All is full of love
Did you cry during his acceptance speech?
I think about how our international standing has just improved and I feel so hopeful.
The popular vote was still pretty close; we have a lot of work to do to bring this country together. (So Brett said no gloating around McCain supporters; he said we have to be good winners.)
Madison loves to see Obama with his little girls. She likes to see when he holds their hands and picks them up. I told her that because the president of the United States is a little bit like our king as elected by us, this means his little girls are now like the princesses of the United States. “And they are beautiful brown-skinned girls just like you.”
She may not get the historical import yet but she gets the princess comparison. She’s pretty happy about it.
Pennie tried to call when he took Ohio but didn’t think to call our cell (I was at Abby’s with Kristen and Lynne) then we called her when CNN officially announced it.
Pennie and I bonded about politics four years ago. It’s hard to remember but at the beginning we were excessively careful with each other and we didn’t talk politics. But then when Kerry was running she called me up and asked if I was voting “for Frankenstein or the chimp” and I said, “Frankenstein all the way.” And happily it turns out that we share our liberal politics. She was happy that the kids have been such a part of this election process and liked hearing that Madison helped hang flyers on doors the other day.
I’m glad and grateful that Madison got to talk to her first mom on that historic night. I’m glad that we both thought to call each other.
Abby had a great evening planned. The kids had an electoral map to fill out and Kristen and Lynne brought apple pie (raw and cooked respectively). I brought sparkling juice so the kids could toast the winner, which meant that Madison came up every ten minutes to see if we could do some toasting yet.
I haven’t looked at any of the ballot measures yet so I’m going to make the kids pancakes (we slept way in) and then spend some time trolling the internet. Then it’s off to skating, home to work and later tonight I get to hook up with Andrew to talk politics (probably) and writing (definitely).
I cried reading your post. Again. I am kind of weepy about all of this, no?
It doesn’t take much, but I teared up reading what you said to Madison. Princesses, indeed, and it’s about damn time.
The husband and I are a split household politically… yet both of us feel equally teary at the thought that our daughter (a Chinese-American adoptee) will be able to look at the highest office in our nation and really, truly believe “anything is possible.” I’m tearing up AGAIN. It’s such an emotional day. Princesses, indeed.
Frankenstein or the chimp!! Hilarious! Madison has two clever, funny mamas, lucky girl.
I cried last night during his speech. I cried again hearing clips of it on OPB this morning. And I cried again reading your post. I can’t believe it and I am so excited - for Madison and for Little Bear and so many others to grow up with Obama and his family in the White House. Wow.
I started sobbing when CBS suddenly announced he had won - I did not expect it for a while yet and it floored me. I cried so loudly, in fact, my kids, who had wandered out of the room, came running, worried. I calmed down until his speech, and while I cried again, I was also struck by not only the hope and promise in his speech, but what was almost coded - the world *is* changing, and our country *will* change with it, so come on along for the ride.
When he mentioned all sorts of people, I was astounded - when was the last time gays and lesbians, the differently-abled and others were considered “us” by a President?
Hope and pride for my country both feel pretty heady.
I’m so ecstatic right now! This is the happiest I’ve seen everyone for such a long time. It’s like the nation took one large collective sigh of relief.
I’m so proud to be an Ohioan routing for more than just Saturday football games.
Barbara! I know!!!! I jumped up in my chair when he said GAY!!!! He said gay in his acceptance speech! He acknowledged gay Americans! I love him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cried. I cried all night. As each state was announced, I cried. As PA, and Ohio joined us, I cried. I clapped and I stood and screamed.
I agree about not gloating and lets just start working NOW lets move forward.
It’s so great and it’s so sob-worthy. I so loved that he said gay, too!
I cried, and it scared my daughter. She kept saying, “I don’t get it, explain it to me.” And we would try, and she would say why is it so important that he’s dark?” (There’s some white privelege for you.) I told her she’ll understand it more as she gets older.
My step-sister-in-law, Karen Russell, was reporting in Chicago for our local station. She’s one of Bill Russell’s kids (first African-American player in the NBA) and seeing her was so fun. She’s been working on the campaign since the beginning, and at first, people told her there was no way he would win. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.
