[Blunk]

I am well pleased.

[hongkongstuey]

you and the rest of the world too....

[andy popp]

Big congrats.

[GCW]

Just need to wait for the re-count now

[Jaspersharpe]

Thank fuck for that. A glimmer of hope.

[SA Chris]

It's great news!

Wonder if Bush has a personal bodycount target he is trying to reach before the end of his term? He is showing no end of causing mayhem.

[dave]

I'm amazed that bush didn't manage to fix the election again. You'd think he'd have gone down fighting like saddam.

[Jaspersharpe]

I'm not big on history but will Bush be remembered as the worst president of all time? Surely nobody has ever done a worse job?!

[dave]

yeah I recon he's easily surpassed nixon.

[SA Chris]

Definitely the most unpopular

[Dr T]

I'm amazed that bush didn't manage to fix the election again. You'd think he'd have gone down fighting like saddam.

it does make you think what might have happened in the world if they hadn't rigged Florida....

[Bubba]

Obama is an inspiration - this was the result that may just prevent the USA from becoming the most widely despised country in the world (if it isn't already) and to maybe reverse it's decline into the oppressive Christian fundamentalist world power that was inevitable under the Bush mis-administration.

I just hope Obama has the ability to see his vision realised as he's certainly inherited a big old bag of shite from 8 years of Bush.

Some sort of closure in Iraq? The opening of dialogue with Iran? No more overt support for the slow Israeli genocide that is being carried out in Gaza? So many other things he could change; he actually seems to care about science and the environment ffs!

I thought McCain's concession speech was eloquent and almost moving in the way he made clear the significance of Obama's victory in the context of America's racist past. That he delivered his speech level-headed through the boos of his own supporters deserves respect.

And thank fuck we've been saved from the nightmare that would have been Palin. Pro-life and pro-guns? Go figure. I hope she sinks back into obscurity, though instead I suspect we'll see her as the Republican candidate in 2012.

[Bonjoy]

I suspect we'll see her as the Democrat candidate in 2012.

Now that would be turn up for the books!

[Bubba]

Edited - thanks Jon, i've just got out of bed and haven't yet had the required 3 cups of coffee for full mental function.

[slackline]

I just hope Obama has the ability to see his vision realised as he's certainly inherited a big old bag of shite from 8 years of Bush.

Some sort of closure in Iraq? The opening of dialogue with Iran? No more overt support for the slow Israeli genocide that is being carried out in Gaza? So many other things he could change; he actually seems to care about science and the environment ffs!

Shame he's only got 8 years max to sort it all out, since its likely to take a lot longer.

[butters]

Shame he's only got 8 years max to sort it all out, since its likely to take a lot longer.

While he can, in all probability, not sort out the vast number of ills that he has inherited from the Bush regime in the 8 years he has in power (making the assumption here that he does get re-elected) at least he can put the wheels in motion to orchestrate some sort of change during this time. It would prove a lot harder to go back to the Bush administrations method of government which constituted "cranking up the fear engine" at any and every point possible if he can show that there is a viable alternative to this.

bluebrad

[Blunk]

My first post on this topic was late last night, very good to read all yours this morning. 

This morning while getting my coffee one of the ladies said how proud she was to be American again, proud that we had seen thru the bullshit of the past 8 years. Word to that.

[SA Chris]

"Today is the dawning of a new error".

Props.

I remember that feeling, when Labour first got in. I heard about it at 3am from the speakers in front of the Dry Dock in Leeds, and laughed my ass off. Lets hope it works out better for you guys.

[butters]

I thought McCain's concession speech was eloquent and almost moving in the way he made clear the significance of Obama's victory in the context of America's racist past. That he delivered his speech level-headed through the boos of his own supporters deserves respect.

  It was an extremely good speech and the points that you have highlighted were put across well but I have to say that Obama's speech just blew it out of the water. Granted it is probably an easier thing to do from a position of victory but even so it was an absolutely stunning oration. It makes me wish that we had someone who exudes anything like the charisma he does to govern this country (or waiting in the wings to do so) but I think we will be waiting a long time for that.

bluebrad

[magpie]

I'm so, so pleased. 

This bit from his speech properly set me off:

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin.

It's scary to think how until very recently what happened this morning was just an impossible dream to so many people.  And mostly nice to witness good history happening for a change.

[Munkii]

It's scary to think how until very recently what happened this morning was just an impossible dream to so many people.

martin luther's speach: i have a dream.

now the dreams of so many others have come true aswell.

history has been created, and i am glad i have witnessed it, this will be something that will be remembered forever.

[slackline]

Maybe I missed something (late counting of postal votes ) but being that victory at the polls has been declared I think Google need to refine their advertising algorithm....



I can envisage hordes of rednecks running out to vote now 

Hang on, scratch that, they probably haven't sussed out how to use computers yet.

[n_man]

Just listened to Obamas victory speech in full. That's the third one that has brought a lump to the back of my throat (the first Yes We Can speech and A More Perfect Union). I'm a 32 year old white male. I can't imagine how many African Americans are feeling.

[dave]

it seems that with bush on the way out the current holder of the position of "world's 2nd most idiotic leader" is pushing hard to make the upgrade to #1.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7715016.stm

[Jaspersharpe]

Mr Berlusconi shrugged off the criticism, saying those who disagreed with him were humourless "imbeciles".

Genius.

[superfurrymonkey]

Am I on different planet to everyone else because unless Obama does a U-turn on his election promises then we are in for more of the same foreign policy wise, I mean there was nothing to really separate him and Mccaine except that in some cases Obama was worse especially regarding Israel and Latin America. His appointment of Emanuel as chief of staff is very worrying this guy was pro the Iraq war is pro the occupation of West bank and Gaza and was pro the 2006 invasion of Lebanon.
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/11/6/president_elect_obama_and_the_future

[Bonjoy]

There’s more to US politic than the Iraq war. In many respects Obama is locked into finishing the job there in some shape or form. Likewise he’ll find it hard to shut down Guantanamo at the drop of a hat. These are difficult problems he has inherited.
According to the news yesterday Obama is already working to overturn the current US policy on oil drilling in pristine wilderness and on restricting stem cell research. Would we have this with McCain, no we’d have “drill baby drill!” and pro-life!

[Sloper]

Indeed, politics is the art of the possible and in general terms there is never a perfect solution and as such you need to strive for the least worst solution.

Obama is a refreshing change as he, perhaps uniquely for a generation is a genuine orator with a sound grasp of rhetorical technique (unlike Blair, Major, Thatcher, Chirac etc).

As for Palin, let's hope she stays North of the 49th P.

[superfurrymonkey]

Don't get me wrong the alternative was a lot worse and I hope he lives up to some of his election promises, his stance on net neutrality and against media consolidation is great but if he continues to pick centrist hawks then I don't know 

[Bubba]

His appointment of Emanuel as chief of staff is very worrying this guy was pro the Iraq war is pro the occupation of West bank and Gaza and was pro the 2006 invasion of Lebanon.

Unless the US stops it's wholesale backing of Israel's humanitarian crimes there will never be peace in the Middle East. The only reason they get away with all their crap is because of US backing. Hopefully at least the Obama administration won't deliberately scupper an Israel/Palestine deal like Bush did. I find it hard to believe that anybody can back or even allow what Israel gets up to - it's beyond me. They deserve a UN resolution on their ass and to get kicked out of the land they are stealing imho...but anyway, let's not get into that.

[superfurrymonkey]

UN security council resolution 242?
http://www.chomsky.info/articles/200209--.htm