Congratulations to President Obama!

Obama's done the expected, and done it on deadline, which certainly warms my heart toward him.

Here's hoping his leadership as president is on a par with the highest notes he struck during the presidential campaign. And he has struck some fine ones, such as on the night of his triumph in S.C. I certainly had an undivided mind about his victory on that night.

He's shown he can inspire; let's all hope and pray he can unite the nation. We need it. No, I'm not as happy about this as I thought I would be several months ago. But I'm hopeful, so call me audacious.

I now turn the floor over to you, the reader -- I'll have more to say in the coming days, but I'm going to go get some sack time now.

Comments

[Karen McLeod]

I was listening to various channels (mostly CNBC, MSNBC, CNN) when they announced the Obama victory and started showing crowds in various areas. I kept hearing how this was great for African Americans, and I don't disagree. But, I kept seeing white hands and faces, which were in majority, at least from the views in Chicago and NY. I understand how glad this makes our African American constituency, but its not all about them. It's about everyone coming together to agree that this person is the best candidate we have (out of 2 very good ones). And to me, that's what makes this a special election; we agreed, across racial and most cultural boundries on what we think is best. This person won, without sinking into dispicable dirty tricks, and without falsly maligning his opponent. John McCain's concession speach reminded me of his greatness. With God's grace, we may change the entire outlook of this country once again. We may remember that it all depends on us--not just one person, and that we need to work together. I pray this may be so.

[Rich]

This is a time of Jubilee!! I so look forward to seeing my students on Wednesday morning. They have such hopeful faces, yet they often feel that America is not a land of equal opportunity for everybody, regardless of race, color, or creed.

Barack Obama is living proof that "yes, they can" achieve great things and help make America a better and more just society.

I am sure that the next four years will not be perfect and our new president certainly will have a tough row to hoe, but if he demonstrates the character, level-headedness, ability to compromise, and cogent intelligence that he displayed during the campaign, then the ship of state will be well-governed.

[Lee Muller]

Without dirty tricks?

How about the millions of illegal voter registrations?

How about the media covering up his regional interviews and speeches to hard core leftists, where he revealed his socialist agenda?

How about the $32,500,000 in illegal donations from the Muslim world, according to the FEC, and maybe as much as $300,000,000?

[Claudia]

This feels, not like a win, but a new beginning. We will never all agree on everything, but here, at this point in time, we have the chance to do what America has always done - learn from our mistakes, and grow to be a better nation and a part of a better world. I feel privileged to be alive to witness this election of this President, and very, very lucky to be an American.

[Bill]

I don't understand how electing a man that is one half black is change? How so...I never cared what color the president was.

I have hesrd repeatedly, since last night, that we are now different. Change is here. We are now better? Can someone tell me how?

If the color of ones skin is what we are talking about, it seems to me that we have taken a long step backwards.

[Wondering]

The GOP is ethically bankrupt…it is a party without a moral center.

The GOP will not investigate, nor cause to investigate in a meaningful way, the wide spread voter fraud or campaign financial illegalities of this recent election. It will accept it because it requires courage. It takes leadership. It will take republicans that care more about their country than their careers, and as we know, there are not many republicans that can put duty before personal glory.

A fundamental piece of our democracy is under attack, and there is nothing the average citizen can do about it.

[Barchibald T Barlow]

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

[Lee Muller]

Wondering -

You are so right. McCain and Graham represent the spineless capitulation of the GOP on so many issues.

They are so interested in "getting along" with those in power, in order to keep themselves in power, telling themselves that compromising their integrity and the principles of the people who chose them is necessary to accomplish some few good things.

They are unable to distinguish their enemies from their opponents.

Those who want power to accomplish a variety of agendas are so easily manipulated by those who only want power for its own sake.

[bud]

To paraphrase Gerald Ford following the Watergate scandal "Our long national nightmare is over". No more George W. Bush with his mendacity, ineptitude and callousness toward the people of the America and the world.

