Vote early, and....

[dieseltaylor]

I am sure that the vast majority of the world is thankful that America voted for Obama.

In terms of good PR this is the best thing to happen for America Inc. for a long long time. Whether he will be able to walk on water, solve global warming and eliminate world poverty I doubt, a second term may be required. : )

[howardb]

I never believed USA would elect a coloured man, at least not in this century. Congratulations for proving me wrong. Even though his predecessor is George W. Bush, there's a huge financial crisis going on, you got a record deficit, US global empathy is at an all time low and you're knee-deep in a war where you've been looking for WMD's since 2001 this is something you can be proud of.

I don't know of any other western democratic country that has elected a coloured man as it's head-of-state. You've even beat the most liberal of European countries in this regard. Hell half our parliament is female, but electing a non-caucasian prime minister is still many years to come. This is how you keep the american dream alive. Regardless of your political views, this is something you can be proud. The people screaming rascism every time someone disagrees with them just got it much harder. Come to think of it maybe we should do it as well.

[Kanonier Reichmann]

A great result and truly an inspiration for the rest of the world. That's what the USA should represent, not division and fighting.

Also, one has to commend McCain for an exceptionally gracious concession speech while Obama's was inspirational....."yes YOU can"!

Regards

Jim R.

[Subvet]

It's funny. The people here who voted early to escape the crowds ended up waiting for an hour or more in long lines. I voted today at rush hour and was in and out in about 5 minutes.

Same here. My friend voted last weekend and had to wait 3 hours. :eek: I went right after work during the big rush hour, yet walked in with NO line and was out in a few minutes.

[Andreas]

Almost as funny as Biden throwing a hissy fit after someone finally asks the Dem ticket some hardball questions - and to then have the media cut-off for the rest of the campaign for doing such. Should be interesting to see how the media is controlled and manipulated in an Obama Presidency (ala "Fairness Doctrine").

But yes, register and vote often, ACORN is counting on it!

Fox News.

WSJ.

Just two liberal media outlets who covered up everything that was wrong about Obama's campaign only to help him get elected.

But never let the facts get in the way of a weak excuse.

All the best

Andreas

[dieseltaylor]

Cutting Andreas, very cutting : )

[Guest Guest]

deleted per user request

[Lars]

Eh, they're all like that.

[Sergei]

I wonder if Senator McCain comes back to his senses now that the race is over and the dark spirit of Karl Rove leaves from his body?

[Andreas]

He already has. Read his concession speech.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96631784&ft=1&f=1001

All the best

Andreas

[Sergei]

- what affect will Obama have on Iraq and Pakistan?

I don't think they'll be very affectionate.

[dieseltaylor]

I have just shown the statesmenlike best bits. He was a class act until Palin. But she was probably minus votes with the needed centre. Nice guy.

...........

Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day — though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her Creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

.......................

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life. And my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Sen. Obama and my old friend, Sen. Joe Biden, should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

I would not be an American worthy of the name, should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century. Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen. Obama, I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.

And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history. Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America.

[dieseltaylor]

bugger Bachmann is back

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Bachmann

what is it about Alaska?

and Senator Dole got her comeuppance for advertising her opponent as non-Christian

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Democratic_challenger_to_North_Carolina_senator_Elizabeth_Dole_files_libel_lawsuit?curid=116027

that was a really lowblow

[Andreas]

Cutting Andreas, very cutting : )

Deservedly so.

Every one looking for conspiracy excuses should first read this:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122586043326400685.html

If the evil liberal media elected Obama by hiding his defects throughout, then how come at the end of September he and McCain were running even?

It appears to me that the Democrats ran the better show, benefitted from the circumstances, and because of the latter voters were not interested in another round of Rovian scaremongering or swiftboarding (I know that Obama's campaign was not above attack ads either, but I doubt they were what got him elected). I think the sooner the GOP realises that this is what cost them the election, and not the 'liberal media', the better for the party. Free outside advice, which tells you all you need to know about its value - several options available though.

Then again, I don't think there's a rush, the GOP is likely to have eight years to engage in navel gazing when it comes to competing for president (you probably didn't read it here first).

All the best

Andreas

[Guest Guest]

deleted per user request

[RSColonel_131st]

McCains speech really shows true class. Maybe if he hadn't set on Palin, and focused his campaign more on his visions instead of attacks, he would have had a fair chance.

Scary thought that Palin could be running in 4 years.

[Sgt Joch]

President-elect Obama!

I never thought I would see a black man elected president of the United States of America in my lifetime.

He is the embodiement of the american ideal that any US citizen can grow up to become president.

He has a tough job ahead, there are a lot of problems to solve and the expectations are so high.

I for one, will give him the benefit of the doubt during this honeymoon period...I wont start criticizing his decisions until next week

[mike_the_wino]

I am sure that the vast majority of the world is thankful that America voted for Obama.

