European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Step One is great, good, fantastically well accomplished!

But compared to what follows, frankly, it's the easy bit.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:31:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: How this looks to me (4.00 / 11)

Yes--not only is it the easier part, we have as yet no idea where Obama really wants to go. Perhaps he's wise enough to also remain flexible in this regard.

That said, I am today proud of my countrymen and women.

The kingmakers thought to crown queen Hillary this time, I believe, thinking they could triangulate their way into an extended stay in power, and have a Democratic scapegoat if the shit really hit the fan.

At first, I think McCain was a necessary theater-piece. I think Obama's primary victory caught them totally off guard, and they disintegrated into a dog pack and playing catch-up ever since- not sure if McCain was electable, not sure they wanted him to be elected. Governor Dingbat was an incredibly divisive choice for the real GOP.

At some point, the focus shifted away from McCain-Palin (!) to something ageeable and do-able: preventing a Democratic veto-proof majority in the senate. In this, they were successful, it seems.

I am one who has no faith in the integrity of the electoral process--Obama won because his margin of victory exceeded the GOP theft margin, and because of his superb strategy, particularly vis. the 50 state strategy. Thanks, Howard Dean.

Grabbing what you can, as John Ruskin said, isn't any less wicked when you grab it with the power of your brains than with the power of your fists.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:38:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: How this looks to me (none / 1)

Obama won because his margin of victory exceeded the GOP theft margin, and because of his superb strategy, particularly vis. the 50 state strategy. Thanks, Howard Dean.

Right. On the GOP theft margin, (excellent expression!), and on Howard Dean's paternity of the groundswell, 50-state, fighting Dems strategy.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 04:15:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

You must be especially proud of Ohio :-)

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 04:50:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Proud--and amazed.

Grabbing what you can, as John Ruskin said, isn't any less wicked when you grab it with the power of your brains than with the power of your fists.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 06:48:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: How this looks to me (4.00 / 2)

Well, I reckon that Georgia saw major disenfranchisement and probably even outright fraud.

All through the primaries, there were huge queues in the major cities (where the "other people" vote). And the polls became extremely close, even when their likely voters model had under 30% blacks (it was a lot more, at least in the proportion of people who wanted to vote -but I don't fault anyone for giving up on a longer than 8 hours queue, which happened in Georgia).

Then suddenly, a 9% gap when national results are on the high end of the expected values? When exit polls (remember, exit polls did not include the early voters, who were disproportionately black) were a lot closer?

Very suspicious. But then, people from Georgia on pollster.com had been warning about that all along so maybe we shouldn't be surprised.

"Few can believe that suffering, especially by others, is in vain. - Galbraith"

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:28:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

See below in the thread (none / 0)

Georgia is still very much in play, apparently, both for the presidency and for the Senate.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:09:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Ok, the words have been spoken, now deliver the results and the change. Then we judge.

Secondly, do not ever, ever, tell me America is a country of white racists again. Do not ever waive your hand of white guilt and privilege. 97% of blacks voted for Obama. Does that sound like votes for skin color or for policies...

by paulfl1 on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 09:50:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Jeez, Louise. 97% of blacks voted for Obama? Read even the most charitable history of blacks in America and ask yourself: can you blame them? I'm not surprised that 97% of blacks voted for Barack. I am totally baffled that 3% did not.

Somewhere in cyberspace, the ghost of de Chardin is smiling.

by budr on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:17:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: How this looks to me (none / 1)

In fact, 3% of the GLOBAL vote for McCain would have been the normal outcome with a reasonably intelligent and decent electorate.

So maybe it's just a sign that blacks are more intelligent and decent.

"Few can believe that suffering, especially by others, is in vain. - Galbraith"

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:36:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

http://www.philly.com/philly/gallery/Crowds_flood_Philly_streets_after_Obama_win.html

Did this "Blacks are racist" line get some play on the hate stations recently? I have been hearing and reading it a lot in the last few days.

