Its Obama!

[sebastiaan56]

just off the wires, we will see what happens next,

[Paul B]

I've been watching the figures all day.

He's got it, just a matter of by how much.

What's the record for the biggest landslide in US presidential history? Is it gonna be broken? Gonna be close. Though if Washington holds the record, I guess he'll keep it, that guy rocked.

Told you guys he'd win by landslide, and ya'll thought I was sticking my neck out by saying so.

Perhaps I'm calculating these figures wrong, but it looks at this stage like Obama will end up with 377 electoral votes. That has gotta be somewhere near the record, whatever it is.

Kudos to the American voting public. Bravo.

Now lets just hope that he doesn't suck.

[Dennis Leahy]

After watching what happened in the state of Florida 8 years ago, we were forced into feeling "cautious optimism" no matter how good the polls looked. The US also has a history of low voter turnout, typically averaging about 50% of eligible voters, so no one knew how many would sit on the sidelines for this election despite what the polls said.

I think 2008 will be the US record for overall turnout (which is a statistic skewed by rising population), as well as the highest percentage of eligible voters voting (which actually means something very positive.)

I happen to live in Minnesota, which I believe had the highest voter turnout of any state in the past few US elections (about 80%.) I think my city, Duluth, had one of the highest voter turnouts for any US city (about 90%), and the University of Minnesota at Duluth had the highest turnout of any university in the US. But, I still like the Australian way of fining those who don't vote.

I think Obama has already lit a fire under us, and has become the vehicle for hope and change. Based on the inspiration alone, I don't think he will suck, and I am willing to believe that this signals a major, positive change in the US both within our borders and as a global citizen. If nothing else, it will put the brakes on bad policy, and if the Democratic side of the US Congress can get a bit of cooperation from the Republicans remaining in office, I think we'll see big changes happening quickly. Obama starts his presidency in a huge and deep hole left by Bush/Cheney (and they have 2 more months to wreak havoc), so I hope that people will give Obama credit for climbing part way out of the hole - which would still be a major accomplishment over the next four years.

I'm relieved, and excited!

Dennis

[Kim]

Obama starts his presidency in a huge and deep hole left by Bush/Cheney (and they have 2 more months to wreak havoc), so I hope that people will give Obama credit for climbing part way out of the hole - which would still be a major accomplishment over the next four years.

I'm relieved, and excited!

Dennis

I am relieved and excited as well Dennis and have great hope the election of Obama will, for the first time in a very long time, give America a President who will at least 'try' to govern in the interest of it's people rather than the profits of oil so clearly the focus of every single Bush and Cheney manipulation of America and it's people since they where so wickedly slid sideways into the house.

Qualified or not, Obama MUST be a better prospect than out and out bought and paid for government. High hopes I know, but let us all hope that this is a starting point for a welcome back of 'some' form of democracy in the USA and elsewhere in the world and maybe even a beginning to an end to the corruption and manipulation that has poisoned global politics for so long. Yes, yes, I know, I did say high hopes.

Even if this result turns out to be nothing more than a slight glitch in transmission before normal foul programing resumes, I can honestly say that after being completely confounded by the stupidity and blindness so apparent in the results of the previous election, this win has been for common sense and has gone a very long way to restore my faith in the average "Joe six pack" as being a stand up guy I would once again like to have a yarn and beer with some day.

Cheers all

Kim

[snidermike]

What an historic night. I can't believe this is the same U.S. that voted for Bush twice, sort of (since he did steal 2000).

Anyway, well said, Dennis. I think he has already changed the U.S. for the better, simply through inspiration and hope. He/we certainly do have a lot of work ahead of us though.

[Allen]

Is there any possible way that Obama could be worse for the US than Bush.

I think not.

[Lillian]

My grandmother saw women given the right to vote. I voted a black man into the White House.

There is hope now.

My fear is that he will not live through his first 100 days in office. There are enough whack jobs out there that you just know there is going to be an attempt or three.

On a more personal level, it looks like we won't need to be running for a border, which is nice. My state just barely managed to keep a rabid Republican out of the governor's seat. If elected he had promised to reverse the State's policy on Domestic Partnership. He stopped just sort of saying that he would try to return the legislature that would make it illegal again, though he strongly eluded to it.

And it looks like our marriage may be voided as well. It's up to the lawyers to decide if the referendum's language was sufficient to make it retroactive or not. It will be interesting to see New Mexico and New York's reaction to Prop 8 passing.

In the mean time, I still have hope that the world isn't going to implode on itself.

[Paul B]

That speach last night was awesome. Nobody, Democrat or Republican could be unmoved by it.

I can't imagine McCain even coming close, or Bush, or, well any President since Kennedy coming close to inspiring his nation in the way that Obama did last night.

He certainly can talk the talk.

[Paul B]

Good Luck Lillian & Fran, by the way.

I was just reading about Prop 8, seems bloody unfair if they can make it retroactive. Is that even constitutional? They can't make any other law retroactive, so you might have got in just in time. Lets hope so. I think you'll be ok.

[sebastiaan56]

On a more personal level, it looks like we won't need to be running for a border, which is nice. My state just barely managed to keep a rabid Republican out of the governor's seat. If elected he had promised to reverse the State's policy on Domestic Partnership. He stopped just sort of saying that he would try to return the legislature that would make it illegal again, though he strongly eluded to it.

