America Votes – Election Night 08 – Are You Watching the Results?

Oh, yeah. I’m watching on CNN and monitoring on http://www.fivethirtyeight.com. I have already selected the alcohol of choice if (1) my guy wins (champagne) or (2) my guy loses (tequila). Always good to be prepared, you know?

You are a brave brave person… though warring fans when chart numbers come out is probably a little scarier so your used to it!

ETA.. It is so fascinating to see which states switched from four years ago and how the swing states vote.

I’m watching until my guy reaches 270 electoral votes. I must sleep tonight. David Cook’s video kept me awake last night.

I eat, sleep, and breathe fivethirtyeight.com these days.

Exciting!!

This may be the 1st time in the 28 yrs that I have been able to vote that I may cry myself to sleep after all is said and done tonight…………..

I totally cracked up when Jessica The Hologram made an appearance. Dude fangirled pretty hard over the hologram feature.

Idol Schmidol! This is reality TV at its best. I am at the edge of my seat!

FolkFan, the 538 link didn’t work for me

So, what does Dial Idol have to say about this election??? lol

JMFTMFW!!!!

Blogger was mucking up 538.com. It should be working now:

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/

Ohio just went to Obama!

What? There is some big election thing today? BWHAHAHHAHA! I’ve been watching that video from that new guy, David Cook.

Oh OK, I actually had SIGNS in my yard this year! And I did vote. And I voted in the last few state elections too even. I’m so proud of myself for voting the last few years because I haven’t always done it on a regular basis.

DC FTMFW! Oh wait…..

Thanks for the political forum, mj. I gotta stay out of this one though!

Well, this election night is certainly lacking the drama of 2000 and 2004, thus far. Not that I’m complaining, of course. MJ, are we supposed to be keeping our votes private? People seem to be speaking in very general terms and I wasn’t sure if that was just preference or your policy.

Ohio just went to Obama!

CNN is calling PA for him too. That was a must for McCain.

Blehhhhhh. Who am I kidding? I’m not sleeping a wink.

I have always voted but have never felt as passionate about my choice as I have this year. I have always felt a bit “removed” or in a “bubble” of my own world until this Election and it is driving me crazy with worry about our world. I wish I could return to my “bubble” and pretend that what happens in Washington won’t effect me but the truth is that the older I get the more impact our President has on my reality and there is no escaping it :glurps_tb:

game over.

God help the economy. oh well at least i get to see chris sligh in 2 days !!!

Oh, yeah. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m watching on CNN and monitoring on http://www.fivethirtyeight.com. I have already selected the alcohol of choice if (1) my guy wins (champagne) or (2) my guy loses (tequila). Always good to be prepared, you know?

I will take the Tequila no matter who wins, thank you very much!!!!

I have always voted but have never felt as passionate about my choice as I have this year.

This is a very involved election year. It’s only my 4th time voting in a presidential election, but every other year, I’d be fast asleep without even thinking twice about the results.

I’m of the opinion that I did my duty and voted, and there’s nothing else I can do now. I might follow the coverage for awhile, but I’m not staying up all night to wait for a result I can’t change. I don’t really think this is going to be close anyway.

ETA:

Who is VFTW supporting?
What does Dial Idol say?
I missed the phone numbers, could someone please give them to me???
Just kidding!
I have to admit, it was nice to spend less than 10 minutes voting rather than a couple of hours…

Will it change your thoughts on it if I tell you that it is a very nice champagne? No?

If I’m doing the math right, Obama will win if he wins the West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington) and his “other” home state of Hawaii.

Ohio is my state! Holy cow.

I can’t believe this is happening. It’s like an out of body experience.

I think I’m going to be in a daze for a couple of days.

^No, Latin People love some Tequila… with Lemon and salt… yummy…(goes to drink a shoot)Cheers for US!!!!!!

Thank you Ohio…Im finally proud to be from there…

Obama is you next President…

I’m in a happy bubble. I’m logging off for the night now. I’m going to kiss my son. He’s 2. My job just got a little easier. LOL. My hubby looks ecstatic. Good night, peeps.

I just got back from Iowa where I was doing “voter protection.” (That meant I had to hang around for about 14 hours in case anybody tried to suppress anybody’s right to vote. It was AWESOME!!!) As my husband (who I dragged along with me) said, it was way cool to see democracy up close and personal. We started to hear results in the car on the way home. Anyway, I am really excited and hopinghopinghoping it’s really in the bag, even if by being in Iowa I couldn’t go to Grant Park for the celebration.

IOWA for Obama, Utah for McCain… I’m reading…

Thank you Ohioà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦Im finally proud to be from thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

I think I’ve heard that line before :ponder_tb:

MJ, are we supposed to be keeping our votes private? People seem to be speaking in very general terms and I wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t sure if that was just preference or your policy.

No. Tell us who you voted for if you want!

dang it, i can’t watch anymore of the election coverage! That’s what i get for working the night shift! maybe one of my patients will have it on in their room and i can sneak in and watch, lol

Well, no candidate I’ve ever voted for has lost.

Maybe I should have endorsed someone.

I voted early and that is like the best invention ever. No waiting, no fuss, no muss. Plus it freed me up to work on election day, which was a really good experience for me. I could feel like I contributed, even if it was just in a small way, in one small precinct in one small county in Iowa. I felt like I was a really small piece of a really big, supercharged team, and it felt great. I may just volunteer for more stuff in the future! So WOO to the HOO for being part of the process.

I cheered like when DC won, when Ohio was called for Obama

Very nice, smartcookie. Good for you. I kept not voting early, even though the place was really easy to get to on my way to or from work every day. So I went today at 8AM. There were more people working there than were voting! No wait, no lines, nothing to do but walk in and vote. I just walked in and voted my STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC TICKET and then voted on the multiple bond election thingies we’ve got going on. My little brother went later in the afternoon (same place cause he lives with me) and told me that he voted a STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC TICKET also, despite the fact that it said “straight,” because he’s not…BWHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA! He’s so funny. Besides, we didn’t have a gay Democratic ticket option.

Make love, not war.

Yeah my Republican-to-the-bone boss thinks I’m a bleeding heart liberal. Well I’ve been called worse! So that’s OK. I think he’d be surprised at some of the people on our floor who feel the same way I do, maybe more so! hahaha. You never know.

Nope, I will not be spending my birthday watching election results come in. Sorry. I did my civic duty by voting today and that’s enough for me. I’ll wait til in the morning to get the results.

Good luck to both candidates and their supporters though!!

I’m currently watching Stewart and Colbert’s election coverage on Comedy Central. It’s lots more fun than it was 4 years ago. Amazing what a difference it makes when things look good for your candidate!

I’m watching. I wouldn’t miss it, as it’s history in the making. I’ll probably stay up unitl the end since I’m in Cali.

Speaking of drama, there just might be some after all if it’s a close call. A judge in Virginia ordered “tens of thousands” of absentee military votes to be preserved even though they were returned late. Evidently, they were not mailed on time to the military and so they returned late.

So, I guess what I’m saying is it’s not over till it’s over.

ETA: It would have been a moot point if McCain had won Virginia but he didn’t so he could possibly contest those electoral votes.

Barack did it….he’s President!!

Comedy Central has declared Obama the winner!! :clap_tb:

Oh, I guess CNN did as well.

Barack did ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s President!!

Yep! An incredible, historic moment in American history…

my boss and i have a bet for a day’s pay. he’s day’s pay is three times mine so i will (hopefully) get a nice bonus. ha ha. but i really really really want obama to win AZ just to be able to say that we are not a blood red state.

Hell, yeah! Champagne being opened now!

WOOHOO!!! So ecstatic tonight!