It is crap from several levels. First, by definition.

racism |ˈrāˌsizəm| noun
the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.
* prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief : a program to combat racism.
DERIVATIVES
racist |ˈreɪs1st| noun & adjective

It would be racist to vote against someone just because of race. But to say that a 97% vote was only because of race is a logical void. There is a 85-95% likelihood that the segment known as 'The Black Vote" are going to vote for democrats regardless of race...in fact, the choice has been for only voting for white folk for hundreds of years...oops~! they couldn't vote for hundreds of years since their Terms of Sales forbid it...well, maybe since emancipations...nope, not that either...how about since de-segregation of the military in the 50s...wrong again...how about since the Civil Rights Act...getting closer, but we certainly have seen how this hasn't been true either what with fewer polling places that cause multi-hour long lines and other obstacles.

Secondly, stop with the generalizations - people would be wrong to say, and probably don't say, that "America is a country of white racists". What they should say is that "There are still a lot of Americans who are too lazy, or unable due to ignorance, or who prefer not to think out of their old sick and disgusting habits of racism and sexism and fear of anything different-ism, and who will do whatever is required to muddy the waters, including appearing sophomoric and foolish in public."

Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.

Frank Delaney ~ Ireland

by siegestate (siegestate or beyondwarispeace.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:55:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (4.00 / 8)

I am glad it was Obama and not McCain that was elected and most off all I am glad that these elections are finally over, after 2 years - unbelievable.

As to being happy or excited, I just can not feel it, I am still not convinced that he will be change, especially in the direction most people seem to hope for, ending the wars, more progressive, more cooperation with other countries instead of demanding to be the leader, etc. But I really would be happy and delighted to be proven wrong, like never before in my life. If I am proven wrong I am willing to go out on the street and dance and sing.

What I am impressed with is not Obama, but the grassroot movement that was created by the US people, which started for me with Howard Dean and I think his work is largely forgotten and overlooked, without his 50 states strategy todays outcome might not have been possble. So congratulation for that to Americans. :-)

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:28:32 AM EST

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

I don't think he will be able to hugely turn things. But at least he won't set out to make things worse. At least he won't try to make Government incompetent. He won't try to disenfranchise minorities.

It has to be a major improvement, both over the incumbent and the alternative.

"Few can believe that suffering, especially by others, is in vain. - Galbraith"

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:31:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (none / 0)

Cyrille:

But at least he won't set out to make things worse. At least he won't try to make Government incompetent. He won't try to disenfranchise minorities.

I agree with you, but doesn't necessarily speak for him but against his precedessor and it could have been said about any of the other canditates.

What I hope for is that this grassroot movement keeps active and holds his feets to the fire, so that he has to listen to the people.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:41:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

One thing we need urgently (4.00 / 6)

is for the standard no longer to be "no worse than ..." (Saddam, the French, the Russians, George Bush)

I was always annoyed that it was Bush that used the sentence about the "soft bigotry of low expectations" - a brilliant expression for a very much valid concept - and yet another case of projection.

So it's not so bad that expectations are high today. We need that if we want to have a chance for the big things that need to be done to actually be done.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:48:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: One thing we need urgently (4.00 / 2)

Oh, I didn't just mean that he'd merely no be worse than...

But the mess left behind by Bush is such that Obama will have to put out many a fire before he can actually improve things.

Fran, my candidate was John Edwards. I am sorry that Obama felt he had to campaign so far to the right. But his policies are still vastly better than a lot of what is considered mainstream.
You could argue that several other candidates were better than Bush, but any Republican would have been more destruction. We needed to get rid of Republicans. And it's not a done deal.

"Few can believe that suffering, especially by others, is in vain. - Galbraith"

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:19:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: One thing we need urgently (4.00 / 5)

Yes, we need higher expectations to become more realistic.

It's not as if wanting someone who isn't a crazy fuck should be such a big ask. But the homophobes in the US won most of their propositions, and there are still 54 million people in the US who would have been happy with McCain.

Realistically, Obama won a squeaker thanks to epic volunteer efforts. The difference is 6% and not 16% or 26% as it should have been.

So I'm not feeling cheered either. It feels like the start of a lot of hard work, and not the end of it.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 04:33:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: One thing we need urgently (4.00 / 2)

ThatBritGuy:

there are still 54 million people in the US who would have been happy with McCain.

and risk a Palin Presidency.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 04:48:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (4.00 / 8)

I don't really expect much more than a return to sanity by the US, but that is itself a hell of an improvement over the last while. I don't see any reason to expect he won't improve things: for instance the pressure of events and reality requires him to end the wars because they're not sustainable anyway.