I had a similiar conversation with one of my housemates last night and was surprised which she brought up this aspect. I can't say that I have honestly given two shakes of lamb's tail to what the rest of the world thought, it has always been about which one could better lead the country in my eyes. She was quite the opposite, believing that some fer-rin country should have a stack in our country. Strange days.

In terms of good PR this is the best thing to happen for America Inc. for a long long time. Whether he will be able to walk on water, solve global warming and eliminate world poverty I doubt, a second term may be required. : )

It will definitely be different. I feel strangely optimistic while the conervatives run around like it's the end of the world and the libs, even though they won, are STILL pissed. WTF?!?!?!?

[Bigduke6]

Running and winning are of course, not the same thing. Somehow I doubt Barracuda Sarah is going to get a whole lot smarter in the next four years, and her power base in the Republican Party is zilch, she's the governor of Alaska of all states after all, and her appeal is all wrong for a national candidate. Obama defeated McCain handily; barring major disasters during the first four years he would just level Palin, she is after all a hockey Mom not a war hero.

As to Obama, I have to say I disagree a bit with all the people on the news saying "America is back!" or "Now things are different!" or "Now the world knows the real America!" The Congress already was Democratic, and withdrawal from Iraq and further commitment to Afghanistan aren't even on the table. I sometimes despair of my fellow Americans deciding about once a decade "Now things are completely different!" I say, not completely, just some, and how much exactly we're going to have to see.

From my perspective, Obama's potential is not in his ethnicity, which is symobolic for a President, but in his education and experience. This is a guy that went to a new school more than once, and didn't speak the language, he was an outsider and the other kids picked on him. This is a guy that got his start in politics getting schools repaired or playgrounds cleaned up in cummy neighborhoods, and then he got noticed by a city political machine. When he was in state politics, let's not forget, he also taught constitutional law at one of the US' top universities. As Henry Kissinger proved, experience in high-level academia prepares you well for bureaucratic in-fighting in government; university professors are generally smarter than government employees and they play dirtier. That is all stuff a person is unlikely to forget, so I would say intellectually Obama's very well equipped for the job of getting center-left legislation pushed through Congress, and presiding over a less agressive US foreign policy.

But there's alot between potential and what turns out to be, and I agree with the pundits that although Obama has the potential of becoming one of the great Presidents - something no one ever expected of W. of course - it remains to be seen whether Obama can turn mobilization of public opinion into practical reforms of law and policy.

Still, I wish him well, even if he is a Harvard man.

[Andreas]

Scary thought that Palin could be running in 4 years.

It'll just guarantee a second term for Obama/Biden. Just this time with 450 EVs and 60% of the popular vote.

I don't think the GOP is that stupid.

All the best

Andreas

[Sergei]

But there's alot between potential and what turns out to be, and I agree with the pundits that although Obama has the potential of becoming one of the great Presidents - something no one ever expected of W. of course - it remains to be seen whether Obama can turn mobilization of public opinion into practical reforms of law and policy.

The global economy is in tatters and the state wallet full of IOU's - rather than initiate any brave new (and co$tly) projects, it seems that Obama will have to start by closing down government services.

Hopefully, that'll include Hotel Gitmo.

[Subvet]

...she is after all a hockey Mom not a war hero.

I sometimes despair of my fellow Americans deciding about once a decade "Now things are completely different!" I say, not completely, just some, and how much exactly we're going to have to see.

War heroes seem to fare very poorly when it comes to running for President.

As to the second comment; that's why I usually don't vote for one of the two Republicrats that get put up each election. Unfortunately Americans are unwilling to look at a 3rd party. :mad:

[Lars]

bugger Bachmann is back

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Bachmann

what is it about Alaska?

Er, Minnesota.

And she had the saving grace of not being the other guy, who was a crook.

[gunnergoz]

Well, soon the Bush cabal will be gone and there will no one to blame and kick around except the Democrats and Obama. I expect the Republicans and conservatives will get plenty of practice criticizing and undercutting the new administration over the next 4 years. It remains to be seen if this "change we can believe in" can overcome the reluctance of the other side to taking part in any change at all.

[Field Marshal Blücher]

Well, soon the Bush cabal will be gone and there will no one to blame and kick around except the Democrats and Obama. I expect the Republicans and conservatives will get plenty of practice criticizing and undercutting the new administration over the next 4 years. It remains to be seen if this "change we can believe in" can overcome the reluctance of the other side to taking part in any change at all.

I don't know for sure, but it is a step in the right direction. I worked in the Senate over the summer, and I think that part of the reason that Congress is so messed up right now is because neither side respects each other or the President. So you end up with three different lawmaking sides all trying to get what they want, with no leadership, and therefore nothing gets done.

I don't know if Obama will make everything suddenly way better, but I do believe he can establish more credibility and reduce the partisanship that's messing everything up over there.