I hope and pray that this man thinks and acts in manner that is good for AMERICA – may God watch over us all…….

Senator McCain just called Barack Obama to concede and congratulate him!

What a great moment this is! It feels good to be living it…!

OMG!! I can’t even process this. It’s so amazing. And it’s still so early- only 11:15 PM EST. Seems like we East coasters are always up half the night waiting for results.

Yay!

I wish I hadn’t thrown Obama’s Christmas cards away that I started getting when I donated $25 to his state senate race. LOL.

Wow….

Now the real work starts.

all I can say is, ‘let not your heart be troubled. God is still in control’ :smile1_ee:

John McCain is a true American hero! I hope we can all take the commitment he has shown our country into the next four years. We are not without vulnerabiltiy as a country…

Now the real work starts.

Oh, yeah…. an uphill battle.

Not that excited my state is sending back the lady that implied that the media should investigate congress for being unamerican. Man is that district conservative.

We broke out the champagne, too, FolkFan! My husband surprised me with it! (He did the same thing when the White Sox won the World Series.)

I am so happy right now. I can’t believe how close NC, my home state, is. NC hasn’t gone democratic since Carter….i live in a very ignorant place, and just to see how things are changing….it’s just something amazing to be a part of.

Congratulations to Obama….I hope the McCain supporters can listen to the great message that their candidate just gave. Americans have to come together for change to really happen.

It’s great to be a part of history. I will definitely be holding on to my Obama buttons…. :thumbup_tb:

Great concession speech by John McCain, by the way.

True, Gwendolyn. It was very classy.

Nope, I will not be spending my birthday watching election results come in.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH :king_tb:

I voted this afternoon with all of my children except for the oldest girl. We always make it a family affair we take the youngsters in the booth and let the know the process. My oldest girl got in under the wire @ 8:55 pm EST.

I am so proud of my state, NY, and my country for getting it right this time. Although I voted for Obama, I have so much respect and admiration for John McCain, his speech was gracious and humble. I think the nation appreciates it as well. It’s difficult to show grace in the midst of dispair.

I hope that our new president is given the opportunity to carry out his initiatives so that we can live up to the promise that our country has always espoused.

I had lunch with a friend today who was in NY from Berlin. He’s an expatriot American, lol. Even he was caught up in the excitement and talked about how the world was entranced in what is going on in America. I am going to email him tonight and tell him that our talk today didn’t jinx anything!

This is soooo surreal.

Very classy concession speech from McCain. Now Obama’s speaking. This is so exciting. It’s been a long campaign, and it’s inspiring how far both Obama and McCain have come. And how far this nation has come.

God bless America. I’m truly glad to be an American tonight.

It’s so sad that Obama’s grandmother missed this by one day, but she’s watching from above, I’m sure.

I can’t wait for him to pay my morgage , get me a car and buy my gas . I saw a lady leaving the polls after voting for Obama and she actually said that. He better come through with all these promises or he will in a heap of trouble with all these folks who believed him.

I’ve watched this entire process from the primaries right through to this moment. Obama was “my guy” from the very start, but I don’t think I ever really believed he would win. After he won the nomination, it seemed more possible, but still, after 2000 and 2004, I figured something would happen to deny him the win. Tonight, as state after state fell into the blue column, I had a surge of emotion the defied words. It was, I believe, hope. Hope that this man really can make a difference. Hope that, at long last, color really doesn’t matter. Hope that all those who died during the civil rights movement didn’t die in vain.

It is a truly remarkable night and one that I will store away in my memory bank to savor. I am truly proud to be an American tonight.

I canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t wait for him to pay my morgage , get me a car and buy my gas . I saw a lady leaving the polls after voting for Obama and she actually said that. He better come through with all these promises or he will in a heap of trouble with all these folks who believed him.

Unfortunately cricket, the Majority of us won’t qualify for all of his New plans only a small group will reap those rewards…

the mccain that gave that concession speech is the guy i’ve voted for all my adult life.

and the speech that obama was beautiful and inspiring and the truth. we have to work together to get this country back on the right track.

and i’m not expecting obama to pay for anything because he never promised to pay for anything. he promised hope and unity. like he said we need to put aside childish fighting and work together to better the country.

and the speech that obama was beautiful and inspiring and the truth. we have to work together to get this country back on the right track.

and ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m not expecting obama to pay for anything because he never promised to pay for anything. he promised hope and unity. like he said we need to put aside childish fighting and work together to better the country.

Word to that. I feel hopeful for the first time in a really long time.

I’m glad Libby Dole is gone.

ETA: AZIdolFan, thanks for those words.

Wow, I feel as if I have to start out this post in the defensive because Obama is half African American. One of my very best friends is full African American so please believe me when I say that has nothing to do with my questions. (In fact, I’m sad for her because she could not vote for him with a clear conscience when for the first time in history we have this opportunity.)

I am trying to understand what everyone believes this man can do for our country. Please tell me and help me understand why this is such a great victory?

I can honestly say I love the homeless, the single parent families, the people who are fighting to survive financially, because,well, my family is fighting to survive financially…

Does it all have to do with the war and the environment? Or is it the economy? Which is hard for me to understand since our democratic house and senate have a lower approval rating than our republican president at this point.

I am asking these questions with sincerity. I am not bitter because Obama is going to be our next president…I’m just trying to understand why there is so much hope in this man when there is nothing new under the sun…

In fact, I love this site because of the honesty and straightforwardness of the peeps on here. I would be thrilled if we could continue to have a political thread on here.

Thanks in advance for any answers to these questions.

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m glad Libby Dole is gone.

This alone makes me glad she lost…

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m glad Libby Dole is gone.

Word to that. Being from NC, and voting against Mrs. Bob Dole, I can not begin to explain how exciting this is.

That campaign got so ugly. Not only did she make a commercial calling Kay Hagan a “Godless American”, she sent out propaganda saying the same crap.

Like Dole wouldn’t have accepted money from an Atheist group had they offered it. *sigh* I’m glad North Carolina is smartening up.

And it appears that NC is going to go to Barack…. this is so amazing. What a great night.

I’ve been watching Obama for years, from back when I lived in Chicago. I’ve supported him from the very beginning of this campaign for a number of reasons, a big one of which is that I believe that he is a very intelligent man who is open to the concept that he does not know everything and will listen to a variety of persons’ advice before making decisions. You can’t judge everything on how a campaign is run, but the way that Obama ran his campaign was consistent with that belief: he brought in good people, got good advice, and then ran a great campaign, when most people thought that his inexperience as a national campaigner would sink him first against Hillary and then against McCain. His policy positions have reflected his willingness to listen to a variety of positions and then come up with his own decision. His temperament is good, and I also think that he will be a good figurehead for the country. Finally, I think that Obama really does believe in the rhetoric that he uses, about trying to bring people together in a unity that we could use right now.

Yes, I think that there is something valuable about a person of a minority race winning the presidency, but for me, that’s not why I think that his election is a good thing for the country. Obviously, mileage may vary on this, but that would be why I have hope that he will be an excellent president.

Does it all have to do with the war and the environment? Or is it the economy?

How about all three? Obama came out against the war from the very beginning. That’s #1. In my opinion, the war in Iraq was a mistake, and it was conducted badly, with a lot of hubris and miscalculation. IMO, the Bush administration made many bad decisions, and McCain just did not distinguish himself apart from Bush enough for me to ever consider voting for him. McCain was once a maverick. Not so much any more. And of course, the choice of Sarah Palin, who is not, under any circumstances, prepared to be president was the total deal breaker. McCain showed terrible, terrible judgment with that choice. It makes me question his ability to make good decisions.

