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[Bobbie]

Bobbie, that was a terrifically inspiring video.  Is it strange that, four days later, I'm still breaking into tears every so often?

That Portland rally was the first of his big (over 70,000) rallies.  For its duration, Waterfront Park was the seventh-bigggest city in Oregon.

Tearing up is not weird at all.  We have to consider voter turn out, the number of republicans who voted democrat, etc.  I have several republican friends and they ALL voted outside their party this time.  It's like we've all been lifted. 

I get weepy when I see the footage of Jesse Jackson standing in the Chicago crowd.  Moments after Obama is declared the winner and Jesse is just standing there in the screaming mass, tears streaming down his face, shoulders slumped.  One of the guests on CNN did the same, voice cracking, trying to hold it together. 

I think we all knew it was going to happen, Obama would likely win, but I don't think any of us knew how much it would impact us on the whole.  Perhaps we didn't realize how far we'd fallen--not just the economy, but our morale.

This whole experience feels like healing. 

[Matthew]

This whole experience feels like healing. 

Yes.

[HOO-HAA]

Bobbie, Wayne's a cynic.  That's usually a good thing, and I love his posts, his thoughtfulness and his wit.  But the important thing is that he's also an honest, good-hearted man.  If Obama manages (as you and I obviously think he will) to make good on his promises and bring a brighter world, Wayne will be the first to admit it.

Thank-you, John. That cheered a hungover man up. 

And, yes, I would be the first to admit it if Obama delivers. I really hope he does...

[HOO-HAA]

Change?

Heard it all before.

Then you probably know that historically (where the United States is concerned) there have been leaders who have pulled this country and its economy out of the ditch before.       

Hmmmm... was your post edited to dilute some strong words aimed at me, bobbie? If so, I don't blame you. I'm an opinionated son of a bitch with a trigger-happy gob on me. I'm sorry if I offended you.

Only last night, I was up to my old tricks - pissing over what was a perfectly good night with some friends via a half-hour rant on my two least favourite things - goverment and religion.

I then retired to the bathroom where I puked over the floor. Ms Wayne was not amused. Our dog trembled behind the sofa.

I'm now stupidly hungover.

I am a cynic - that much is true. It probably comes from the same place that my writing comes from - a bittersweet childhood. I haven't worked out if it's a blessing or a curse, or something in between, but I do know it's pretty much who I am, and there's no point in fighting it.

So, anyway - Obama. Yes, he won because people are voting for a better ecomony. However, in my opinion, the best thing any goverment could do for the ecomomy is to stay the hell away from it. Spending money when there's none to spend is not going to be good for the economy. Legislating and making restrictions on trade is not going to be good for the economy. Tax is not going to be good for the economy - it just helps to maintain the goverment's overdraft.

Is he a man of peace? No, he's a man of war. He just prefers Afghanistan and Pakistan as a place to jive, instead of the merry Bush/ Cheney jig in Iraq.

I do, however, think that he will be a better diplomat than Bush - all the signs point towards an initial embrace from European countries for Obama. Perhaps that's a good thing.

I'm also not colour blind - the fact that America has its first black president in itself is a very positive move from the world MLK was born into, and I don't underestimate the power of that alone.

So, there you go - a little optimism from me. 

 

[Bobbie]

I promise, Wayne, it wasn't edited to dilute strong words.   

[HOO-HAA]

I promise, Wayne, it wasn't edited to dilute strong words.   

Cool. Although, do feel free to throw strong words at me. Any ol' time. I could do with a slap around the gob, at times, to keep me from thinking that I'm the only one with a useful opinion.

I guess we all could! 

[Bobbie]

I'm sorry you ranted to your friends and puked on the floor.  Around my house this would simply mean the holidays are afoot . . .  or it's the weekend.   

On a lighter note, at least you didn't require anyone to hold back your hair. 

[HOO-HAA]

On a lighter note, at least you didn't require anyone to hold back your hair. 

 

[HOO-HAA]

Did you guys know that you can become Obama's friend on myspace?

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=184040237

I became his friend so I could send him a comment that went along the lines of:

'So change? Well, the kind of change the rest of the world hopes to see goes a little like:

1) Close Guantanamo Bay with immediate effect
2) Repeal the Patriot Act with immediate effect

If you do these 2 things in January, I might actually start to take notice...'

Funnily enough, it wasn't posted among the 'Go team!' comments! 

I decided to un-friend him. 

[john_sunseri]

Wayne, Gunatanamo is going to be closed as soon as possible.  As for the Patiriot Act, it might take a bit longer.  Give the guy a chance, all right?

[JJMelzer]

Wayne, Gunatanamo is going to be closed as soon as possible.  As for the Patiriot Act, it might take a bit longer.  Give the guy a chance, all right?

Agreed. He's not even in office yet. Let's just wait and see but until then...let's just continue to watch him take his kids to school and whatnot 

[john_sunseri]

Wayne, you might be interested in this;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/14/barack-and-michelle-obama_n_144004.html

The Gitmo thing, anyway.

[krakenten]

Hey, John, way off topic, but I have another one brewing at Fantastic Horror, (Gang War in Nickel City) still in progress.

It's an espionage thingy, see what you think, if so inclined.

It's in the WIP of the workshop.

[HOO-HAA]

Oh, I forgot about the third point I called him on, which was :

3) End all hostilities on foreign soil with immediate effect.

Wayne, you might be interested in this;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/14/barack-and-michelle-obama_n_144004.html

The Gitmo thing, anyway.

Thanks for the link, John.

Well, I will absolutely applaud Obama on that issue *only when* he follows through on it. However, it's somewhat dampened, for me, by this kind of comment:

Obama also said he plans to put al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in the crosshairs.

"I think capturing or killing bin Laden is a critical aspect of stamping out al-Qaida," Obama said. "He is not just a symbol, he's also the operational leader of an organization that is planning attacks against U.S. targets."

It doesn't take too much in the way of reading between the lines to see how Obama plans to use his increased military ground force, eh? Oh, and wasn't it George Bush who rattled on about the 'Wanted - Dead or Alive' poster with Bin Laden's name on it? And look where that got us...