Also that he said gay and disabled. That’s when I started crying, I think.
“When he mentioned all sorts of people, I was astounded - when was the last time gays and lesbians, the differently-abled and others were considered “us” by a President?”
And no religious content except for “God bless America” in the end, something that made this European here very very happy
crying here too.
my kids get such a kick out of the fact that there will be little kids ‘like them’ in the white house. they’ve discussed it all -how will it work for birthday parties, sleepovers, etc. and looked for pics and video of the girls, and other first families, online. oh, and pets too. ridiculous how excited they are.
and my husband taught about the historical importance of it to a middle school class here today. which was interesting.
I sure cried. And the only other democrat in the house was asleep (and well, she’s 7).
I spent a lot of time last night watching local Atlanta reports from Dr. King’s church and the historically black colleges - Morehouse and Spelman - how exciting.
I feel proud today. And relieved.
Honestly, you know what I’ve thought about a lot? And it feels weird to say, like I’m patronizing but I don’t know how else to say it. But I think about all of the beautiful brown skinned little boys looking at Obama and thinking that could be them some day. Because now, it really could be them. Finally.
And the civil rights leaders they’ve been interviewing non-stop in Atlanta have almost all said, they never thought this could happen in their lifetimes and they have my thanks today.
Ah…to see the Obama family as our next white house family? Makes me feel proud.
I held the tears until Biden came out and for some reason that’s what got me started. I realized that I’ve felt uneasy and unsafe (and downright appalled) for so long, and suddenly it’s okay again.
Vintage Girl asked if I was crying happy tears and then she made me a “tear box”; I have a feeling even Vintage Daddy was getting a little misty . . .
I won’t gloat about McCain and his supporters, but I will celebrate the departure of Georgie Porgie and his crew.
Oh, I’ve been crying off and on all day (although some of those tears are angry ones, because of Prop 8). It started around 11pm last night, but I know for a fact it hasn’t sunk in yet.
The popular vote was actually the widest spread in quite a while — to win by 5% points is huge.
What’s more upsetting is to compare the deep-southern counties that Clinton won (many, many) to those that Obama won (very few). But I’m hopeful, because I’m crazy, that Obama can change that by his governing.
Yes, of course I cried! And, like FireMom I cried reading your post too… the part about the princesses and thinking of Madison and also my African American students, particularly the beautiful girls, almost had me sobbing here… good to hear from Jody too (here in the comments)…
and how nice you talked to Pennie last night!
I was at Grant Park and heard the acceptance speech live, and cried like a baby. Every time I looked around and saw somebody with their child on their shoulders, I’d tear up again. I don’t have kids, but I would imagine that sharing this moment with them, and hoping they remember it and talk about it for ages would be a pretty special feeling.
Yes, I shed a tear or two, especially when he promised that puppy to his girls.
Let’s fight back on Proposition 8. Let’s boycott California wines, produce and travel. Let’s publicize it. Let’s embarrass them. It worked a few years ago in Colorado. What do say?
I’m game, suburban dyke! Is there a web page or something that’s working on this that I could link to?
Hubby and I both teared up listening to him and watching the crowd. It amazed and heartened me to see tears in the eyes of so many people listening to him. November 4th was a powerful day.
I was tuning in to CNN (online, not TV) whenever I could at work during the day (which was Wednesday here). I didn’t get to hear Obama’s acceptance speech until we got home at about 9:00 that night. But we kept the kids up so Liam could watch it online (and so we could).
He didn’t get most of it, but I wanted him to be part of the moment, to remember it. He’s never consciously encountered the idea of racism before, so he didn’t really get why it was so important (aside from having a democrat in the white house), but I think it had an impact. Chris and I were both teary. And we’re not even Americans (well, Chris is, half, but he’s never lived there). Anyway, yeah. Fantastic. We are still on a high from it, although so, so disappointed in some of the ballet measures. My best friend got married in California last week, but her marriage is now in legal limbo I guess.