I was impressed with the way Obama conducted his campaign, particularly when the heat was on. He’s a smart guy who knows enough to surround himself with smart people. I like his ideas on the economy and health care. I think he’s got the leadership qualities to bring people together. There’s been too much divisiveness in this country for far too long.

I think Obama’s speech tonight indicated that he knows that change has nothing to do with his election, but what he does in office. That alone gives me some hope.

I want a leader who has intellectual curiosity. Not someone tied to dogma. I think Obama is that guy. He has a history (sometimes to his political detriment) to be willing to consider all sides. I like that.

Time will tell, but I feel good about our nation right now.

When will Obama start bringing the troops home?

Being just a couple of months from reaching the half-century mark, I’m moved to think back over the major national events in my life.

My earliest memory is of JFK’s assassination — the one time that sticks in my mind as a time when my father cried. Five years later, we were shocked by the assassination of Martin Luther King, and then Bobby Kennedy, who was a hero of mine when I was only 9. I still get tears in my eyes when I see the tape of the train carrying RFK’s body back to Washington.

Though I grew up in northern New York State, where the only blacks were a visiting college professor from Africa and his family, I was deeply affected by news coverage in the 60s of racial violence — cross-burnings, Klan rallies, etc. — those Klan-related images were among the most haunting and terrifying images of my childhood. I think it may be hard for younger folks to grasp how common that was, so recently in our history.

Against that backdrop, I am overcome by the momentous nature of what has happened tonight. We have come further in my lifetime than most of us my age and older could have imagined. I believe that this will be recorded as one of the most important days in American history.

Thank you so much, MJ, for allowing this digression. This is a night that transcends almost all others.

“as a general manager you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with” – one of my old bosses told me that when he was deciding who to promote.

obama has chosen very good people for his campaign. and it has been said before obama is an intelligent man who truly listens. his gift is the ability to inspire people. i believe he will choose the right people to help him with the economy and the wars and education and the enviroment. i believe he truly wants to change things and make them better but we the people have to participate to truly make it work. he can’t do it by himself. and this is where his gift of inspiring will help.

if someone like me a mexican-american single mother of a 15 year-old son is inspired to campaign and write congressman and attend rallies (which i have never done in my life), then i think he can inspire many more people to work to better this country.

I also like his approach to teambuilding. He has built an amazing organization from the ground up, using anybody and everybody who was interested to come together, work their butts off, do whatever they could do (for example, I don’t like making phone calls and trying to convince people of anything over the phone and I won’t do it, but I do have this law degree that I don’t do a whole lot with, so I could contribute to the campaign because of that and I could use the talents I had, and I appreciate that). It gives a lot of different people a vested interest in helping him. He used his much-maligned background as a community organizer to actually ORGANIZE a lot of people. Like a really big community. I’m kind of in awe of how he and his staff did so much grass roots organizing, at how open he seems to be to differing opinions and different viewpoints, not to make fun or put into tiny boxes of “us” and “them” or “real Americans” versus “fake Americans” or “Good Christians” versus “godless liberals” or whatever somebody wants to call anybody who is different. I’m pretty much an atheist. I was born in America, in Peoria, Illinois, the epitome of Nixon’s Heartland, and I don’t steal, I don’t hurt other people if I can help it, and I don’t get why the fact that I am skeptical of religion should mean that I am less patriotic or somehow loathsome. Frankly, I find that attitude really stupid and limiting. It’s just like when I was growing up and women’s voices were ignored too often and I thought, you know, that’s really stupid, to just toss out so many interesting voices who might have something interesting to say.

When I was asked to help make sure that anybody who wanted to vote who was eligible to vote could vote — regardless of which party they belonged to or who they planned to vote for — THAT I could get on board with. The people on the other side at the tiny precinct where I was doing voter protection came out with their own instructions to challenge people if at all possible, and I’m sorry, but that just makes me angry. That should not be a tactic or a maneuver. To me, it’s the American way to allow people to vote if they are eligible, and eligibility should not depend on color or gender or income or owning property or which party you belong to, and I felt really proud to be able to help with that, and — party politics aside, because I define myself as an Independent — do something good. When I saw the people who were voting, especially the little old ladies in their red, white and blue clothes and the younger people who were so excited to vote for the first time, I felt really proud. I have no idea how any of them voted, and I don’t care.

Whoa, Sarah, today was your birthday? Election Day 2004 fell on my birthday — I, uh, kinda got the fuzzy end of the lollipop on that one. :laugh_tb:

Also, can I just say:
VIRGINIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I can’t believe we actually pooed it auf.

Congratulations United States. You don’t know just how much the Obama movement has inspired people around the world to fight for their right. As I write, someone in my country is currently in jail a place like the Guantenamo camp without trial for daring to speak up against the corrupt government.

This is unbelievable, never expected it could come true.

God Bless your country.

What a wonderful night all around (except for crazy Michele Bachmann being re-elected in Minnesota. So much for that $25 donation I made to Tinklenberg from here in NJ.) Well, she’s certainly in for a re-awakening. Yippee on Libby Dole! Good for NC! What a horrid campaign she ran. But yes, McCain’s concession was eloquent, heartfelt, and right on.

Boy, DC wins in May … those awesome Olympics take place in August … the Phillies win in October … and Obama/Biden win last night! Despite our nation’s complex challenges, I’d say there’s been A LOT to cheer this year! The throngs of beautiful people at the Grant Park rally (and on the stage when all those Obama and Biden family members came on) were truly inspiring and moving. Go, US!

Oh, and as I finally tucked in my 9-year-old last night, Light On finally plays on the radio…

….what about partial birth abortions, my daughters and yours who will be able to have those abortions as young as 14 without parental consent? What about socialized medicine and the sanctity of marriage? What about our boarders? Obama is charismatic and poetic and I would like to believe he will be good for this country believe me. He said last night that “for those that didn’t vote for me, I am still your President” Yes he is and I will pray for him each and every night. But I don’t agree with him on the most fundamental issues, he says he is a leader for “the people” I hope he means ALL people and that he will show those who doubt him that we are wrong-nothing would make me happier.

After 8 years, America finally got it right. I’m extremely happy that Obama will be our next President.

Thank you, MJ, for making the choice to celebrate this momentous moment here. I’ve been volunteering all across this country for Obama the last year because I believe that America needs his leadership if we are to truly move forward. I believe that he will help us out of the pool of cynicism and disconnect from our government that we’ve been experiencing in this country. And help move us toward more enlightened policies on the economy, the wars, health care, education, the environment, etc. I do believe that we will be able to undergo a New Deal of sorts with a massive effort from all our citizens. And maybe, just maybe, become the inclusive nation we have always been destined to be – where every single one of us, no matter the color of our skin, our economic or educational background, our age, gender or sexual orientation will truly be given the chance to be an equal participant in this great democracy and in so doing, enjoy the rewards. Today is a historic occasion – a turning point for this country – and I applaud all of us for being part of it.

I live in Kansas which is extremely republican. It is interesting to me that many many people I know (including me) voted for Obama. In fact, about every person I work with (pretty much all republican) voted for Obama, except for the people who are strongly opposed to prochoice. We actually can talk politics at work without fightlng. lol. I know it didn’t change the outcome for our state, but I have worked with alot of these people for 30 years and this is the first time the majority of them voted for a democrat for president.

History was made. The whole world thank you, America. (Well, most of the world, as The Economist’s map shows.)

McCain’s concession speech was lovely. He’s the biggest victim of this financial crisisà ¯ ¼Ã… ¡suspend the campaign, or not; going back to D.C., or not; let’s me tell you about the bailout, or oh we can’t do anything “socialist”. However, this is just the easy part for Obama. The effect of the crisis is just starting to go from Wallstreet to “mainstreet”. Hope people will not only wait for him to lead, but also inspired to fight.

