# To my fellow liberals **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234 "2008-11-05T06:57:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/1 "2008-11-05T06:57:08Z")
Can we react to this victory not with gloating and insults but with well-earned pride and good humor? Not by using this election as a mandate to claim victory in all contentious issues, but by renewing reasoned debate and intellectual interchange with our conservative counterparts? Can we savor the moment without souring it? \*\* YES WE CAN! \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/2 "2008-11-05T06:58:40Z")
Yes. And just as we supported Obama tooth and nail in this election, so we must watch his presidency like hawks and respond with pleasure when he lives up to expectations and respond with displeasure when he doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/3 "2008-11-05T07:00:46Z")
Now I would like to see what conservatives have to say. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/4 "2008-11-05T07:08:01Z")
I posted this in another thread about 4 hours ago, does it count? > [@](#): > > Scylla, > > I regret the things have said in this and other threads. The future is starting to look beautiful and I hate to start it off with the same old animosity. If you will accept my apology I humbly offer it. The same goes for any other Republicans or conservatives. This is hopefully the beginning of something great, lets try to break the mold and just discuss things rationally and try to respectfully disagree. > Sincerely, > > Jason [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10404096&postcount=160](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10404096&postcount=160) ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/5 "2008-11-05T07:13:38Z")
He says he’ll be listening to us, and I believe he means that. So with as much passion as we put into his election, we must also hold him to the ideals we hired him to uphold. I have faith that he’ll be approaching his Presidency in much the same way as he approached his Senatorship – by seeking out those who are the most knowledgeable on an issue, Republican or Democrat, and asking them to work with him on common goals. If Barack Obama can reach out to the Dick Lugars, Orrin Hatches and Tom Coburns of the Senate, we should be able to reach out to **Brickers** , **Scyllas** and even the **Starving Artists** of a message board. Sí se puede. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/6 "2008-11-05T07:14:16Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Can we react to this victory not with gloating and insults but with well-earned pride and good humor? Yes, we . . . [Naaah.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=491306) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/7 "2008-11-05T07:22:01Z")
I agree with keeping gloating in check. Obama is President-elect of THE UNITED STATES, not president of the blue states. Let’s move forward. I am enjoying this moment, though. I really am. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/8 "2008-11-05T07:22:41Z")
We-e-e-elllllllll… :dubious: I anticipate some disappointment moving forward, as reality meets our aspirations and better sides. But that’s ok. I’m not overly-invested in bipartisanship, only in effective governance. Tomorrow is a new day though – and next January we will have a new Presidency and a renewed Democratic majority. As I’ve said elsewhere, moderate conservatives need to rethink their policy stances, Republican politicos need to retool and those in power face immense challenges. As for my fellow left of center posters, perhaps they might reconsider their rhetorical stance up to this date. I for one will do that. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/9 "2008-11-05T11:27:13Z")
That’s it? Just a lot of gloating? Man, it is 6:30 AM the day after the election and nothing has changed so far! :mad: Fuck, I’m so disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/10 "2008-11-05T11:31:06Z")
Eh, I’m not excited enough to gloat. I supported Obama because he wasn’t a Republican, not because I expected much out of him. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/11 "2008-11-05T11:34:47Z")
I’ll keep the gloating in check if the Right promise not to spend the next 4 years acting as if electing a Democrat is a crime that has to be avenged by the sort of vitriolic witch-hunts the Clintons were subjected to. And there’s not a chance of that. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/12 "2008-11-05T11:39:15Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > Now I would like to see what conservatives have to say. Senator Obama won, fair and square. God bless him, he’ll be my president. That doesn’t mean I’ll suddenly support programs and policies I previously opposed, so I won’t be disappointed in the checks and balances that will hold back what I perceive as excesses. But the same could be said about anyone who got elected. I have never, ever supported or opposed a policy because of the party who created it, and I don’t expect that will change. But I’ll try to keep the debate respectful (I think I mostly have), and Obama will have my support as president, to the extent I don’t see his administration doing something I find fundamentally wrong. I truly hope he’ll reach across the aisle and pursue goals that may not be in lockstep with his party’s orthodoxy, as he has promised. We’ll all soon see, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![CyclopticXander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@CyclopticXander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyclopticXander)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/13 "2008-11-05T12:00:15Z")
You know I really thought I would gloat, and who knows I haven’t gone out into public yet. But as everything fell into place last night, I felt a sense of good will wash over me. Then came McCain’s speech which i found to be very classy (tacky audience aside). I saw some real pain in Palin’s face which I surprisingly found to be pretty sad. Then Obama spoke. After this I was committed to do my own little part to begin the healing process in this country so that we can begin our work, together. Yes this means good humor and pride in my country and all that jazz. I will try not to allow myself to feel contempt for the electorate anymore, this means not even letting California’s prop 8 sour my mood, not on this day. I have to believe we will get where we need to go. There will be many stumbles along the way. But if this man could win the highest office in this country, things can’t be all that bad:) Yes We Can. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/14 "2008-11-05T12:10:40Z")
You betcha. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/15 "2008-11-05T12:11:22Z")
How about a massive fucking sigh of relief and a few tears of joy? God damn but I put some blood, sweat and tears into this one! ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-fellow-liberals/471234/16 "2008-11-05T12:22:16Z")
“Yes We Can” but “Yes We Will” is another matter.