# You did it. Congratulations. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199 "2008-11-05T04:08:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/101 "2008-11-05T15:58:39Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > What about us not-so-moderate conservatives? šŸ˜‰ > > Actually, Iā€™ll answer that - there will be many times an Obama initiative will need to be opposed - and Iā€™ll have no problem doing _that_. I fully expect to agree with him on a few issues as well. > > I will attempt at all times to remember that he is President Obama, and state whatever opposition I have keeping that in mind. But you do get to make fun of him if he mispronounces nuclear, trips coming out of Air Force One, vomits on world leaders - or gives them spontaneous backrubsā€¦because our leaders need to stay humble and human - and besides, its traditional. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/102 "2008-11-05T16:01:17Z")
Thank you, conservative Dopers! Thereā€™s a lot of hard work to be done, that would be the same hard work if it had been a Republican who was to attend to it (i.e., same central agenda). It will take good politicians on both sides to address it. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/103 "2008-11-05T16:11:51Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > God bless President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden. Seconded. My guy didnā€™t win.ā˜¹ That said, there is much to be happy about. I doubt that the countryā€™s racial problems are over, but this is a HUGE step in that direction. And the importance of that cannot be overstated. Iā€™m particularly happy with the idea that more Americans can now feel that this country is every bit thereā€™s, as well. Iā€™m very happy about the idea that a mother or father of any color can no look into a kids eyes and tell him that he can do anything with his lifeā€”even be Presidentā€”and the kid, and parent, believe it. Perhaps this will help people who might otherwise have defined themselves as being outside the best part of America, those who felt they were mere witnesses to so many American Dreams, can start to dream for themselves. Even if Obamaā€™s presidency turns out to be mediocre, this cannot be undone. But I donā€™t think it will be mediocre. At least he has shown that he has the tools to make it much, much more than that. A near flawless campaign, great intelligence, and a steady demeanor give me great hope that this will be the case. I admit to still being concerned with some of his philosophical positions, and I will, of course, voice my opinion should he move in directions I view as unhelpful. But I hope the fears I have and have will be proven to be unfounded. On January 21, the page will turn and a new chapter will begin. I think we are all happy, and relieved, about that. Obama is a rare bird. Already he has helped us as a people transcend race. I hope his considerable abilities are put to full use and he helps us do things that weā€™ve come to assume of late are beyond our capabilities. So, congratulations to President-elect Obama. And congratulations to all those who supported him and worked hard on his behalf. While I disagree with John McCain on a host of issues, I do think him to be one of the most honorable men to grace Washington. If, indeed, the better man won, this is a wonderful day for our country. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/104 "2008-11-05T16:16:23Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Not to criticize, but you take me to task for my statement and then cry and weep over Obama? I never cried and wept over any politician. > > I respect the presidency. And I do that when Democrats are in office too. I served my entire Navy enlistment with Bill Clinton in the Oval Office, and while I never voted for him I never had issues taking orders that came ultimately from him. Now Iā€™m confused. What exactly are we talking about here? Are we talking about the appropriateness of criticism of a public servant, or are we talking about the violation of an oath by a member of the military to follow a lawful order? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/105 "2008-11-05T16:20:50Z")
In Kenya there is a school named after Barack. But in the ultimate honor, there is a beer named after him. The remarks I read about world nations response was uplifting. It seems to have given new hope to people in other nations. Perhaps we can get our respect back. ---
**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, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/106 "2008-11-05T16:48:34Z")
I am very eager to put the rancor aside, and am very glad to see both Obama and McCain are showing leadership in that regard. Iā€™m also impressed with the graciousness of the conservatives in this thread. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/107 "2008-11-05T16:57:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Of course. In fact, I think youā€™d have trouble finding more than a handful of Dopers who didnā€™t think so. Actually, I am counting down to the moment when somebody says, ā€œAha! You used to say it was treason to criticize the President!ā€ Which I have never said and donā€™t believe. > [@](#): > > I was just curious as to whether youā€™re giving him a chance to be _your_ President, so to speak, or if youā€™re simply acknowledging that heā€™s _the_ President, and therefore _your_ President, if that makes sense. Well, he hasnā€™t had a chance to do anything yet, if I understand you correctly. I donā€™t support many of his policies as stated during the election. If he comes to his senses and begins to support limited government, balances the budget, works for free trade and nuclear energy, protects national security, etc., then great. If not, then I will oppose his policies and speak against them. > [@](#): > > In other words, do you salute the man, or the office? Both, actually, but mostly the office. Maybe it will be clearer if I say it like this - I will criticize Obama as soon as he does something I disagree with as much as any Doper has criticized Bush for doing things that Doper disagreed with. Sauce for the goose, and all that. When Biden fucks up and says something stupid, it will be just as legitimate to rake him over the coals for it as it was for Sarah Palin. Same for Obama. Should be an interesting four years. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/108 "2008-11-05T17:19:58Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Actually, I am counting down to the moment when somebody says, ā€œAha! You used to say it was treason to criticize the President!