There are things I wish had a different result, Michele Bachmann, Prop 8… But, it was a beautiful day.

I am amazed and proud that so many people were energized to action for Mr. Obama but my question to you is…..Where have you been? Why did you sit by all these years and let men who you didn’t agree with go into Office without making your voice heard? You have ALWAYS been given the RIGHT AND CHOICE to Choose your Leader for the past 20 or more years, where were you then? Why didn’t you Vote then? If people really believe they have been cheated and poorly led these last 8 yrs then you have only yourselves to blame for NOT exercising your RIGHT as an AMERICAN to vote. If anything good is to come from this Historic election it is that America has finally broken the racial divide (which is a Wonderful thing for all people) and folks once again understand how emphatically important it is to exercise your inalienable rights as an American citizen. I hope now that those who forgot that or just didn’t care about those rights don’t slink back to anonymity and think that Mr. Obama will now do the work for them. The one very Important message that Mr. Obama has spoken is that Each and everyone one of us has the Responsibility to continue to serve our country whether that be in the Military or in our Communities-many of us have always known that and I hope all these “New” voters realize this and continue to fight for what they believe is right and just.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.what about partial birth abortions, my daughters and yours who will be able to have those abortions as young as 14 without parental consent? What about socialized medicine and the sanctity of marriage? What about our boarders? Obama is charismatic and poetic and I would like to believe he will be good for this country believe me. He said last night that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“for those that didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t vote for me, I am still your Presidentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  Yes he is and I will pray for him each and every night. But I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t agree with him on the most fundamental issues, he says he is a leader for à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  I hope he means ALL people and that he will show those who doubt him that we are wrong-nothing would make me happier.

I’m willing to give him at least four years to prove himself. Really, I think he deserves it, and in all honesty, he can’t do worse than President Bush. This country is DEEPLY divided, and Obama’s election alone was the first glimpse of light. He brought people together. Look at the diversity that was evident in Grant Park. Unity is first and foremost this election year – at least in my mind. That “united we stand, divided we fall” mantra is extremely true. Divided, we are weak. In our weakness, we are vulnerable. In our vulnerability, there’s the chance that we will self-destruct. There’s nothing worse than a nation divided. Getting us to come together is the FIRST step in a long, hard fight. That is why the messages of HOPE and CHANGE prevailed this election year over issues that would normally be at the forefront. The same-ole, same-ole wasn’t working. Sometimes, it takes an about-face. This was it.

I am amazed and proud that so many people were energized to action for Mr. Obama but my question to you is…..Where have you been? Why did you sit by all these years and let men who you didn’t agree with go into Office without making your voice heard? You have ALWAYS been given the RIGHT AND CHOICE to Choose your Leader for the past 20 or more years, where were you then? Why didn’t you Vote then?

I’ve been voting since I was 18 years old. I never give up without a fight lol.

Barack Obama could read the phone book and make it sound like the Gettysburg address.(hehe)

How refreshng is to to have a leader who can actually write and deliver speeches that have moved not one, but two and yes, three generations?

As a democratic socialist living north of the border, thank you so much America for having the courage to dream, the passion to persevere and the wisdom to make the right choice, a choice that benefits all humanity well beyond your shores.

I am amazed and proud that so many people were energized to action for Mr. Obama but my question to you isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦..Where have you been? Why did you sit by all these years and let men who you didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t agree with go into Office without making your voice heard? You have ALWAYS been given the RIGHT AND CHOICE to Choose your Leader for the past 20 or more years, where were you then? Why didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t you Vote then?

I’ve voted since I was eligible. And, I’m sorry to say, the choices weren’t always clear cut.

mj

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve been voting since I was 18 years old. I never give up without a fight lol.

GwendolynD

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve voted since I was eligible. And, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m sorry to say, the choices werenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t always clear cut.

Myself as well but you cannot deny the record number of so called “New” voters that turned out for this election. It cannot be attributed all to young 1st time eligible voters, the numbers show in that category the percent is only up 1%. Yet the press and the polls show a historic increase in new voter turnout-so my question is still- Where the hell have you been? Why have you not taken responsibility until now? AND will you continue to exercise your right to vote after yesterday? Will you turn out in record numbers for your local races? Will you work in your communities to keep the momentum that Mr. Obama has created? Or will sit back once again and do nothing waiting for everything for the next 4 yrs?

I suppose my questions are rhetorical because obviously anyone responding on this blog DID vote or you wouldn’t be joining this healthy discussion……….

The last two elections, I think, were decided by votes born of fear. This election was decided by votes born of hope. I also, MJ, feel hopeful for the first time in a long time…

Yet the press and the polls show a historic increase in new voter turnout-so my question is still- Where the hell have you been?

I’ve voted every year for almost 30 years now. I think there are a whole lot of people in the country, particularly people of color, who’ve felt alienated for a long time. If you don’t see yourself as being represented by the candidates, and it seems like your concerns are never addressed, people tend to give up. Obama inspired many people to hope that finally someone would represent them in government, and they came out and voted. Heck, I’m a middle-aged white chick, and I’m inspired by his beliefs and leadership ability. It must be amazing for African-Americans to see this day finally come.

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m willing to give him at least four years to prove himself. Really, I think he deserves it, and in all honesty, he canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t do worse than President Bush. This country is DEEPLY divided, and Obamaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s election alone was the first glimpse of light. He brought people together. Look at the diversity that was evident in Grant Park. Unity is first and foremost this election year – at least in my mind. That à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“united we stand, divided we fallà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  mantra is extremely true. Divided, we are weak. In our weakness, we are vulnerable. In our vulnerability, thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the chance that we will self-destruct. Thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s nothing worse than a nation divided. Getting us to come together is the FIRST step in a long, hard fight. That is why the messages of HOPE and CHANGE prevailed this election year over issues that would normally be at the forefront. The same-ole, same-ole wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t working. Sometimes, it takes an about-face. This was it.

:clap_tb:

Will you work in your communities to keep the momentum that Mr. Obama has created? Or will sit back once again and do nothing waiting for everything for the next 4 yrs?

That is almost insulting. I for one will be doing the same thing that I’ve been doing since Bush took office almost 8 years ago. Raising my family, working, volunteering, supporting charities that mean alot to me. I won’t be waiting for anyone to do a damn thing for me, but to be perfectly honest, if they can bail out wall street, they can bail out main street as well.

Where the hell have you been? Why have you not taken responsibility until now? AND will you continue to exercise your right to vote after yesterday? Will you turn out in record numbers for your local races? Will you work in your communities to keep the momentum that Mr. Obama has created? Or will sit back once again and do nothing waiting for everything for the next 4 yrs?

I know people who had not voted until this election. Heck, even Tyler Perry (pretty much an icon in the Black community) voted for the first time in this election. Too many people either that felt that their votes didn’t matter, therefore it was useless. This is what hope does, Autumn. It propels you to move forward because you can make a difference. What’s the point in telling others YOU MATTER and YOUR VOTE CAN CHANGE THINGS if things either don’t change or continue to get worse? If people can be inspired to move in HUGE numbers to vote, then perhaps they can be inspired to help bring about change. If enough of us speak (and enough did, by voting) then change begins to take place. We inspire each other to make a difference. Hence, my emphasis on a nation is united. We can’t be selfish any longer. We should encourage each other to keep this thing moving.

A true leader will encourage those who started the transformation process to continue to do so, long after his term(s) in office is/are over.