And it looks like our marriage may be voided as well. It's up to the lawyers to decide if the referendum's language was sufficient to make it retroactive or not. It will be interesting to see New Mexico and New York's reaction to Prop 8 passing.

In the mean time, I still have hope that the world isn't going to implode on itself.

I have to say I find these right wing moralist attacks on peoples choices nothing less than offensive, there really is no right to be who you want to be under these fascists.

I hope Obama can make some impact on this kind of divisive stuff but I fear that they believe god gives them the right to carry on with that kind of shit. That is why I was so scared of Sarah Palin, only a heartbeat away from the top job,

I didnt know that referenda were thrown in as well yesterday, seems like a close one Lillian. You will find Australia much more accepting if you need to flee.

[Lillian]

Unfortunately Paul, they can make it retroactive. The language used in the proposition did not stipulate that those license already granted would be revoked, but that will be something for the courts to hammer out.

Sabastiaan, Oz was second on the list of places to flee to. Canada was first, if only because it would be easier to get to the kids and grand kids when they show up. Unfortunately, we are too old to apply for a general emigration visa, but we thought that political asylum would be a sure thing if Palin ended up in charge. If it comes to it, we will leave. We'll keep your invitation in mind.


Rosa Parks sat so that Martin Luther King could walk.
Martin Luther King walked so that Obama could run.
Obama ran so we all could fly.

There is hope.

It is possible that the Defense of Marriage Act will be repealed.

[Ron Wisdom]

Well, I'm a happy camper. My family voted for Obama but the state of Arkansas voted Mccain, which was expected. I'm way too progressive, even for an old man, for this redneck haven. I agree with all the comments above, too. What a historic moment to be a part of. I started teaching in 1970, in a small delta town in an all black school. Taught there for three years and loved it and would probably still be there except I got married to another teacher and she wanted to move away from her family. It was a great experience, though. Even in 1970 until I moved in 73 that town still had segregated restaurants and separate waiting rooms in the local doctor's office. They even had separate Boy Scout troops, if you can believe that. It's amazing how much hatred there still is in some areas of this country for anyone who isn't white anglo protestant. Fortunately, even though my father was pretty prejudiced, my dear mother taught us to love everyone and we've passed that on to our children who have turned out very liberal that way. It takes time and effort, and generations.

Change is coming, you can feel it in the air. I really think Obama is going to make a difference and just hope he gets a full term in without some radical pulling the plug.

[Paul B]

Unfortunately Paul, they can make it retroactive. The language used in the proposition did not stipulate that those license already granted would be revoked, but that will be something for the courts to hammer out.

I think you'll find that your constitution will protect you there. Maybe.

Rosa Parks sat so that Martin Luther King could walk.
Martin Luther King walked so that Obama could run.
Obama ran so we all could fly.

There is hope.

I like that quite a lot. Well done.

I grew up with a family who had fled Apartied in South Africa. So I guess I'm kinda biased towards all of this stuff that has gone on in the past day or two. They had three kids and I was the only white one.

[Allen]

As much as I hear, and see that color, religion or sexual orientation seems to make such a huge difference to the way that some people view others, it still mystifies me. I just don't think that I'm wired in such a way as to ever understand it.

I suppose that I'm very lucky to have been born and raised in a country that has very open and liberal views in these regards. Had a family that and friends that felt the same, and have chosen to spend the rest of my days in another country with very similar values.

I hope that the US will be able to move towards a more middle ground in these regards over the next 4 years.

And Lillian, if you really want or need to immigrate, where there is a will, there is always a way. I have a couple of friends that have immigrated to Australia that were over 60 and are now citizens.

[Lillian]

Paul,
I can't take credit for the Rosa Parks thing. A rapper said that. I'm trying to find out who so I could give credit, but got distracted and didn't get back to it.

I grew up in the South with parents that were "Damn Yankees", which means that they were from the north and went south, hence the yankee part, and stayed, the damn part. The Jim Crow laws were still in effect while I was growing up. My mother, Helen Harvey, Joliet Graves and Gina Mallare, would have to meet in grave yards after dark to plan the integration of the YWCA. The laws changed the the attitude remained. Which is why I left Virginia.

Allen, you aren't wired wrong. You weren't poisoned at an early age. I think its wonderful. As for making a move. I think we are going to have to sit and really talk about this. I'm leaning towards Oz myself. I mean I should have grown up there. My dad was offered a teaching position in Sydney, but my mother couldn't fly, too pregnant, and refused to sail. So we stayed in Virginia. We'll see.

[snidermike]

Lillian, it might have been Jay-Z with the quote. Look at the very end of this article: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/2 ... 908/645922

[Hesh1956]

Did Obama get elected?

[Paul B]

Na mate, it was some bloke named McCain and a chick that doesn't know if africa is a country or a continent, but shit, that dress sure is purdy.

[James Mc]

Hey Lillian... If you move to Oz then Townsville in North Queensland is a choice worth considering. Enough rednecks to supply plenty of debating partners and something in the range of 300 blue sky days a year... which would be fantastic if you were a reptile. All this right on the Great Barrier Reef coast, so you can spend your twilight years watching the reef die (got to do something on all those days when it is too humid to build guitars).