Whoah mama, it’s Obama!

After hunting around online for various streaming videos and “updated every 2 minute” electoral vote counts, I remembered that I have CNN, MSNBC and BBC on my damn TV. And so it was that I was able to watch history in the making – always a cool thing to do.

It’s no secret that Obama can deliver a speech, but watching him just now I realized it’s more than that. Any trained politician can deliver a speech. What Obama can do, and where McCain so obviously failed, is deliver hope and belief that he will foster in a new dawn for America – a better America.

Will everything change tomorrow? In January? In 2009? Not likely. But today American politics, which for so long has slipped further and further out of touch with both its own people and the international community, has taken a massive step back towards where it should be – a symbol of freedom, liberty and democracy.

Because, and this is key, a person or a country doesn’t have to be perfect to be a role model, but they have to at least appear to be trying – and it’s been a long time since America has appeared to be trying much of anything but xenophobic isolationism.

Obama’s foreign policy isn’t set to make huge changes in the way America handles the world outside Her borders, but perception is everything. Having a black man, with a foreign sounding name, whose father and step-father were foreigners, who grew up outside the continental United States… the perception of a Ultra-Christian White/Right America has come to an end.

Whatever happens next, today is a great day in America’s history. A day where, for the first time in my life, I am proud to be North American not because of my birth country, but because of the country just south of it.

America, take a bow. Obama, give yourself a pat on the ass. You won it without attacks, you won it without the “race card”, you won it with integrity. Sure there’s much to be done, but today you can sit back, crack a cold one and say “well fucking done.”

11 Responses

  1. Cheers!!
    I’m only 25 which means all of my ‘adult’ life I haven’t felt able to be proud of my president. And, living abroad, at many times I’ve been ashamed. It’s hard trying to reconcile what you believe your country should be and what it really is. With Obama, I’m not not only hopeful and confident, I’m very proud as well. It’s a very good feeling.
    Heres to a better (at least) 4 years!

  2. I was delighted at the news ! Watched them both on CNN & BBC. McCain was extremely gracious at his “Aw Shucks” speech, but Obama promises to lead a great nation out of cronyism, very dodgy foreign policy and making things right with the world.

    Yes, a man who identifies himself as a black “African American” can become President. Dreams can come true, but there is an inevitable rocky road ahead for him, fixing the f**kups of Dubbya.

    I just sincerely hope he is not shot by some nut.

    J.

  3. WooooHoooo! He did it! You are so right Ryan today is a great day for the people of the United States. He even took Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida! Absolutely Amazing!

  4. Pingback: Barack Obama - Blog Echoes « Justrecently’s Weblog

  5. As I sat glued to the t.v last night with my two children beside me,my 10 year old son asked “why this was so important to us being Canadians.” My 11 year old daughter turned to him and said, “because now everyone around the world is equal.” And as we watched the official announcement and the following speeches, the goosebumps and tears were still there from my little girl’s response. I am so proud that we are here for this historic day, and that I got to share it with my two little pieces of the future who now TRULY believe that anything is possible!

  6. Good enough, indeed well said Ryan. I am proud to be an American today and that has not always been the case as I make my way through life in China. Jason is right of course, it’s not always easy trying to ferret out the difference between what should be and what is.

    Uh…more importantly, do you really have CNN, MSNBC and the BBC? I have GOT to get onto that program…do you think that’s available down here?!?

  7. Well put. Time will tell how Obama governs, and he certainly faces a lot of challenges. But his election was just a great day…I can’t remember the last time I truly felt proud of my country, but I certainly do now.

  8. This Kinda bothers me and it does contradict. Xenophobic isolationism isn’t exactly what Neocons are after. if anything they’re the opposite of Isolationism because they promote globalization. If Barak Hussein Obama is purporting to be doing the opposite of what the status quo then the US will become a Isolatinist state (if not Xenophobic) But from what I can tell his stances has already changed specially his view on Iran (According to him he will not discount using force against Iran) how is this any different than what the Republicans are after?

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