We’ll see….

sunchick:

The last two elections, I think, were decided by votes born of fear. This election was decided by votes born of hope. I also, MJ, feel hopeful for the first time in a long timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

Exactly! It feels wonderful to be hopeful again.

abbysee

That is almost insulting. I for one will be doing the same thing that Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve been doing since Bush took office almost 8 years ago. Raising my family, working, volunteering, supporting charities that mean alot to me. I wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t be waiting for anyone to do a damn thing for me, but to be perfectly honest, if they can bail out wall street, they can bail out main street as well.

Insulting? I’m sorry you feel that way but it is the truth. And obviously I wasn’t speaking to you if you are one that has always given service to your country and community.

but to be perfectly honest, if they can bail out wall street, they can bail out main street as well.

and herein lies a huge problem, good luck with that……………

OK I’m weighing in here… What about our BOARDERS? What? OK I know what you meant, but that made me laugh! I could NOT vote for the Republican party for a couple of reasons that are just personal to me. I don’t believe we should still be in Afghanistan and Iraq after 7 years. I don’t believe we should be spending TRILLIONS of our tax dollars on this continuing…what? What is it even? Let’s rebuild HERE. Let’s educate our children, our future.

And I cannot support a party that believes our country can and should limit the legal rights of a specific group of citizens because those citizens do not believe the same way the people in that party do. Marriage is just a legal contract. That’s all you need to declare yourself legally married in this country. You do not have to have a church wedding or profess your beliefs in Christianity or sign a contract stating that you are getting married in order to procreate or you’re getting married for LOVE or money or anything else. You just get a legal document and it is done.

I believe our constitution is there to protect EVERY CITIZEN, not just the majority. We are all entitled to the same legal rights. We tried separate but equal legal rights to public education; we tried limiting people’s legal rights by telling everyone you can only marry someone who is the same color as you are; we tried limiting people’s legal rights based on their gender. Oh so you tell people they can have a “civil union” and that’s the same thing as marriage? It is NOT. No states that have allowed people to marry whomever they so desire have had federal legal rights to go along with that. You are not entitled to federal benefits that legally married people are still. It is NOT the same thing. None of these things were right. I should be allowed to marry and get all the federal legal rights that go along with that simply because the people making the laws agree with who I want to marry? And other people should not because someone else’s personal religious beliefs say so? No. Ain’t buying it, folks. I don’t believe in any religion, I don’t believe in church weddings, I don’t want any children, I don’t believe the government should be able to tell you who you can love and who you cannot.

Obama will probably do what he can while he’s in office, just like every other freaking politician we’ve elected President. I don’t expect him or any other President to pay my way. I expect to be able to live in a country where I have the opportunity and the ability to live my life in pursuit of happiness. MY happiness. And if I am happy and can take care of myself, I am willing to share and help others.

I don’t know where that last part came from but that’s just how I felt just now…..

A true leader will encourage those who started the transformation process to continue to do so, long after his term(s) in office is/are over.

Weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll seeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.

You are correct GwendolynD and I am hopeful that it can happen.

A true leader will encourage those who started the transformation process to continue to do so, long after his term(s) in office is/are over.

Weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll seeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.

You are correct GwendolynD and I am hopeful that it can happen.

We are those leaders as well, Autumn. It’s not only his job to lead America. We do so as well in our own communities, and much more effectively than one man.

kathrynTX, just another opinion, and fortunately for you and I we are able to voice it. That anyone could suddenly say they are “finally” thankful to be an American is beyond me BECAUSE you are in America you are able to openly voice that opinon and that in it self is reason enough to be Thankful

We are those leaders as well, Autumn. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not only his job to lead America. We do so as well in our own communities, and much more effectively than one man.

Is that not what I have been saying?

I believe our constitution is there to protect EVERY CITIZEN, not just the majority. We are all entitled to the same legal rights. We tried separate but equal legal rights to public education; we tried limiting peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s legal rights by telling everyone you can only marry someone who is the same color as you are; we tried limiting peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s legal rights based on their gender. Oh so you tell people they can have a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“civil unionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  and thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the same thing as marriage? It is NOT. No states that have allowed people to marry whomever they so desire have had federal legal rights to go along with that. You are not entitled to federal benefits that legally married people are still. It is NOT the same thing. None of these things were right. I should be allowed to marry and get all the federal legal rights that go along with that simply because the people making the laws agree with who I want to marry? And other people should not because someone elseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s personal religious beliefs say so? No. Ainà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t buying it, folks. I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t believe in any religion, I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t believe in church weddings, I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t want any children, I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t believe the government should be able to tell you who you can love and who you cannot.

SO. MUCH. WORD. I live in CA, and I’m on pins and needles waiting for the results on Prop 8 to come in. I’m ecstatic about Obama’s victory–more excited than I’ve ever been about anything in politics, I think, and I was a poli sci major–but I will be devastated if my home state chooses to enshrine such blatant discrimination in its constitution. Thank you for stating this so eloquently, kathrynTX.

and herein lies a huge problem, good luck with that

Autumn, that I do not expect. I am just talking about why we are in the predicament we are in. Instead of worrying about what we were doing, maybe those in shock and sadness today should be asking themselves what were they doing while the conditions of the country were being shot to hell. Don’t be pissed off at people wanting a change when it so obvious that the direction we were going was leading to destruction.

I get pissed off at the apathy in the American community at large, so I am actually jazzed to see someone bring people back to the fold, especially those who have felt disenfranchised all of these years.

Is that not what I have been saying?

I suppose….

Obama will probably do what he can while heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s in office, just like every other freaking politician weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve elected President. I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t expect him or any other President to pay my way. I expect to be able to live in a country where I have the opportunity and the ability to live my life in pursuit of happiness. MY happiness. And if I am happy and can take care of myself, I am willing to share and help others.

Amen. “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

We have lost so much ground as a country in the past eight years. It’s time to recoup that loss. It starts here.

Autumn, this is the first time I was old enough to vote for president, and I intend to continue voting for the rest of my life. My family never misses an election. My grandmother who’s over 80 even walked to the polls when her ride didn’t show up on time. I cannot tell you why so many people have not been voting, but new voters are a positive change. My parents told me that the lines at the the polls yesterday were much longer than they’d ever seen in the last couple decades. We can only hope that the new voters will keep this up. If they see their voices being heard and their voting making a difference, they’ll come back next time.

Cricket, others have been explaining why they voted for and have faith in Obama, and I’ll sign off to everything they’ve said. You asked what it is in particular that we see in Obama, and really…it’s some of everything. I don’t think you have to be defensive about the race thing at all. Asking what he’s going to do as president is always a fair question. I’m African-American, but I assure you that I didn’t vote for Obama because he’s half black.

I had a late lunch at work today and it was good timing since the TV in our lounge was, of course, tuned in to CNN’s coverage of the US election results. I managed to watch and listen to Obama’s speech. I had goosebumps and was tearing up a little bit watching the whole thing, and I’m not American.

May he be the best President you ever had.

Thanks Mj for allowing us to have this forum to discuss this amazing time in all of our lives. Some of us are more passionate in our ideals but the discussion has remaind respectful. Today the ball has been squarely put in Mr. Obama’s court and I hope that he can ignite the change that obviously so many people believe to be their hope and future. I may not agree with the majority of the Democratic parties ideals but I will support my new President to the best of my ability and that which I can’t support I will fight for and my right to do that is why I am and have always been so very Proud to call myself an American.

I think I haved reached my “political overload” limit for the week so I am signing off on this discussion. Have a beautiful day all!

You have a good day too, Autumn! I’m thankful too and grateful that I live here. I would never live anywhere else. In fact, I doubt I will ever leave this state! I didn’t mean to be snarky or sarcastic to you. And I like to think that I can listen to others’ opinions patiently and be willing to think about and consider what they have to say. It’s hard to do sometimes and we DO get passionate about those things that are important to us. Different things are important to different people too.