He'll clearly be more progressive than McCain would be: if you're poor or middle class in the US, Obama and the Democrats are less awful than the Republicans - that's not necessarily saying much, but it might be the difference between eating and not eating. One thing I noted with Obama was his references to how lucky he was to be well off.

As for his diplomacy, well he has a mandate to do things like talk to the Iranians without preconditions, which is already a huge improvement. "More cooperation with other countries" isn't a high hurdle either, given the Bush regime's skills.

The themes he hit in his acceptance speech - ending the wars, fixing the real economy, climate change and energy independence, fixing alliances - indicate that there is grounds for hope. Hell, having a US President that believes something needs to be done about global warming is a massive improvement.

Is he still a US politician embedded in the US system with all the baggage that implies? Of course. Is he still going to end up bombing a few thousand people? Probably. Is he still a centre right politician with a whole pile of personal failings? Naturally.

Are all or even most Eurotribbers going to be happy with his policies? Not a chance. But it'll most probably be an improvement. It might even be a great improvement. Wouldn't it be nice to be complaining that the US wasn't doing enough to address climate change rather than complaining that it was actively sabotaging any efforts to adapt?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:32:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Yes, I agree, I'm feeling relieved but little more. Godz, I feel like a party-pooper but I feel about him as I did when blair got elected when I said "at least he'll stop digging in the same hole the other guy did, I just worry about the holes he'll start"

Y'know I just wrote and then deleted a whole essay of stuff I want done different and don't expect to see change one iota and I've decided that maybe now ain't the time. Enjoy the party America, man you deserve at least that much.

But this was the easy bit. Really, compared with what's next this was a breeze. The hard work starts on Jan 28th.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:39:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

I echo those sentiments, but I think it's easy to underestimate the importance of having a black Emperor. Also, that his father was born in Africa, not in the US. This has the potential to change how people look at the US after Bush more than any other candidate would have. Of course, the potential for disappointment is greater.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:39:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (none / 0)

How the world looks at the US is changing right now. Obama's a huge image-maker. But what you say about the potential for disappointment, etc...

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:49:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

He could be attuned enough - and smart enough - to seize on it and avoid disappointment. But as we know he's been toning down his rhetoric and asking people not to expect much from his first 100 days.

The problem with that attitude is that the first 100 days set the tone and also set a maximum level of energy and ambition. You don't get to step up in the middle of your term: 9/11 was very unusual. Less than 8 months into his term, Bush was headed for 4 years of lame duck presidency.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:01:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (none / 1)

True. But that was a handicapped president-intellectually, politically and psychologically. Could this be a new game? I think it could.

Obama's knowledge about the world is yet woefully limited. Nothing in his two books or his public life suggest an as-yet wider view. But it's clear he's a quick study. Our best hope.

Grabbing what you can, as John Ruskin said, isn't any less wicked when you grab it with the power of your brains than with the power of your fists.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:47:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

knowledge about the world (4.00 / 5)

Le Canard prints words apparently said by Obama to a French delegation at a big meeting a fewdays ago:

"I don't understand you French - you have all these problems with your black people and yet the white would vote 80% for me."

"You guys know about socialism. Is it a curable disease?"

With no context, it's hard to know if the latter was meant in jest or otherwise. But the whole thing suggests that the usual narratives about France are well and alive in Obama's mind.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 04:20:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: knowledge about the world (none / 1)

With regard to the former, first I don't think we have "all these problems with our black people", but his surprise seems to indicate that he reckons colour of skin really is a very relevant factor.

He of all people should not push that narrative.

"Few can believe that suffering, especially by others, is in vain. - Galbraith"

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 04:56:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: knowledge about the world (4.00 / 3)

Both of those quotes have the stench of poor translation. Sarcasm and American dry humor don't seem to translate into French. The word choices, etc, don't sound much like Obama.

I'd like to see the actual Obama quotes and some context from the conversation. Without that these quotes are wide open for interpretation.

The first bit seems to be calling out the French for hypocrisy. He is suggesting that even though a huge majority would vote for him, a black American, they probably wouldn't do the same for a black Frenchman.

