No. I was very happy, but I still have the sinking feeling that something’s going to fuck up in the next few months, and I was pretty disturbed by the initial rush of outrage I’ve been reading on various comment boards (“Great, you bozos elected a Socialist president” kind of stuff). Also, I’m really disappointed in the verdict on California prop 8.
I did find it heartwarming to see so many other people crying, though.
Yes. My husband and I both did. We both grew up in very conservative religious homes, and it has been such a struggle to explain to our loved ones why we feel about Obama the way that we do, so when CNN projected he won our state and then immediately projected him the winner, we jumped up and down. Then we cried during the speech because we feel like we need everything he is talking about so desperately. It’s a little scary to us, but mostly we are just overjoyed.
I’m newly moved to realize that my parents, both leaning toward being racist, both Repubs, have just witnessed the fact that the states they were born in (NY/NJ), the state they live in (OH), and the states where their children live (MI, FL, CA) all went for Obama. Blows my mind constantly.
Yeah, I did, and totally wasn’t expecting it.
He’s not an exact match with all of my political preferences but hey, nobody will be. I think he’s a brilliant man, a genuinely principled man and someone, based on his track record here in Illinois, who has a real genius for building consensus. He respects and listens to others–and he’s pragmatic.
I’ve been so increasingly angry and depressed over the past eight years. The exclusionary, secretive, arrogant Cheney/Shrub years are finally over. God knows they’ve shit on the Constitution and shamed…well, not the thread for that. But it all took a toll.
Maybe part of it’s generational too. I remember segregation days as a child, separate drinking fountains, no blacks allowed in restaurants or public pools, etc. I walked in some civil rights marches as a teenager, scared shitless because my racist parents vehemently disapproved and I a quiet, introverted class nerd anyway. The hate spewed from the sidelines was a real eye opener for exactly how vilely ordinary people could behave.
I’m rambling.
It wasn’t until the visual of Obama and his family walking out onto that stage in Grant Park that tears unexpectedly started pouring down my face. It happened in my lifetime. I lived to see it. A black man was elected President of the United States, and by a landslide too.
Me, too.
Nope, didn’t feel any emotions at all. Didn’t even watch TV. My SO came running in, “Obama won!”
“I assumed he would.” Went back to what I was doing.
I would have cried during the personal parts of his speech but he held it together way too much for me to be affected by sympathetic crying. Then he went into the Debbie Downer part of the speech and lost me.
There was certainly a lot of cheering on this side of the pond. 
Bush has finally gone and the US can at least get some leadership and recover international respect.
All today on our TV rhere were stories about how things can now move forward - clearing the deficit, sorting out the economy, saving on oil use , tackling climate change, restoring human rights, serious discussions with other countries etc
Hahahaha! That’s why I remained emotionless. I’ll believe that shit when I see it.
Yep–of course I am happy for him personally and for the race barrier being broken. But who can live up to the expectations, and he’s a compromiser.
I don’t have a sense of urgency that he can or should solve all of our problems. I have a sense of hope that he’ll try hard to help us all solve as much as we can in ways that I will be enthusiastic about at best and ambivalent about at worst, and that’s enough.
I was in silent “woo-hoo” mode for a while at work while checking the sites for updates.
I was going to go out, but I worked late, and didn’t get home until about 7:30pm, with plenty of time to see the official call.
I watched the speeches and then called a few friends, and we were like - “Hell yes, it’s about time, this makes up for 1980 and 2000!” And a few others too.
Then I thought about what happened in a historical way. I then called my closest friend. His first words were - Yeah, he won! And then I started crying. I don’t mean choked up and pulled it together. But flat out crying for joy while trying to explain why I was crying.
Then about a half hour after I was off the phone with him, I started crying again.
Even this morning after getting a very nice congrats email from a die hard McCain supporter, I choked up again.
Obama’s win has restored my faith in the people of the United States.
I know I’m caught up in the moment, but November 4, 2008 is one of the greatest days in our Country’s history.
And this is from a guy who was a Hillary supporter until the final primary was over.
Yes, during McCain’s concession speech and during Obama’s acceptance. And during all of the news shows I watched this morning. I am so full of hope and optimism about his presidency. It has been a long, awful 8 years.
I stayed up watching CNN all night, and my eyes were never entirely dry. Even now, I’m a little teary-eyed reading this thread.
I also cried when I saw Michelle’s dress . . . but not for the same reason.
Quit shitting on our thread.
Don’t shit yourself, but the question was “did you cry?” I answered.
Start your own thread; I promise I won’t shit on it.
Can I get an amen?!
Jesse Jackson in tears broke the dam and took me from misty-eyed to blubbering puddle of hope, relief, beaming joy and humility.
Yep-
Yep, during his speech. I kept thinking “This is what we’ve needed the President to say for a long time” and pow. I was completely unprepared for it.
I only did because Owls did–he pretty much broke down during Obama’s speech. He told me “I never thought I’d get to see one of America’s great presidents during my lifetime”.
I’m glad Obama won. I think he’s the kind of president the country needs right now, and has needed for a good 6+ years.