From the Democratic watch party: History
BY KEN RAYMOND
The words aren’t there.
I’m sitting in a ballroom filled with people who are crying, dancing, singing, chanting, swaying and touching, reaching out to each other as if they cannot believe what is happening and want the affirmation of a touch to prove they’re not dreaming.
I’ve been to other watch parties in other years. They weren’t like this.
This is something else, something different. This is an event that defies the standard words.
What’s happening here isn’t just about a winner and a loser. It’s not about politics as much as it is about a dream, the American Dream, which until now has somehow seemed to be the exclusive domain of others, those who were born with money and influence, those who speak glibly of opportunity when they’ve never known anything else.
To that woman crying over there, bent over her cell phone, this isn’t just an election. To those who screamed and stretched their hands toward heaven when a speaker on stage hoarsely shouted, “Barack Obama, President of the United States,” this isn’t business as usual.
“There’s a black man for President,” said Gail Chapman, 55, whose eyes were as tearful as anyone’s as she watched a hope she hardly dared foster turning to reality. “I’m so proud, and I’m happy that America helped us get him in, because it wasn’t just one race. It was everybody. Everybody worked together.”
Chapman never expected to see this day.
“Never in my life,” she said. “Never in my lifetime. It’s awesome. It’s great. And not just because he’s black. He’s a great candidate. He’s a great man. I just thank God that he’s the President. He’s going to do some great things. He’s going to do great things for America.”
On this night, she said, America triumphed over race and fear.
Words fail.
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Comments
In four years, we will regret this choice. His weak resume will entice our enemies and his radical friendships will help shape his policies. The only thing historic about today is we just have elected the most liberal senator, with the least experience, who has stated he will redristribute the wealth around. Truly a sad day when the American public is blind to facts and more impressed by a hollywood show.
We’ve had eight seemingly interminable years of the Busheviks’ warmongering, pandering to the Religious Reich, building up a massive deficit unparalleled in U.S. history, destroying goodwill abroad, kow-towing to the neo-cons, marginalizing minorities, shamelessly raping the environment and utterly dividing the American populace.
Senator Obama, on the other hand, is a man who values reason — he doesn’t run from it to seek the solace of superstition.. He wants to reach out to the world, not to alienate it at every turn. He is proud to represent ALL citizens of our republic, not just those of his own party and creed.
I hope all American citizens will gladly and proudly celebrate the election of President Elect Barack Obama, and that all the world will join in our joy and hope.
We are blessed to live in the nation we have. This is a dream of change that has been a long time coming. Obama is a man of vision, common sense and persistence to get the job done. He may not have all of the experience that is required, but any good businessman knows you surround yourself with people who have the knowledge you don’t have. Business, as government, does not work in a vacuum. He will lead us as a nation into the future. That being said, I would like to comment about Oklahoma news and media, and granted maybe I am wrong in how I figure my math. But I look at the numbers of people who voted for Obama in Oklahoma and find that to be 48% of the populas, not the 34% that is being stated. Why is this important? Media influences the populus in how they think. This is republican state, but it appears it could be becoming democratic…this could be scary for those that want us to think otherwise. My hope is Oklahoma media is open to change…the people have spoken!
I am excited about Obama because of who he is. He is uniquely American. I am an educated 50+ white woman and I am so proud of my country for electing this intelligent man to lead us for the next four years. I am glad my teenage son is getting to experience these historic times. My whole family is celebrating.