The second quote is probably an attempt at sarcasm or at least clever wordplay. Based on the extremely socialist rhetoric Obama has used in the past month I would be hard pressed to read the latter as being "the usual narrative." I think you'll find that Obama's domestic policy ends up borrowing greatly from France and Europe in general. This much seems clear.

by paving on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 05:09:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (4.00 / 6)

What's really needed globally though is simply to stop looking toward the US, rather than looking toward it with new eyes. A unipolar world is much too limiting, regardless of who currently heads the White House.

--
$E(X_t|F_s) = X_s,\quad t > s$

by martingale on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:04:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (none / 1)

The US is likely to leave its hegemonic position. The question is whether there will be a "hegemonic succession war" as Bruce once put it. McCain would have accelerated the process even more than Bush, and probably ensured that the US went out with a big bang. Obama will slow down the process, but not reverse it. Of course, the white supremacists will say that the election of a black President is a sign of America's decadence.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:19:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

In the US right now, things have gotten to such a state that anything less than excellence on Obama's part is a guarantee of failure.

Paradoxically, this is why I'm allowing myself to hope. Obama certainly has the intelligence and vision to see what needs to be done; what has disturbed me to date has been his tendency to choose the safe policy option over the bold and risky one.

Now that the bold and risky options are the only ones left, I'm hopeful that he will step up.

Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine - Patti Smith

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:09:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Obama Elect Open Thread (none / 1)

He also has nothing to gain by playing it safe: he's already Emperor.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:21:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Street celebrations (none / 0)

I'm getting emails about massive street celebrations in Washington, Boston, NY, Chicago. Any pictures anywhere?

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:42:59 AM EST

Philadelphia (none / 0)

hard to find other good pics on Google.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:51:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

there's a couple of party picture threads on kos.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:40:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Philadelphia (4.00 / 11)

I just came back from a HUGE spontaneous rally outside the White House. Thousands of people walked down there from all over town: chanting, dancing, singing, banging drums, hi-fiving everyone in sight, walking up to total strangers and hugging them.....

Amazing. Uplifting. Not something I could have imagined.

I have some pictures and video, but it's almost 3 in the morning here, I have to work tomorrow and I can't find my cable or card reader to download them from my camera. But I hope to post a White House party diary Wednesday....

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:51:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

How will people react to Bush's last 3 months of executive orders?

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:57:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Will anyone on the receiving end of those orders act on them?

Grabbing what you can, as John Ruskin said, isn't any less wicked when you grab it with the power of your brains than with the power of your fists.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:52:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Hopefully not. We'll see.

When does the Senate meet again? Does Obama get the chance to do anything in the 75 days before he takes office?

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 04:52:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The greatest damage he can do is administrative: by issuing executive orders changing regulations - or even how they are implemented - ha can cause damage that would take years to correct.

Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine - Patti Smith

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 05:29:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I have said before if I were president I would start by issuing executive orders reversing Bush's.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 05:50:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

And so he should.

The fear is that Bush might promulgate rules, say, easing restrictions on logging in sensitive areas and then grant permits under the new rules. Even if the respective order is reversed, the permits would remain valid.

Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine - Patti Smith

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 06:12:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

there's always ways around that if you mean it. You can log, but you can't make access roads, you can't use machinery etc etc.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 06:27:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Philadelphia (none / 1)

In the meantime, the Washington Post has video here, which looks like it was taken really early on, before the crowd got huge.

I mean, there were literally people dancing in the streets. Thousands and thousands. A river of them, walking down 16th Street.

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:58:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Hey stormy! (none / 0)

Where have you been lately? We haven't seen you since the Pzris meetup!?

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:59:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hey stormy! (4.00 / 2)

Hi! Been slammed with work and life and everything, not online much at all. Working on that...

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:01:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hey stormy! (4.00 / 4)

Good god! having a life? that will never do.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 03:15:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Street celebrations (4.00 / 2)

Flickr's got photos from all over:

Seattle: http://flickr.com/photos/allswede/3005025410/
Philly: http://flickr.com/photos/dis-section/3004991298/
Atlanta: http://flickr.com/photos/sanasaurus/3004120857/
etc.

see http://flickr.com/search/?s=rec&q=obama+atlanta

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:48:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

This is to be contrasted with Bush's inauguration in January 2001, which was gloomy and acrimonious.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 04:52:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Street celebrations (none / 1)

What I hope for is that this new mood will strengthen the grassroot movement even more and that they start to holf their politicians more accountable. Something we still could use more of, here in Europe too.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 04:59:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Shanghai American Chamber of Commerce (4.00 / 6)

It's a really poor quality video, but with my cruddy camera, I captured the moment that California's votes came in and it dawned on everyone that Holy crap, Obama won!!!

