Thursday 6 November 2008

Obama: America's 44th prez

Unbelievable! I'm so happy to be witnessing history as America elects its first African-American president. It was a body slam win with 349 electoral votes (he needed only 270) vs 173 for McCain. I was with my sister Monet and her friends watching - - first Mc Cain's concession speech and then at 10:01 pm, bubbly was served and cars honking outside as Obama was declared president. On the tube, people from coast to coast were dancing, cheering, in tears, (even Oprah was zoomed in Bryant Park in tears) - pure unbridled joy.
this is the highest voter turnout since 1908 - 56% of youth and over 60% women. He started his speech with "If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," I got a text from Boo in Manila and he said that "now my grandson can be president."
Come January, lets see how O will fare in handling what Bush has left him - Iran/Afganistan wars, financial crisis, global warming.... He emphasized that "This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were...It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice." And calls everyone to "So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other. Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers."

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