Shortly after Barack Obama was declared the winner of Tuesday’s US Presidential elections I was reminded of something Winston Churchill once said. “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they’ve tried everything else.”
Never before have I seen so much interest in a US Presidential election here in the UK. The day after Obama’s win the national press went positively Obamy, carrying full front-page pictures of Obama with coverage of the US election going several pages deep into the newspapers. If you were judging by press coverage alone, you might have been forgiven for thinking that the UK had at some point become the 51st state.
Here, and I suspect across much of the world, there is something of a sense of relief that the Bush years will soon be behind us. After a local firework display celebrating ‘Guy Fawkes night,’ one of my neighbors spoke to me about Obama’s win with a broad smile. “I stayed up late to watch the election. Wasn’t it wonderful that he won.” She told me.
People who perhaps wouldn’t ordinarily be keen followers of American politics, all seemed to have an opinion. I stayed up until 7am to watch the coverage with friends, and across the UK others were holding their own US election night parties!
The President of the United States is undeniably one of the most influential people on the planet and after 8 years of the most inept and downright embarrassing President in modern times, Barack Obama will surely bring to an end the air of Presiduncy that seems to currently define the office for which he has fought so hard to gain.
Addressing the vast crowd gathered in Chicago’s Grant Park to listen to his victory speech Obama delivered a rousing yet sobering message. “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.”
America has elected its first ever black President, and for the first time in my life, I think I might actually believe the words of a politician.
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Wrote the following comment on Nov 10, 2008 at 4:25 pm
I went to a HUGE election party in London at a sports bar. It was great, full of Americans too.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 10, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Having just watched Oliver Stones biopic of George W, you are struck by a likeable guy who is just inept and not very good at anything, Everything he did before he was President was a disaster, how anyone thought his Presidency would be anything other than a disaster is beyond me.
Its not the first time America has voted in an idiot, and I’m sure it won’t be the last, but for now at least they have elected someone with integrity and morality, and we can all sleep a little easier because of it.
ps. I’m suffering from pcws (post campaign withdrawal syndrome)
Wrote the following comment on Nov 10, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Well, lets not forget that the Oliver Stone movie was, of course, -a movie- and therefore prone to the kind of artistic license and creative interpretation of any ‘true story’ kind of movie.
I also want to say that voting for “idiots” is not exclusively an American thing. I’m pretty sure that we’ve voted for a few “idiots” too here in the UK and that other countries have seen their share of “idiots” win elections.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 10, 2008 at 5:48 pm
It is true that everyone seems to have an opinion, but I wonder how many of those people’s opinions are guided by fact, and how many by the ‘hand of history’. I imagine that the voters know what his policies are, but how many of us Brits know whether he will be in our better interests than McCain?
I won’t deny that I too have been a little swept up by the personality, charisma, and vibe of Obama. I am glad he won, but I am cautious not to be too upbeat about what he will actually do now that he is there.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 10, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Me too Andy. The scenes after his victory reminded me somewhat of when Blair swept the Labour lot into power back in 97. A great moment, but really, in the end he turned out to be the same as the other lot.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 10, 2008 at 8:09 pm
whilst reading your quote of Obama’s victory speech i can’t help but think that another way of phrasing what he said could have been… “i have a dream”!?!
I sit here waiting with interest to see what the future holds.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 10, 2008 at 11:12 pm
I can’t believe Brits went to election parties! I think that says more about the poor state of our current “Presiduncy” than anything else really.
Regarding voting for idiots, I would remind everyone that in 2000 we DID NOT vote for the idiot we got, but he won the election anyway based upon the rather odd electoral collage system we have here.
In that regard one should also remember that while Obama might have whooped McCain more than two to one in electoral collage numbers, the real voting numbers show that the election was much closer than that.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 10, 2008 at 11:28 pm
“… for the first time in my life, I think I might actually believe the words of a politician.”
Simon … I hope you’re right, truly I do. My gut tells me he’s nowhere near ready.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 11, 2008 at 12:36 am
You know Phil, that speech actually reminded me of another MLK speech. His last speech given on April 3rd, 1968, often referred to as the “I’ve seen the mountain top” speech.
I don’t think the similarities were entirely unintentional.
We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! So I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!
Martin Luther King Jnr
Wrote the following comment on Nov 11, 2008 at 5:57 pm
I saw this video and thought of Wilvo.
https://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive
Wrote the following comment on Nov 12, 2008 at 1:52 am
Oh Doug, you cheeky chappie, you got me banged to rights there, I’ve got nothing to fill my pathetic and empty life with now that Obama has won :-p
Oh well, here’s hoping Sarah will run in 4 years :-)
Wrote the following comment on Nov 13, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Sarah run for president? That would be a laugh-a-minute campaign! :-)