So I just watched Obama’s acceptance speech. I am stunned that I was tearing up! I haven’t felt like this about any election, ever. I am HOPEFUL, yes, that’s it. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of me.

OK I’m signing off on this thread too now. Back to my real life…DAVID COOK! And band. hee. I know, I’m an idiot….

I’m surprised that Proposition 8 passed in CA…wow.

ETA: Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised?

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m surprised that Proposition 8 passed in CAà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦wow.

Damn. Well, that’s a black cloud on an otherwise happy morning. We’ve had gay marriage here in MA for a few years, and the sky has not fallen.

Here’s an article from the LA Times.

Oh I’m signing back into this thread! Prop 8 PASSED in California? What does that mean, Joleen? Did California voters vote to limit the legal rights of a specific group of citizens after all?

I am appalled that people think this is the RIGHT thing to do. Hey let’s enact constitutional amendments limiting other citizens’ legal rights because it says it’s OK in the Christian Bible and after all, the people VOTED on it and the majority rules! Yep, we wrote the constitution to protect the rights of the majority and allow everything the ruling party wants to to be put to a vote. Whatever. If everything were put to a vote, we probably never would have allowed women and black people to VOTE or desegregated public schools or made interracial marriage no longer illegal or…I don’t know, I’m sure there are more. Sometimes, you just do the right thing and let the cards fall where they may because it’s RIGHT.

Hey if we want to protect the sanctity of marriage, whatever that may mean to YOU, why not write some legislation that requires people to discuss everything they have to address when getting DIVORCED, but BEFORE they get married? Yeah, we should develop documents that go along with a marriage license that include stating your positions on children, finances, property, and differences (as in “irreconcilable differences” ya know).

ARGH. I sincerely hope that someday, we will look back on this “marriage” issue and be amazed that the current state of affairs ever existed, like I look back now and am amazed that slavery was legal, that women were property, that women and people of a certain color could not vote, that it was legal to force children to work, that people could not marry someone of a different color, that we did not allow white children to be educated alongside children of another color, that we believed in “separate but equal” WTF?, that my Dad called Obama a “nigger” and couldn’t believe I would vote for him, that relationships between consenting adults were totally denied because of someone else’s personal religious beliefs, that people were beaten and murdered because someone else couldn’t stand to think of who those people might have sex with. Then don’t think about it! Hey I bet I don’t want to think about who YOU have sex with, mister.

MY LITTLE BROTHER has been attacked twice, once beaten unconcious in f-ing broad daylight in the afternoon, for NO REASON other than he was walking down the street in the “gay” part of town. This makes me so sad and angry. I’ve had more than enough. I think this is the year I will become more involved in politics.

And ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s around midnight, ET and Obama is beginning his acceptance speechà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦and it was an inspiring, powerful speech. I never thought Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d be alive to see an African American elected president. Incredible. What a night. I think Obama has an extraordinary opportunity to bring people together. I think he can do it. I feel hopeful for the first time in a long timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

I love that he incorporated 106-year-old Ann Nixon Cooper into his speech. Imagine the transitions she must have witnessed in her lifetime. I get goosebumps thinking about it.

I am so bummed about Prop 8. I know it’s an emotional issue for people so I will leave it alone. But it has made me very sad in what was otherwise an happy day. Sniff.

Prop 8 PASSED in California? What does that mean, Joleen? Did California voters vote to limit the legal rights of a specific group of citizens after all?

Yes, I’m very sorry to say, same-sex couples will no longer have the right to marry in California. A similar ban passed back in 2000, by a much bigger margin than Prop 8, but it was overturned this May by the California Supreme Court. I have to say, this has been a really painful campaign to watch–no one questioned that CA would go for Obama, so there really wasn’t much in the way of visible presidential campaigning aside from a few yard signs and TV commercials. Prop 8, on the other hand, has been everywhere. Hundreds of people lining the streets by where I live, yes and no campaigners attacking each other physically, there has been no end to it. I live in an area of SoCal that’s heavily democratic but still socially conservative, and it’s been really difficult to watch all of the rhetoric and propaganda surrounding the yes camp. “Yes on 8=Freedom of Speech,” “No on 8 means our children will be taught about gay marriage in schools,” it went on and on. Some of the signs were complete nonsense, shit like “Chuck Norris is down with Prop 8!” Really? This is what political campaigns have come down to? Propaganda completely unrelated to the actual issue at hand and vote-for-this-or-Walker-Texas-Ranger-will-come-kick-your-ass? It’s not only the law itself, but the deception and, IMO, downright lies that surrounded the campaign that make me really unhappy with my home state right now.

kathrynTX, I’m so sorry that your brother had to go through all that and, I’m sure, still faces discrimination every day. We’ve overcome a major barrier in electing an African American president, I can only hope that we will someday soon as a country learn to face and overcome the discrimination facing the gay and lesbian community.

poking my head back in for a min…………

Proposition 8 passed in CA. How does that happen in the most Liberal State we have? Is it something a kin to the “Bradley Effect”? People only “say” they are against it (in this instance) but once the curtain closes they vote for it?

Will it really matter? Isn’t this issue along with abortion reform one that Mr. Obama will be addressing and approving as soon as he gets into office?

And I cannot support a party that believes our country can and should limit the legal rights of a specific group of citizens because those citizens do not believe the same way the people in that party do. Marriage is just a legal contract. Thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s all you need to declare yourself legally married in this country. You do not have to have a church wedding or profess your beliefs in Christianity or sign a contract stating that you are getting married in order to procreate or youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re getting married for LOVE or money or anything else. You just get a legal document and it is done.

Hear hear! I completely concur. Under the law we should all be equal, there’s not two ways about it as far as Im concerned. Marriage is a legal contract between 2 consenting adults and it’s benefits should be attainable to every citizen of this country, whether its between man and woman or two individuals of the same sex.

What a shame this unreasonable proposition was passed in California. One day we will look back in shame at this discrimination.

You know what’s odd, Autumn? It appears that Proposition 4, which would have mandated a waiting period to notify parents of minors requesting abortions, is not going to pass. I would have expected those two propositions to either both pass or neither pass. I think a ton of people were motivated to come out and vote specifically for Proposition 8, and other propositions were not given the consideration they deserved.

ETA: I thought Massachusetts was the most liberal state. California is very liberal in certain regions, but not throughout the whole state (it is a huge state, after all).

Proposition 8 passed in CA. How does that happen in the most Liberal State we have? Is it something a kin to the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Bradley Effectà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ? People only à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“sayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  they are against it (in this instance) but once the curtain closes they vote for it?

I think there are a couple of reasons that it passed. First, while California is without a doubt a democratic state, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still a fair share of social conservatives. Members of the working class who see the economic benefit of voting for a democrat aren’t necessarily social liberals, and most of the counties away from the coast actually vote republican. They’re much more sparsely populated, but the conservative culture is still there. San Francisco and LA are more visible to the rest of the country, but the rest of the state is more moderate in its political views. Also, Prop 8 was up to 14% behind in the polls up until fairly recently–that’s when all the “keep gay marriage out of our schools” and “protect our families” crap really started to pick up. Even the LA Times commented on how deceptive and bigoted the “yes” campaign was. I thought the “no” campaign had been very effective up until then.

I wouldn’t equate this to a “Bradley Effect,” as people who are against gay marriage tend not to be shy in saying so, and people who shifted to the “yes” camp recently didn’t really have a problem admitting it–the gap in polling numbers had been closing in recent weeks. There was enough leeway for me to hope it wouldn’t pass, but there you have it. Lies, damned lies, and statistics.

