't think she's qualified to be Vice President--and I will say it bothers me that she's so intellectually incurious. But I admire her grit--she's a natural politician, and she never backed down under some pretty heavy criticism (which I thought was, for the most part, fair criticism). I hope she learns from her mistakes (and evolves on the issues) and becomes a better campaigner.
And then Obama came on himself to speak with his beautiful family. The two adorable little girls--they're gonna grow up in the White House! The youngest children in the White House since Amy Carter. His speech was terrific, of course--the man has such a natural charisma. I stayed to watch it and Paula came home sometime during this and got very excited as well, upsetting poor Benjamin yet again! We all hugged and then I headed out to do some celebratory drankin' with Griffin.
Damn. DAMN, y'all. We helped make history! Our first president who wasn't a white male. It's...overwhelming. I hope this decisive victory brings us all together to help rebuild this wonderful country--ALL of us together, conservative and liberal, republican and democratic, gay and straight, black and white, all of us together, we are all brothers and sisters.
'Cause I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget those who died, who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you, and defend her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land--God Bless the USA
Yes, we can.
Yes, we CAN.