We now have a real leader. A man with intelligence, forsight and a keen acumen for making sound decisions. As president, Obama will work tirelessly to protect the American people from dangers from abroad. But more importantly he will restore a prosperious footing to the nation's battered economy. He will stem the tide of right-wing activism on the supreme court replacing retiring justices with men and women who understand the value of the constitution and are willing and able to protect our cherished freedoms. President Obama will work tirelessly with our allies abroad to foster a new spirit of cooperation to restore international decency to all areas of the globe.

None of this will be easy. The disasterous failure of the Bush years has left our country in a precarious position both within our borders and from abroad. America's enemies have been bolstered by the abomination of our president's failed foreign policy. Obama will work to reverse this with a combination of a strong, yet reasonable military in combination with aggressive and logical diplomatic efforts. America is now back on the path to peace and prosperity established during the Clinton years. And not a minute too soon.

[Bill C.]

The Republicans will take back the White House in 2012, they're going to nominate a Hispanic candidate.

[Norm Ivey]

My students said the pledge to the flag a little louder, a little prouder today.

[Jimmy]

Obama has the chance to be a great president. Let me repeat, Obama has the CHANCE to be a great president. If he sticks to his Centrist campaign stances and remains fluid about his tax the rich policy (by that I mean, if it becomes apparent that overtaxing the wealthy individuals and corporations is actually stifling growth, investment and job creation, which it likely will), he could do great things.

Our position in the global theatre is better this morning than it was last night. What is really ailing this Country though (the financial crisis), is not going to be Obama's strong suit so I hope he chooses his cabinet very very carefully.

Ultimately, this is a potential new age for this country. Obama has a lot of potential and he has the ability to transform a nation. He needs to stand up to Pelosi and Reid and outwardly shun J. Jackson and A. Sharpton and make it clear that is not an african-american president . . . he is an american president that represents all of America, rich, poor, white, black, latino, etc.

If he does that, if he takes the "Tiger Woods" approach to being a minority in a role that a minority has never been in, he will do great things (caution tax policy here). If he slides left, aligns himself with Pelosi and Reid and the Jacksons/Sharptons of the world, the Democrats will lose control of the Senate in '10 and he will lose reelection in '12.

He will have to constantly fight his socialist tendencies, but not having 60 in the Senate will likely take care of that for him. The Country is yours Mr. Obama, now show us you are deserving of this great honor.

[Lee Muller]

You are a school teacher, Mr. Ivey?
What subjects?

The election of demagogues like Obama and Clinton is only possible because public education has chosen to no longer teach citizenship and basic economics.

[Michelle]

Actually Mr. Muller, you must take a U.S. Government/Civics class and an Econ class to earn a SC High School diploma.

And why is it that if registration fraud is/was as widespread as you claim that there hasn't been any type of organized protest from the GOP to contest the results?

Because McCain lost and his people know it. And the politics of division and derision finally lost. Americans are sick of being divided and sick of the bitter partisan politics and the hyper-focus on non-issues like "Joe the Plumber". Don't tell us what you're against, tell us what you're for. That is how John McCain and the GOP lost this election.

Oh and one more suggestion? Why can't you even get this newspaper to write about what you claim is $300M in illegal contributions to Obama?

[Harry Harris]

My wife asked me what I think would happen to Lindsay Graham with this loss. I think he, McCain, Snow, and some combination of Hegel and Specter will be highly influential as part of the logjam-breakers needed in the Senate. We may, indeed, see an influencial "unparty" at work on some key issues like global warming, energy, health care, and the economic destruction of the middle-class.

[bud]

Brad, with your last couple of posts you echo the gloom and despair I felt four years ago after the American people so utterly let me down with the horrible Bush selection. How in the world The State could have endorsed such an awful president still boggles my mind.

[Barchibald T Barlow]

" And the politics of division and derision finally lost. Americans are sick of being divided and sick of the bitter partisan politics and the hyper-focus on non-issues like "Joe the Plumber"."