Congrats to Obama and his supporters.

Isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t this issue along with abortion reform one that Mr. Obama will be addressing and approving as soon as he gets into office?

First I’ve heard about that.

Barack Obama, in an MTV interview, on gay marriage: Obama told MTV he believes marriage is “between a man and a woman” and that he is “not in favor of gay marriage.”

“I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage. But when you start playing around with constitutions, just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that’s not what America’s about.”

Constitutions should NOT be used to limit a people’s freedoms. Ever.

I was looking in the results – and Connecticut voters voted heavily against a convention that would have banned same-sex marriage. (Somewhere around 60-40)

I personally oppose gay marriage, but I can understand the strong support in here.

From across the ocean, can I just say that we, too, now have hope — for a USA that looks on the rest of the world more positively. Congratulations on your choice!

Constitutions should NOT be used to limit a peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s freedoms. Ever.
I’m disappointed about Prop 8. Here in NJ civil unions rule, but as MJ said,
the Mass. sky hasn’t fallen from having gay marriage. What’s the deal with denying rights to fellow Americans? Straight marriages like mine are by no means threatened when everyone shares the same right. But I’m still flying high about Barack!

Don’t know why that came out in bold. I really wasn’t shouting. :unsure_tb:

I’m still so happy about Obama being elected. Our 2 sons were able to vote for the first time and were so excited to be a part of history. Even here in red Texas, Barack managed to get 44% of the vote.

What is the effect of the passing of Proposition 8 on existing gay marriages? Is its application prospective?

Remains to be seen. I believe the marriage title is voided, but since the ban did not affect civil unions or other benefits, any state and local-level benefits would remain.

I’m wondering whether the CA supremes will again find the marriage ban unconstitutional. One can only hope. I suppose the other choice is for gay rights people and all their friends to wait two years, gather their forces, and come back stronger.

I think this election has really set the ground rules for how to organize to get your voice heard. What works against that (in general, not in terms of California’s constitutional amendments) is a) the Electoral College (whereby you can win the popular vote and still lose the election), b) Republican efforts to suppress voting based on foreclosures, floods and clerical errors, c) suspicions about butterfly ballots, hanging chads, Diebold machines and whether your vote actually counts if you do get to cast one, and d) the Supreme Court handing the presidency to one candidate over the other in 2000. Those kinds of things tend to make you really cynical and think, what does it matter if I vote? Nobody cares what I think, anyway. This election upends all of that (I hope) and lays down a plan to make a difference. I can spend some of my own personal attention on working to overturn the gay marriage ban, which to my mind is even more ridiculous and repugnant than the Minnesota woman. I feel like I helped a teeny, tiny bit in this election, and I like this feeling, whatever you call it, the opposite of helplessness and alienation. So now that I’m locked in, I want to keep doing it. Maybe lots of other people feel the same way. Fingers crossed!

“Will it really matter? Isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t this issue along with abortion reform one that Mr. Obama will be addressing and approving as soon as he gets into office?”

uhhhh…I had to finally chime in on this…..where in the hell is this coming from?? I have never heard one word that Obama is going to address let alone approve either of these issues and lord knows I have watched this election like a hawk. Thank you Gwen for posting that interview with MTV. I think Barack clearly made his feelings known on gay marraige.

MJ-WORD!!!! I completely agree with your statement about constitutional amendments limiting peoples freedoms.

I am a 38 yr old single straight female, registered Independent, college educated and carrying an MBA that lives in “fly-over” country. I have voted in every election since I was 18yrs old. As a matter of fact, I received my application to register to vote as part of my b-day gift when I turned 18. I grew up in a house where Rebublican was THE ONLY WAY. I half jokingly say my father would vote for Hitler if he was the Repub. candidate. I liked McCain in 2000 (and tonight he showed me why I liked him back then, but I ask..WHERE THE HELL HAS THAT McCAIN BEEN IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS??)

So to give you a bit of background about myself, I found myself voting democratic(but never straight party) in the last 12 years. The Repubs lost me when they decided it was perfectly alright to 1-shove religion down my throat and if I didn’t agree was suddenly deemed wrong or better yet a heathen. 2- decided that it was ok to de-regulate energy, the environment, and financial markets, yet perfectly ok to regulate the hell out of my personal and private life. Do you really care what the hell I do behind closed doors or with my life??

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness is written into our constitution, yet I sadly find that is not what people strive for anymore. Do you realize just how hard “HAPPY” is to attain? To find a canidate that actually made me think that there is a better way. A way that takes a different path. A chance that maybe, just maybe, we as Americans have a chance to right the ship that has been headed in the wrong direction for quite so time.

Several of the comments that I read in this thread are from other countries and they expressed the feelings that I experienced while traveling abroad. Have you ever had a friend that married the wrong person and as a result you didn’t want to spend much time with them. You love your friend, but the significant other makes you crazy. Well that was the vibe I picked up while in Europe each time I was there. They appreciate and respect the USA and the strong ties we have with each other, but can’t stomach W and the foreign policies he enacted. As crazy as this world has become in the last 8 years, we need our Allies as close to us as we can keep them. Rebuilding that relationship is vital and I firmly believe that Obama has the ability to do that.

And finally (lord knows I can ramble), regarding the race issue in this historic election. Barack Obama is black??? WTF??? I kid I kid….kinda! Actually, when I listen to or watch Obama I sincerely never see race. To me he is an incredibly smart articulate rational man. I may have rose colored glasses on, but it never entered into my thought process that Obama is a black man…….just a man looking to make this great country a better place to live.

Thank you Gwen for posting that interview with MTV. I think Barack clearly made his feelings known on gay marraige.

No problem. About halfway through this election process, I decided that the best way to get the facts was to read them for myself. There was so much crap floating around, it was unbelievable.

WHERE THE HELL HAS THAT McCAIN BEEN IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS??)

Hello! That’s what I wanted to know. Watching that McCain campaign self-destruct was heartbreaking. That was a major blow to the Republican party and something I never want to witness again. She can call herself a maverick and reformer all she wants, but I think Sarah Palin did more damage than good. I hope they can recoup their losses and start over again. However, John McCain’s speech enabled him to go out with honor and dignity.

I’m a sucker for reading into things like body language. This is what I found on The Huffington Post about the body language of the candidates on election night.

Taking The Tics Out Of Politics
In an earlier post we commented on the stunning array of tics, twitches and jaw-clenches that played across John McCain’s face during the campaign. If you study the tape of his concession speech on election night, though, you’ll see very little of that kind of body language. Why? Where did it go?

The answer is simple but has profound consequences for health and happiness. The reason McCain’s facial flickers were so quiet is that he wasn’t trying to be two people at once. It requires body tension to feel anger but pretend it isn’t there. It takes effort to seal off fear, and even more effort to whistle along pretending it was never there. “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,” says the Book of James, and during the campaign, McCain’s instability played across his face incessantly. Now, though, John McCain does not have to pretend to be anything he isn’t. He doesn’t have to be an honorable man trying to live inside his skin with a fear-mongering alien bent on winning by sowing seeds of hate. He’s the better for it, and so are we.

Power, Joy, Grief And Fatigue = One Whole Person
When Obama took the stage, we saw a man embodying a complex array of feeling. He looked tired, of course, and who wouldn’t be? A ten-year-old in the room, who hadn’t heard of the death of Barack’s grandmother, said “He looks sad.” It takes a deeply integrated person to let his grief be visible on a night of overwhelming victory. This is a key to his personality, and bodes well for the future of his presidency. It takes enormous strength to let your vulnerabilities rest so comfortably in yourself that they can be readily seen.