I wanted very badly to watch the election results with other people, but was disappointed to learn that the only option anyone knew of was the 400 RMB per head event sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai. (400 RMB [45 euros] is very expensive in China: outside of rent, I could live on that for two weeks easily, and up to a month if I just eat simple Chinese food.) At the price, this morning I was like, "Forge it. I'll just follow it on the Web." Power up the computer: Web is down. Turns out, the the internet is down for the whole neighborhood for some reason. Tinfoil alert starts ringing: Does the PRC not want us ex-pats, much less their citizens, to follow this historically momentous election? Try the TV. All the news is about yesterday's agreement between Taiwan and China to allow planes and ships to travel directly across the Taiwan Strait. And when they finally got to the election, they had some economist on blabbing about how the U.S. economy was coupled to China and how the new president shouldn't endanger economic ties between the two countries, etc.

That's it: suck it up, get to the Hilton, and fork up the cash.

I was worried that the event would be mostly high-powered professionals and diplomat types. The keynote speaker was to be Ian Johnson, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist from the Wall Street Journal. Sure enough, when I walked in, it looked like a goddamn GOP convention except that all the staff were Chinese.

But over time, more and more people showed up dressed casually, and by the time Obama's victory was announced, I did not feel so out of place (although the suits still outnumbered everyone by a large margin).

The big and pleasant surprise was that although there were a few McCain supporters, most people seemed in favor of Obama, based on the cheering and clapping whenever a state was announced for Obama.

This was confirmed when the results of a mock vote that was taken among the attendees was announced: 19 for McCain, 122 for Obama. This among the U.S. business and diplomatic elite in Shanghai.

A minor highlight was meeting two fellow dual/naturalized U.S. citizens like myself -- who were equally overjoyed (and almost in disbelief) about Obama's victory.

There were few tears: I got the feeling that as moving as the moment was, people were leery of letting their feelings out among so many Serious People. But I saw plenty of beaming smiles and hugs, and caught several people wiping away tears.

Of course, it's likely that most McCain supporters in the Shanghai U.S. business/diplomatic community didn't even bother to come. Who knows, if McCain was favored, or even if it were close, there might have been far more of them than Obama supporters. The president of the Shanghai American Chamber of Commerce seemed to give away his own preference when he prefaced his speech by saying something along the lines of, "Well, this is all very nice and all, but we need to talk about some serious matters," before going into his concerns about the future of U.S. commerce, trade and industry with/in China. Right. Because his talk was more serious than Obama's election.

Today reminded me a lot of watching another event when a group of people were experiencing incredibly intense emotions that under the circumstances they felt compelled to keep pent up: watching France beat Brazil in the 1998 World Cup in a bar in Austin, Texas where Brazilian fans outnumbered French fans about 30 to 1. When we (the French) won, we could not believe it, and we could no longer contain our jubilation. To the Brazilians' credit, they were good sports about it and let us enjoy our moment of celebration.

Similarly, my conservative friends back in the U.S. wrote emails to our mail list congratulating Obama and those of us who supported him, and wished the new president-elect and the country the best of luck.

And more than one of them also expressed pride and satisfaction that the "racism as an influential presence in our country" was continuing to be transcended.

Sorry for the long post!

Gotta go party now!!!!

Truth unfolds in time through a communal process.

by marco (cowannar at gmail punkt com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 05:22:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hi marco. (4.00 / 2)

That's all I'm going to say.

I love the smell of roast chicken in the morning!

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 06:41:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

No pics here in DC. I'm hoping those loud bangs from across the Potomac last night were fireworks rather than celebratory gun shots though.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 08:29:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Street celebrations (none / 1)

BBC correspondents' heads exploding.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 08:31:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

In a good way or what? I can imagine Drew's brain is fried around now, assuming it still functions.

I love the smell of roast chicken in the morning!

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 08:34:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

My brain is semi-functional on only the best of days, so yep: fried now. I'm exhausted.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 09:17:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Good job. Take a break. More work comin'.

I love the smell of roast chicken in the morning!

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Wed Nov 5th, 2008 at 09:24:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]