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Mr. President-Elect
It’s official! The 44th president of the United States will be Barack Obama. I want to offer a humble congratulation from the Republican writer of a little known blog in a remote corner of cyberspace. I also want to offer a congrats to my brother Andy who is a huge Obama supporter as well as to so many of my friends who were excited about the President-Elect’s campaign.
I’ve spent the day here in China between classes trawling CNN, ABC, and the other networks online watching the electoral results come in. I must admit I felt envious of the excitement the Democrats were feeling. I know the thrill of supporting someone for so long, campaigning for them, and then experiencing the joy of victory that evening.
I remember 1984. I was 18 and it was my first election. I walked into the election booth and cast my very first ballot for Ronald Wilson Reagan. I was so proud. I went to work at the Burger King Drive-thru after that with a uniform decorated with Reagan – Bush buttons and encouraging every person I passed a Whopper to to get out and vote! That evening my friend Dave and I went to the Republican victory party as we saw Reagan sweep every state but Minnesota. Euphoria!!
Its been a long time since Republicans have offered up that kind of hope and excitement. For all the fear-mongering the far Right has done over the last few months, it has not been able to quell the excitement Barack Obama has generated.
I see in Barack Obama some of the hope I saw back then. Even people who didn’t vote for Reagan often acknowledged the optimism he conveyed for, and about, America was contagious. Mr. Obama generates that same optimism. Tammy and I watched the 30 minute ad that played on the networks this week and had to admit that America seemed like a better place through his eyes than John McCain’s.
Therefore, I wish to say this Republican is proud of you Mr. Obama. You stayed above the fray as much as this broken system would allow. You cast a vision of hope which all but your most ardent detractors could embrace and you reached out to those who disagreed with you with a graciousness and a statesmanship I have been embarrassed to say has all but disappeared from my party.
So on this election night I wish to say, “Congratulations Mr. President-Elect. May God Bless You and God Bless the United States of America.”
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Wow, that was awesome. One of the most classy “losing-side” articles I’ve ever read!
Steve,
As an Australian, it was wildly exciting to chart the course of the election here. yes, we were also glued to our sets / computer screens throughout the day!
You know that you Americans were voting on behalf of the whole world don’t you!
Yo! Man!
who was the US President before Reagan?
Redlefty: Thanks for the compliment. Most Kind…
Marylou: Jimmy Carter was President before Reagan. I was to young to vote in that election as I was only 14 in 1980. It was his second election against Walter Mondale in 1984 that I voted for Reagan
That was a great post Steve. I knew as soon as CNN called Ohio for Obama that it was all over Red Rover. People forget that the election four years ago was pretty close – Obama only needed one big state more than Kerry to win. After the kerfluffle of 2000 this must’ve been one of the fastest results in US election history. I wish Obama well. I’m hoping he’ll put Warren Buffett in his cabinet just to see what that does to America’s profligate fiscal habits.
“trawling CNN, ABC, and the other networks online watching the electoral results come in.”
Thank God for the internet… it makes all that tracking stuff more lively. I was in rehearsal that night, but every 15 minutes or so there was a pile of us pirates around somebody’s phone getting an update. 🙂
The polls closed here in California at 8 pm.
Just one minute later, Barack Obama was called the winner.
While it is true the whole left coast is blue, and we know how CA, OR & WA will go, it is a bit frustrating that it is called before some of us even get home from voting.
Well, that’s not the point of your post Steve. So thanks for the post and yes, it was truly a bit of “classy” writing.
Sherry –
I remember standing in line to vote one year (one of Clinton’s), and they were already telling us who won. THAT pissed me off. The W. elections actually restored my faith in my vote counting (not that my guy won, but seeing the news have to change their premature predictions was deeply satisfying).
Steve – great “consession post”! I wish all Americans were as gracious. I agree completely with the comparison to Reagan.
Yes, very eloquently put. I am not nearly where you are with regard to Obama — way too many concerns about what he really stands for. But I’m committed to supporting him and hoping for the best.