There was one emotion we’re glad was missing from Obama and the crowd in Grant Park: any sense of triumphant glee. We couldn’t help wondering if it would have been present in McCain’s supporters had the tables been turned. John McCain had to silence a few boos and jeers from his audience, but by and large they just looked sad, tired and meek.

Finally, we were deeply moved by Obama’s body language at the end, in the easy way he brought forth the other members of his and Biden’s family to share the stage. He seemed to melt into them, as if he knows deep in his bones that none of this is really about him as an individual ego. There’s a huge difference between needing to be the center of things and simply being in the middle of things. Somehow, despite all the adulation and glory (as well as the relentless attacks mounted by the other side) Obama still knows what he’s known all along: he’s one of us.

Fascinating stuff.

Interesting article, Gwen!

I have to say, for the first time in ages I feel optimistic. What’s more, I think the world does, too. We’ve lost so much esteem from other nations, and I truly believe that international cooperation is very important to our fiscal success and national security.

Sadly, I have lost a LOT of respect for John McCain. I really hated that he started using the same fear-mongering hateful tactics that were used against him in 2000. I don’t know how much if it was his idea (reports are surfacing that maybe he didn’t have a lot of control over his campaign workers, Palin, etc.) It really doesn’t matter– if he set the tone, then I don’t respect him. If he didn’t set the tone, then I don’t think he’s the right leader for us in these difficult times. Looking at his exit speech (but really, what else could he say?) I’m going to believe he just let things get out of control.

On another note, I’m sort of sad I’m on Facebook. When people you went to high school with update their status with “I no longer live in a country that has a leader who will protect us,” it really gets me down. Maybe I live in a bubble here in Chicago. Then, when I see another who says, “Feels that America and the World is a little better today” gives me hope. I’ve also been at odds with my fundamentalist brother, whereas we used to just talk about football and stuff. Social networking may be for the birds… just sayin.’ I’m going home for the Iron Bowl, so hopefully that will heal all wounds.

Finally, I thought Prop 8 hadn’t been called decisively yet. Oh, and I don’t think CA is the most liberal state. Lots of conservative pockets there. I’d vote for MA.

Thanks for providing this thread, MJ. Peeps have been respectful and not histrionic. That’s hard to find on the net sometimes.

Though election night is two days behind us now, I’ve still been so interested in reading everyone’s opinions here, partly, I think, because they’ve not all been on the same page, as on most one-sided blogs, but have been so thoughtful and respectful of letting in others’ views that may not always align. That was a very interesting Huffington Post piece, by the way, Gwen. There’s a lot to it. Now, I hope McCain stays his non-divisive, non-culture-baiting self when he returns to the Senate.
And I just want to add that it feels so good to welcome images of waving American flags and and really fill up with pride again, knowing that many around the world might be feeling something similar. We’ll never be perfect, and we have a hard road ahead, but we are a beacon again.

baxter

uhhhhà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦I had to finally chime in on thisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦..where in the hell is this coming from??

It was a question that was asked with sincerity, that is where it is coming from. A question that could be answered in an informative way to help another Citizen understand where Obama and he followers are coming from. Thank you Joleen and Gwendolyn for answering my question. I see that I was mistaken on Obama’s point of view on Gay marriage. I have seen a clip of him making the statement that the abortion issue will be one thing he will address as so as he is in office but I was wrong about the Gay Marriage part, thanks for setting me straight.

Obviously there are many non-Obama supporters who have mis-information about his policies just as there are equally as many non-Bush/McCain supporters who still have mis-information on their policies I appreciate the chance to share information with others of opposing views.

This is a very useful site:

http://www.factcheck.org/

…and, if you’re looking for the issues specifically on the Obama/Biden ticket:

http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

Thank you Gwendolyn for giving me a place to start however I’m not sure how much stock I can put into factcheck.org after doing a google this statement came up

“Barack Obama was a founding member, chairman, and president of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, which was also funded by the Annenberg Foundation”

I will though go to the barackobama.com site and pay close attention these coming years to what our new President will be doing (as I always have). That of course is all any of us can do regardless of who you support we must all keep a careful eye on our President and not blindly go along with all that he presents just because we voted for him.

AUtumn
May I ask why you questioning factcheck.org and esp that statement from the site? That site is quite reliable. He was the chairman of that organization and it was funded and founded by the ANnenberg Foundation. As a matter of fact, factcheck was also started and funded by the Annenburg foundation. Do a goggle of the Annenbergs, if you don’t know who they are. I guarantee you will be really really surprised.

Mr. Annenberg, a gazillionaire, was the Ambassador to the UK, appointed by Regan, He is/was a very well know financial supporter of various Republican candidates, including John McCain. He created that foundation, appointed Obama and sponsors other various programs around the world.

Copy and pasted from Factcheck.org

Our Mission

We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.

The Annenberg Political Fact Check is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state and federal levels.

The APPC accepts NO funding from business corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying organizations or individuals. It is funded primarily by the Annenberg Foundation.

Yes, Mrs. Annenberg endorsed John McCain this year. The Annenberg Foundation funded a grant written by William Ayers. Out of that grant money came the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, and Obama sat on the board.

So if Ayers was good enough for McCain backers to fund, why is he such a bad guy for Obama to sit on a board with?

The difference in the two campaigns is striking. I didn’t see any Obama attacks on McCain for associating with G. Gordon Liddy, a convicted felon who admitted to plotting the bombing of the Brookings Institute.

But, I’m going back to my happy place. I had a lot of fun playing Wii Tennis with friends tonight.

Oh goody, we get to bash Obama for 4 years now, just like the way Americans have done Bush for 8. It’s gonna be fun.

As far as the Annenburg Foundation, it is a Republican Foundation. They give grant money. William Ayers and Obama took that money for “education.” However, it didn’t go for reading, writing and arithmetic. It went to spread radical ideas to school kids.

Well, I didn’t vote for Obama, so, I won’t be disappointed when he starts to crash and burn – which he will. He kept talking about change, but, never said what that change is going to be.

Now, it seems for someone spewing change, he’s adding staff from the Clinton Administration. Oh, the irony of it all!

McCain gets to sit back, relax and enjoy a bbq with his family and friends, while obama has the weight of this economic mess and all the problems that go with the presidency on his shoulders. Who knows? He may be calling for a recount in a few days.

I’m surprised that so many voted for a guy we know nothing about. A mystery president. Yep, sounds like a sci-fi movie.

For the record, factcheck was in the tank for obama. You need to google to find true facts .

I’ve written and evaluated grants. You don’t give money without a detailed proposal for what that money will go towards. Part of the process also involves regular reports to the funding organization and a detailed evaluation process of results. The funding organization also requires resumes, biographies, cv’s, etc of the grantees. I don’t know the details, but I highly doubt Ayers said, “I want some money for education” and they slapped him a few million. Just sayin…

Well, I didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t vote for Obama, so, I wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t be disappointed when he starts to crash and burn – which he will.

Wow. Obama, whatever. What about our nation? You make it sound like you’ll relish bad times. I didn’t vote for Bush, but I sure didn’t want him to crash and burn like he did, especially when it comes to the lives lost in the war, the downfall of the economy, etc.

Yes, Obama inherited a headache. I’m not sure if he can solve it. I have hope.

Sorry, MJ. I’m sure this is the thread you want to die.

For the record, factcheck was in the tank for obama. You need to google to find true facts .

I can’t let this go…

Google is a search engine. It is not filtered. I could write a blog and make wild claims and someone would find it and believe it, no doubt.

How is factcheck.org in Obama’s corner? They’ve called him out for being a bit misleading at times as well.

Am I supposed to use google to judge McCain, too?

No defense of G Gordon Liddy?