I laugh at anyone who thinks that Obama represents anything other than more of the same from the Democrats the same way John McCain represents more of the same from the Republicans. And if you think "politics of division and derision" are over then you did not pay any attention to the campaign that Obama ran. Ignore the issues in debates and run ads full of half-truths attacking your opponent. It was almost as bad as McCain's campaign.

[Michelle]

Then you and I obviously have very different definitions for what are truthful ads and what are not. And from the looks of the election results this morning it would seem that more Americans agree with me than you Mr. Barlow. You know Mr. Bush claimed he had a "Mandate" with his win in 2004. So if 2004 was a mandate than I'd say that Mr. Obama has won a far greater victory than the "mandate" Bush claimed four years ago.
But I will agree with you on one thing: McCain ran a terrible campaign. But he gave a great concession speech. Perhaps it is time for some here to suck it up and follow his fine example.

[Lee Muller]

I didn't say that public education didn't offer courses in Civics and Economics. I said they CHOSE to not teach citizenship and basic fundamentals of economics in those classes.

Besides, 50% of black students drop out of high school, and never take the courses at all.

Obama has no mandate. He only won by 30 urban counties in the entire country.

The election is far from officially certified, yet.

The Republicans HAVE sued to stop voter fraud, like in Ohio, where the Secretary of State turns out to have had the head of ACORN as her paid political consultant.

And the FEC actually is investigating massive voter fraud and has already identified $32,500,000 in illegal contributions to Obama from Palestine. Obama has refused to hand over donor records on $300,000,000 in donations.

[Lee Muller]

Obama campaign is lying about donors - Slate

http://www.slate.com/id/2203421/

Barack Obama should be able to disclose his small-dollar donors pretty easily.
By John Dickerson and Chris Wilson
Posted Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008, at 6:50 PM ET

Barack Obama refuses to release the names of the 2 million-plus people who have given his campaign less than $200. According to campaign officials, it would be too difficult and time-consuming to extract this information from its database.

So how come we were able to do it in a couple hours? Not literally—we don't have access to the campaign's list of donors—but we created a database of similar size and format in a Web-ready file and posted it online. (You can view a sample text version of it here. The full version is 824 MB.)

Click Here!
http://img.slate.com/media/77/donors.txt

[Barchibald T Barlow]

Lee, you remind me of the "Bush stole election" loonies from 8 years ago.

Give it up. Just about anyone would have beaten McCain, the way he ran such a joke of a campaign. And they wouldn't have needed any illegal help to do it. If you are upset about an Obama presidency, then you can blame the party you seem to support so much for handing it to him.

[Lee Muller]

ACORN and the Democrats want us to give up on investigating, so they can continue to subvert the democratic process.

I am not as concerned with Obama's vote fraud as I am in cleaning up the system so it cannot continue.

I am not a Republican, have said all along that McCain was not the best GOP candidate, and the failure of Bush and many compromisers was setting them up to share the blame for economic problems created by the Democrat's socialist welfare agenda.

I am speaking as a long time member of the League of Women Voters, and having worked to register thousands of legitimate black voters, and having worked as a poll watcher and poll manager since 1972.

[Hubert]

Yep..the STATE newspaper, SC and a few other southern states think it's still the 1850's.
Sorry guys..it's the 21st century.

[Mattheus Mei]

I'm still basking in the glow of the victory. I'm happy for President Obama's mandate in this election.

Only question for us on this blog now is whether Lee will go the way of Hunter S. Thompson with this smacking defeat of his ideology and resounding refutation of his right wing nuttery.

[p.m.]

Back in the U.S.,
Back in the U.S.,
Back in the U.S.S.A.

How does losing an election change the facts, Mattheus?

If I were a member of the "World Is Round" party, but the "World Is Flat" party's candidate won the election, would that make the world flat?

Obama's victory doesn't make his ideology right, or yours, or bud's. It just means he won.

Try to act like you've been there before, no matter how hard it is.