My very special thanks to my dear friend Scott Ponik from Portland, OR who sent me this response (screen capture shown here on the right) in the early morning hours... I am darn sure he's celebrating this huge victory as I'm writing this. He's a trained typographer and graphic designer and I am sure he maintains the copyright on the shot (nooot?).Anyways, I watched live da man declare victory in front of a sea of supporters in the largest brotherhood of man in all shades and colors I ever witnessed in my lifetime. I am lucky to be alive and live the day, today! History on the making.
I also feel a bit sad for McCain despite my own despise of all things Republican in American Politics ever since the Bush clan came to power. The 72 year old man better go retire and enjoy the rest of his life in peace. He paid his dues in Vietnam as a POW, and needs nothing else to prove to the Nation... certainly not by implementing more of the 'John the fixer' style of GOP policies and ways. Two things I blame him in this campaign for, though. His choice of that appalling broad as a running mate (thank God she'll disappear from our TV monitors for good now) and changing for electoral purpose his beliefs to be closer to the neocons who since recent years seem to be pulling the strings in the Great Old Party. How wrong was he not? In fairness, he took all the blame personally in his concession speech, God Bless'm.
It was quite moving to see so many people gathered in Chicago at the Obama HQ glowing with huge smiles and tears of happiness. I was particularly moved by the tears in Rev. Jesse Jackson's face, a fighter for equal rights in America since the days of Dr. King! What must this victory mean to him and all those Afro-American fighters that have grown from their slavery 100 years ago into what we've come to witness today! Oprah was there among the crowds with tears in her face too, but that's how women are... they cry easy. It's a different story when a man weeps though! Way stronger, way deeper... Always felt controversial about Jackson until I saw the human factor in his face this morning. Like Socrates said: People are born good!
I am the happiest of men to see that the average Joe in America (and not that dickhead hooligan type Joe the plumber that McCain surfaced out of the woodwork) is far smarter than I ever credited him for... Probably I was biased as I have many Republican friends and acquaintances, and I just couldn't get it that they were still voting for GOP after 8 yrs of such an apocalyptic disaster... nevertheless, today's result will definitely put the US back in the world's driver's seat. We won't see the cure too soon just yet, as it usually takes much longer to build than to destroy, and one can't rebuild in a year, not even in four the damage George the President and Dick the hawk Vice President (the worst in living memory) did to this world in the last eight years. But the world is gonna get a better place and the Bush regime and dynasty will fade for ever in our memories as a bad dream of the past...A TV commentator in Athens, Greece remarked that this election had more of a World Referendum about fundamental changes we urgently need to wash out the evils of the Bush clan (don't you just luv 'em Greeks?). Somebody on MSNBC also mentioned that Obama emerged from this as the President of the World, not just the USA. I strongly second that... I mean, the man can talk. I watched his Grand Park pitch over and over, following the actual text of his speech on the side as the clip was running (a nice gimmick by the NYT online version). Yes sir! The man has got such a brilliant way, as a pure blood evangelist, to put so much meaning into simple English words and write history every time he pitches. It's a breath of fresh air compared to eight years of George W. Bush public appearance horse-shit, especially his presumably 'funny' jokes (makes you puke) that he often used to relax the audience. Reminds me of the colonel pitches between 1967 and 1974 we were forced to listen to by the military junta in Greece. We've now come to the other extreme of quality rhetoric that we haven't seen since JFK. There's a God after all!
2 comments:
A Greek commentator, Pretenderis, called this a universal referendum. The entire world participated in this. Indeed the Americans were clever enough - or was it survival instinct? - and voted for someone who is not like them. Educated in schools in Indonesia, Chicago and Harvard he is NOT the typical American and not being TYPICAL is what the world needs. Think also how more advanced Americans are: imagine a Moroccan PM in France or a Sikh PM in UK?
You are right on the money, my pal (I avoid calling you 'my friend' as it sounds too Macainish, still). I like the Moroccan parallel as well the Sikh. Never thought of that this way... but the US has always been more advanced in many things, despite what we say or think of them. Look at the things Apple builds, for example. Only in the US could a Steve Jobs be a fact.
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