The elephant in the room... AKA... the American Election

[Rod in Japan]

It's not surprising he won. He has the biggest 'pub finger'.

Expect to see it poking around where it shouldn't be over the next 4 years.

[Green Aura]

Well we managed to stay up until 4am when we knew for certain Obama had got it. I'm glad we did - another piece of history observed (including 1st moon landing - assuming it ever happened - and pulling down the Berlin wall amongst many other things)

My friends we do, indeed, live in interesting times!

[Bluemoon]

My only comment is; 'Phew!'

[Annpan]

Stayed up till 3, when we were pretty sure, then fell asleep till 4 and woke up just in time to hear Obama's speech... then promptly fell asleep again before it came on.
I had a tear in my eye as I drifted off to sleep.

This is a new world we live in today, a triumph of democracy in a country where so much of the young black population would never have considered voting - Now America has a leader who is not a white middle age man. I hope everyone realises how important the previous non-voters were in this election, perhaps it will encourage more people to vote around the world.

Congratulations America, you have something to be proud of, and I feel that the anti-american sentiments around the world have lifted somewhat today.




And I love that he told his kids that they would get a new puppy when they move into the white house.

[Bluemoon]

And I love that he told his kids that they would get a new puppy when they move into the white house.

Well, no sense in wrecking his own carpets I suppose.

[Ellendra]

Congratulations America, you have something to be proud of,

Do we? It seems, reading the comments on this board and others, that he is still being judged by his skin color. Is that not the definition of racism?

[Clara]

I don't personally care that much for the race thing, I'm just glad you have a president that doesn't think the world is only 6000 years old and won't sh!t on the right for women to make difficult choices about their own bodies for themselves AND might just possibly introduce the civilised concept of free healthcare for children regardless of what their parents do for a living.

A great triumph for what should be the norm already.

[MikeM]

I don't personally care that much for the race thing, I'm just glad you have a president that doesn't think the world is only 6000 years old and won't sh!t on the right for women to make difficult choices about their own bodies for themselves AND might just possibly introduce the civilised concept of free healthcare for children regardless of what their parents do for a living.

A great triumph for what should be the norm already.

absolutely, his skin colour's got nothing to do with his ability to be POTUS. In 4 years time he won't be judged on his skincolour, but on how he deals with the many challenges he's inherited.

[Green Aura]

I don't wholly agree.

The fact that he's mixed race and from a single parent family are huge contributing factors in getting thousands of disaffected Americans voting for the first time. It, of course, may have had a negative effect on others.

The fact that he's younger, more liberal, not anti-abortion, homophobic or a creationist will also have had a major effect.

It's also exciting that Congress and the Senate are Democrat controlled as well.

As I said earlier, we live in very interesting times - his potential is great as long as the rest of his party don't tie his hands too much, and I'm sorry to say, as long as he doesn't get assassinated precisely because he's black, liberal etc.

My apologies to our US ishers but the States does have a history of disposing anyone even tending towards radical in its own special way.

[Clara]

As I said earlier, we live in very interesting times - his potential is great as long as the rest of his party don't tie his hands too much, and I'm sorry to say, as long as he doesn't get assassinated precisely because he's black, liberal etc.

The first thing OH said when i told him the good news...."I wonder if they'll kill him". I hope we've come a little further than MLK's era but given what the Russians are up to these days, you have to wonder.

[Annpan]

Congratulations America, you have something to be proud of,

Do we? It seems, reading the comments on this board and others, that he is still being judged by his skin color. Is that not the definition of racism?

I think it is really difficult to not see the colour of his skin, that isn't racist, it is observation. It would be just as dificult to talk about Sara Palin without mentioning that she is a woman.

He won 95% of the 'black' vote... and then there is knowing that there are people who refused to vote for a black man. I even heard people were taking toy monkeys to republican rallies


Unprecedented amounts of people voting.... I believe THAT is something to be proud of.
Having someone on the ticket that a younger, urban, multicultural voter wants to vote for.... I believe THAT is something to be proud of.
I hope that a similar candidate is available in the next general election in Britain..... but I won't hold my breath.



If anyone in USA wants to do me a BIG favour can you please pm me...

[StripyPixieSocks]

The first thing OH said when i told him the good news...."I wonder if they'll kill him".

Isn't it awful though that we live in a world where something like that springs to mind so easily... it even crossed my mind and I do believe there has been someone arrested earlier in the campaign for trying to shoot him if I am not mistaken.

I'm just glad it's all over, now perhaps the UK news will report on something else instead of the two pronged US elections and the Ross / Brand story...

[prison break fan]

Really interesting to read everyone's views. I watched most of it, thought the BBC's coverage was very good. Isn't anyone better than Bush?. I think he harmed McCain's chances more than anyone else! pbf

[evelyn]

I am so happy he won, he is a very smart man, and now he has the big mess Bush has made to clean up, poor fella, i think it may take two terms to sort it though.

Oh that reminds me, he is black, did you know.

I only mention it because the talking heads cant stop mentioning it, in a ten min period i counted 48 "black"( do they think we dont know this fact) a bit bonkers realy as they compleatly faild to talk about his qualitys or plans.

This man is going to do grate thigs.

Eve

[jim]

Dear Ellandra,
I don't believe, from the tone of replies in this thread, that mention of the President elects' skin colour is anything other than observation. I do think, however, that pointing out his African ancestry is reference to our detection of change in attitude to race in America. Now, [i]that[/i] is something which demonstrates progress .....

So much progress that I'm still eating my words!

Love and Peace
Jim