It really was an amazing thing to see. There were lots of honking cars and groups wandering the streets in celebration around my neighborhood. Just watching the faces of those in the crowds in Grant Park & Times Square was very moving.
Metafilter has a great thread on yesterday:
Barack Obama is the next President of the United States | MetaFilter
A few great posts:
What I'm really excited about now is whether Obama can come through on his challenge to create a new era of national service. Imagine the things this country could do with a mobilized and motivated mass of people from all walks of life like Obama has gathered through his campaign. It's highly idealistic, but then again so was the idea of an Obama presidency 21 months ago.
Metafilter has a great thread on yesterday:
Barack Obama is the next President of the United States | MetaFilter
A few great posts:
People in Boston and Cambridge are roving in packs through the streets, screaming deliriously. Cars are going through intersections with horns blaring, a jubilant conversation in traffic. It's like the Sox won the World Series or something.
Waiting in front of Symphony Hall for the bus, a taxi driver pulled up to us and asked if my friend and I were going to Cambridge. We eyeballed him suspiciously for a second and asked why, and he said, "I don't care who you voted for. Free ride tonight." So we hopped in and listened to President-elect Obama[1]'s speech on the radio as the driver maneuvered carefully around throngs of marauding Northeastern students.
When we got to the Central Square cab stand, I asked the driver again if I couldn't give him even a little bit of money. He gestured at the radio and said, "In this man's name, no money." I told him I'd give him a hug, and he just laughed and said he'd save that for next time. We shook hands instead and I got out of the cab, feeling as though I were stepping out into a new world.
It's just, it's simply unbelievable.
It is unbelievable that the work of millions of people without connections or clout or vast money or insider power, came together under the idea of reform, calmness, and rationality, with malice towards none and FUCKING GOT THEIR ODD-NAMED MINORITY SMARTY-PANTS-TALKER ELECTED In a LANDSLIDE
That measured appeals to intellect and fairness and being a fucking adult about things worked over base pandering and baiting
THAT NEVER HAPPENS.
Redemption my friends.
What I'm really excited about now is whether Obama can come through on his challenge to create a new era of national service. Imagine the things this country could do with a mobilized and motivated mass of people from all walks of life like Obama has gathered through his campaign. It's highly idealistic, but then again so was the idea of an Obama presidency 21 months ago.