When I woke up this morning, I turned on the TV to find out the results of the US Presidential Election. To my amazement, there was Sen. John McCain giving his concession speech.
Two thoughts came to my mind: 1. Good heavens, the opinion polls were actually right! Barack Obama wins...big. He's going to be the first African-American President of the United States of America! Whoda thunk it?! 2. What a gracious speech by Sen. McCain. Where was
this guy the past few months?Then the focus switched to Grant Park, Chicago, and the vastly mixed throng of people awaiting the President-Elect, black, white, male, female, young, old. Good Lord, there's Jesse Jackson...crying.
At the designated time, Sen. Obama came out and gave his victory speech. I remember huddling over a short-wave radio in my dorm room in 1992, listening to Bill Clinton giving his own victory speech, and I thought that was pretty good oration.
This was something else. There's something utterly compelling about Obama's oration and I was held mesmerized. (That's not necessarily a good thing: 1930s Germany was held spellbound by the rhetoric of an evil madman.)Back in June, I marvelled that Sen. Obama had become the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. I could now see why he's taken the next step.
Congratulations, President-Elect Barack Obama. May God bless and protect you.
6 Comments:
Oh Shankar. You're so good. You're much more gracious than I have been the last 24 hours. But, in my defense, I have kept my mouth shut. It's all been in my thoughts. Nothing vulgar. Just plain disgust.
I voted for Obama and supported proposition 8! I'm hopeful-- politically and morally.
Mr. Obama, you have my prayers. You will need them. This country, the United States, has never been more divided. You won the majority of the votes, but there are still many who don't support you. Prove us/them wrong. Prove that this country is ready for change and that you are the one to bring it.
~A hopeful American
Charlotta, that's a beautifully expressed sentiment. I agree with the need for Mr. President-elect to have prayers, but not of just of the United States, but of the whole world. We all need some hope and healing.
I enjoyed your post.
I am hopeful and prayerful that the country will be mended. I know that it won't happen within the first year or so,but I hope that it will happen.
Regardless, of who one's candidate was, this is an important moment in American history. Let's embrace it and be thankful that we live in a time where a black man can and will be President. It gives hope to all of us that are not a white male. And it shows the world that we truly are a country made up of many different nations, cultures, and colors and that we embrace that and are proud of it.
I did not vote for Obama or McCain. I am hoping that this country can always improve, I am just not very optimistic that (a positive) "change" will happen with 2 powerful parties that have been pretty much sprinting away from our constitutional principles for the past 50 years. I found it ironic that a Democrat and a Republican were both using the line of "change". I don't see where the change is, unless we are moving closer or further away from the constitution. I don't think we'll be moving closer.
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