Because I do not EVER want to forget!
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2008
Welcome to the New World
Really? I'm not going to wake up to the same old shit? Holy shit!
So I went and voted at about noon on Tue (the lines were incredible. . . I was the only one there. I had to go get the poll ladies out of the church kitchen to come and do whatever it is they do) and I'm trying to decide. . . do I want to drive all the way to Cincy or do I just want to sit back at home alone and watch what might be a very disappointing night? Well, my wife is already there and has been there for the past three days doing poll work for the Obama campaign and my son has been on the ground in Ohio criss crossing the state for months working for one of the largest unions in the country. . . ok, I'll go. They're expecting me. Off I go to Cincinnati, Ohio.
I hit Cincinnati a little before 6PM. With the help of a really cool guy who was originally from Sri Lanka and whose name I forget on the other end of my Demure One's phone for what seemed like an hour or so, I snaked my way through Cincinnati's twisted maze of streets and arrived at the polling place where my Demure One was working as a polling place observer for the O campaign. She then introduced me to the democratic precinct "judge," who was very familiar with bloggers in our liberal community and actually knew the Sagacious Hillbilly by way of Field Negro. Yea, he'd come here from Field Negro's blog.
Hey GW, it was good meeting you and thanks for entertaining the Demure One all day!
After the polls closed, we ran back to the hotel, cleaned up and headed out to the bar where the Union was having their after glow party. . . while at the hotel and on the way there I kept listening to the news and was getting a bit anxious as it looked like it was getting WAY too close even though few results were in yet.
By the time we got to the bar, things were looking better and WOW! they called PA for Obama! "It's happening." I thought it and I said it. People were going crazy cheering and hugging. A number of states turned, but all were expected. I kept looking at Ohio results and kept telling SonnyBoy that it was looking very good. . . he's a cynical little shit and kept pooh-poohing me. Then it happened. . . Ohio fell to Obama. The place exploded. This was just about the most diverse crowd I've ever seen? It was probably half or more black, some Latinos, Asians and other minority folks and the rest whites, but really, there were only people in that room and spilling out onto the sidewalk and into the street. These people have been busting their asses with all their heart and soul for months trying to turn Ohio blue. I mean they had invested their hearts, minds and bodies into the fight to deliver Ohio to Obama and there, in that one instant they saw a perfectly successful conclusion to their incredible hard work. . . and yes, everyone knew that at that point, with Ohio in the bag, probably nothing could stop Obama. These people were going absolutely nuts. Everyone was hugging, kissing and back slapping. People began chanting "O-hio, O-bama. O-hio, O-bama."
We watched and watched as the electoral count froze at 200. I kept thinking. . . CA, OR, WA and the election is won. At 1 minute and 45 seconds till 11PM I told my Demure One "in a minute 45 seconds, the polls will close in CA and they will call the election for Obama. . . BAM! It happened.
I have never seen such a gigantic burst of energy explode from a group of people. People were crying laughing, screaming, dancing, hugging, kissing." My son and I were locked in each other's arms sobbing when the Demur One found us and joined in the fun.
Amid the screaming and joyous revelry every now and then someone would stop, look at the TV screen and just stare with a dumbfounded look and tears running down their face. . . I did it a number of times. Out in the streets, everyone was freaking out. I watched one guy I'll never forget dance around and proclaim that there was "going to be soul food in the White House. . . fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, greens," and then he did a long animated routine about tucking in his napkin and having soul food with President Barack Obama. Groups of people were moving around in the neighborhood we were in and they were all coming up and joining the celebration. People were proclaimingthings like "We're gonna all be together at last!" PEople who didn't know each other were hugging and just smiling into each other's faces. . . yes, we were looking each other in the eye and experiencing each other's exhilaration. Never have I experienced such glory.
After a while a group of us decided to move up the street a few blocks to where the official Obama Campaign party was happening. We partied all the way there meeting other groups of people and greeting everyone with chants of "O-BA-MA!" and "PRESIDENT OBAMA!" Same thing was going on at the campaign party but we did add a little life to the party. We watched President Obama's speech while there and once again cried like babies.
Another cool thing was that twice I called my daughter and let her listen to the celebration, especially when her brother was leading a very loud cheer out in the street. Too bad she had to work today and couldn't be there, but somebody has to keep the wheels of gov't turning.
My words simply don't do justice to what we experienced.
I have seriously watched politics for 40 years in my 55 years and been very aware of politics since I can remember. I have truly waited my lifetime for this moment. . . for a candidate that I could really support and believe in. Thank you Barack Obama for being that candidate. . . now get busy. And thank you all you incredible people in Ohio who did something truly amazing. All of you who ignored everything else and dedicated all of yourself for a bit of time to a truly noble cause.
And to my son, who has worked tirelessly and fought his whole adult life so that others could live a better life. He loves the rank and file members of his union and our society. He believes that making life better for them will make life better for everyone and make the entire Earth a better place. He has been my hero for a long time and never lets me down.
Other notes:
As predicted, WV went large for McCain. Man am I glad I went to Ohio rather than hang around in this backwater.
I listened to some right wing talk radio on the way home today. It was sad. They sounded like raving maniacs. I hope the American people totally reject their sick hate based politics.
They have become irrelevant.
MoronMonkeyBoy Bush the Chimp; Shut the fuck up, sit down, do nothing and stay out of the way for the next 75 days. You are a sorry piece of shit who should die a miserable death rotting away in a cold dark dank prison cell.
I'm going to Washington, D.C. to watch President Obama be sworn in.
I'm not going to blog anymore about right wing morons.
I'm going to wear my two Obama tee shirt more often now. We have to support our new president as much as possible and be cheerleaders for his administration.
The media is going to go nuts over the Obama family. Wow, America hasn't had a royal family since the Kennedys. We've never had one as pretty as the Obamas.
Let's face it, America's presidential families haven't exactly been a good looking bunch.
The next year will be a very interesting time in American history. Enjoy the ride and don't take it all too serious.
Two tanks of gas . . . $64.00
Cheap hotel in a midwestern city. . . $50.00
Round of drinks for young cool union workers. . . $38.00
Partying with Ohio Union campaign workers
while watching Barack Obama win in Ohio and the nation. . . ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS
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