n a t b s

When Bush “won” the election in 2000 it was so close and questionable, that when he started doing crazy shit we were extra critical of it.  Not that he didn’t deserve extreme critisism, but it was even easier to hate him and be angry becuase of the 2000 election.  Also the contrast with the prosperous ninites made it easy to hate him.  On the other hand, the election of 2008 comes right after Bush’s reign and the psyoclogical mindfuck he put us all through, so Obama’s presidency will probably look great by comparison and maybe cement the popularity of liberal ideals for a generation.  Yeah.

Growing up in the happy-go-lucky nineties, I learned a lot about the ideals of America, and I believed in those ideals; I was too naive not to.  Getting older and learning about our dubious history, and witnessing our present in the time of Bush, was a painful realization that we hardly live up to those ideals; that that stuff I used to believe as a kid was a myth not unlike Santa clause and the tooth fairy.  George Bush has been the president my entire adult life.  And now, the way I feel about the election of Barack Obama, is kind of like finding out Santa clause is real.  His rise and victory, more than his politics, means something.  It reminds us that America isn’t all talk.  We can put our money where our mouth is and do the right thing.  We can do something unprecedented and once again lead the way.  Yes America is an amazing country, this proves that once again.  And that’s why I felt so good last night, and why I feel so good now, and why so many people in the world do too.  I’ve never seen such joy and jubilation over a presidential election, people were literally dancing in the streets all over the world.  And yes, he’s black, and this country was founded on slavery, and 40 years ago they didn’t have equal rights, and yes that is amazing and wonderful.  It hit me right after they announced it, even though I knew it was going to happen, I didn’t feel it until it was official.  About, 11:02 I’d say, I started to cry.  It was a beautiful night.  Maybe one of the happiest the world has ever known.  We have the hope of a new beginning.

Also, for the first time in my lifetime I can say these words without sarcasm: America, fuck yeah!

What is it about Sara Palin that scares the shit out of me, and frankly, let’s admit it, all democrats?  It’s plainly obvious that everyone is scared shitless by this woman, so let’s just end the denials and the false confidence.  First we have to admit it, then we can try to figure out why we’re scared so we can beat her.

The problem is, I don’t really know why.  It’s a feeling, there’s something about her and how she’s being received that makes me feel like we could be in trouble.  She’s like a new product, and she makes the old one appear obsolete.  It’s like when when a newer model iPod comes out, suddenly that old one just not as good.  She’s got the sheen of newness about her. People love new products, and Obama’s been around for 9 months already.  Bo-ring.  Hope?  …Did you hear Bristol is pregnant? For better or worse, well…for worse, she just dominates the mind.  She’s just a huge, good-looking, distraction.  And the primary person she’s distracting us from is John McCain.  That guy still running? His daughter is hot.  What, that’s his running mate?

Maybe because the Democrats are all dorks, and she seems like that stupid popular girl at your high school.  Or those 8 stupid popular girls.  And the scary part is people vote for that girl.

I’m not really sure how you beat the hot new product, the popular girl.  I’m not sure Obama knows how to do that either.  Is 57 days enough for people to get sick of her?  Something else needs to happen.  McCain needs to explode with anger on television, or maybe the debates will change things if there’s some moment that resonates.  I don’t know, and I don’t think the Obama campaign planned for this contingency.  Who could have expected them to?  Can they figure her out in time?  Can we?  There’s not much time left.  But first we have to admit we’re scared.

MICHELLE BERNARD, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST:  This is—I think the most important thing I can say is that I‘m so glad that I‘m alive and old enough in a point in history to fully absorb what was happening.  I actually went away and sat in the green room by myself so that I could just absorb it and actually weep alone.

This is the most amazing evening of my entire life.  I kept looking at Barack Obama the entire evening and I kept thinking that one day that could be my son or my daughter.  Barack Obama, I think, in being elected as the Democratic Party‘s nominee has demonstrated to the entire world that in America anything is possible.

Joe Biden said it last night and you kept hearing Barack Obama say it again tonight, America‘s promise, America‘s promise, America‘s promise.  And you can‘t help but look at him and say America has finally realized its promise.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

MATTHEWS:  F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that—others have said it before that we‘re not an ethnic group, America.  Britain is an island and the French are a people.  He once said that we‘re harder to utter, something harder to utter, a willingness of the heart.  Is this nomination of Barack Obama a willingness of the heart, of the mind?  Is this a real change?  Is this a hope?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE:  Yes, it is!

MATTHEWS:  A prospect or a reality, where are we?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BERNARD:  It is all of the above, as they are telling us.

(LAUGHTER)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BERNARD:  We are looking tonight behind us at a sea of beautiful black, white, Asian faces.  It tells me that the era of identity politics in the United States is over.  I will be very happy on election night if we can get to a point where we don‘t have to talk about how women are voting, how African-Americans are voting, how people in Appalachia are voting.

Iowa did it first.  Iowa demonstrated that in this country white people will vote for a black man.  It‘s the greatest day in our nation‘s history.

…

America is a fundamentally different country today.  It will be even more different if he wins this election.  But regardless of the outcome of the election, our country will never be the same again.

wow

Though it’s been a forgone conclusion for months, Obama finally made if official and won the Democratic nomination this week. And despite all the obvious liberal-greatness that Obama is bringing to this country, I think one of the most profound and subtle effects of his candidacy will be on the mindset of young African-Americans. Keli Goff phrases it nicely in the Huffington Post:

That today in the classroom of some inner city school there is a black boy who now believes that there is another career goal for him to aspire to when he grows up besides rapper, athlete or inmate: president.

The black community in America has been struggling for some time now, not really their fault, but they have been. Hope is a powerful thing, and now they have new hope. He has shown that the highest office in the land is not out of reach, and that’s a powerful psychological barrier to be broken.

Aside: don’t worry women, your time will come.

-A