ā€ > > \ > > Sauce for the goose, and all that. When Biden fucks up and says something stupid, it will be just as legitimate to rake him over the coals for it as it was for Sarah Palin. Same for Obama. Assuming you didnā€™t say anything about how we canā€™t criticize the President, and I have no reason to believe you didnā€™t, then I for one will absolutely endorse your right to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/109 "2008-11-05T17:23:12Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Obama is our President. > > No, cancel that. Obama is **my** President. That coming from you means more than anything else thatā€™s happened in the last day and a half to me. Itā€™s honestly difficult not to cry. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/110 "2008-11-05T17:25:17Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Well I didnā€™t think it would be McCain who would make me cry. I like to think that that was the real McCain speaking. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/111 "2008-11-05T21:24:13Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > It takes charismatic people to inspire social change, and Obama certainly has that in spades. Wacist! ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/112 "2008-11-05T21:27:47Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Actually, I am counting down to the moment when somebody says, ā€œAha! You used to say it was treason to criticize the President!ā€ Which I have never said and donā€™t believe. I for one have every intention of saying that only to the few rabid righties I know in meatspace, and even then only jestingly. I canā€™t recall anyone here saying that, actually. > [@](#): > > Should be an interesting four years. No offense to your political preferences, but hopefully in a noticeably different way than the last eight were. And yes, I am in full agreementā€“when Obama makes a faux pas or mispronounces something, by all means let him have itā€“as said above, our leaders are human and can probably stand a little mocking when itā€™s earned. Actually, as soon as the Republican party at the national level drops the religious fundamentalist positions on moral/social issues a bit, Iā€™m somewhat eager to start giving them my votes againā€“I am old enough to remember several combinations of administrations and it seems the ones I like best are Democratic President + Republican Congress, which seems to put each party in the position where it canā€™t exercise power in the area itā€™s most prone to excess (that is, I like it when the Democrats canā€™t spend and expand and the Republicans canā€™t ā€¦ foreign-policy, I need a verb form of that.) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/113 "2008-11-05T21:55:17Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > That coming from you means more than anything else thatā€™s happened in the last day and a half to me. Itā€™s honestly difficult not to cry. For heavenā€™s sake, this is just politics. Itā€™s not the end of the world when you lose, and it isnā€™t the culmination of glory when you win. But I appreciate the sentiment nonetheless. > [@Zeriel](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Actually, I am counting down to the moment when somebody says, ā€œAha! You used to say it was treason to criticize the President!ā€ > > I canā€™t recall anyone here saying that, actually. Oh, it happens once in a while, but it is always someone left of center attributing it to a conservative. No conservative has ever said it on the SDMB AFAICT. > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Should be an interesting four years. > > No offense to your political preferences, but hopefully in a noticeably different way than the last eight were. Oh, itā€™ll be different all right. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/114 "2008-11-05T21:59:25Z")
Iā€™m impressed with Obama, the US, and even with McCain (it really was a terrific speech). Most of the people here have high hopes for the next 4 years of US foreign policy, and though I donā€™t doubt there will be disappointments over here as well in the US, I think Obama is the right man at the right place. If anything, Itā€™ll be interesting to hear a US president who can _speak_. šŸ˜ƒ Congratulations from the heathen socialist Netherlands. šŸ†’ ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/115 "2008-11-05T22:01:58Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Actually, I am counting down to the moment when somebody says, ā€œAha! You used to say it was treason to criticize the President!ā€ Which I have never said and donā€™t believe. I remember this sentiment being expressed most notoriously by Ann Coulter (not on this board of course). ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/116 "2008-11-05T22:03:06Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > For heavenā€™s sake, this is just politics. Itā€™s not the end of the world when you lose, and it isnā€™t the culmination of glory when you win. Thatā€™s kind of my point. The guy you wanted lost, and youā€™re now getting behind the other guy. You supporting any Democrat is shocking. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/117 "2008-11-05T22:17:55Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > No conservative has ever said it on the SDMB AFAICT. I donā€™t know if any conservative here has said explicitly that criticism of the President _per se_ is treasonous, but the following remarks are rather along those lines: [Scylla:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6787855&postcount=68) > [@](#): > > I think the left, as an entity, is a bunch of directionless revisionists who play the game of politics for its own sake. I think they are two-faced, disloyal and they lie constantly. I think the leaders of the left like Kennedy, Kerry, and Dean are truly despicable human beings. > > I think the left manufactures scandal and outrage as a product. For five years, the left has been two-faced and traitorous. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/118 "2008-11-05T22:27:38Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Thatā€™s kind of my point. The guy you wanted lost, and youā€™re now getting behind the other guy. You supporting any Democrat is shocking. I am a citizen of the United States of America, the greatest country on the planet. And one of the reasons itā€™s the greatest country is that we have a system that works like it did yesterday. And the reason that it works like it did yesterday is that we are all committed to the same things. And when the election is over, the guy who lost the election says the kinds of things that John McCain said. McCain is a genuine American hero - _and he is not unique_. I have no doubt whatever that if Obama had lost, he would have said the same sort of things. And it would have meant exactly what it meant when McCain said it. Our politics is what divides us, but our commitment to the American ideal is what unites us. Yes, our politics are a mess. They always have been, and they always will be. Every couple of years we have elections, and we yell at each other and argue over nothing and argue over serious policy differences, and then go back to arguing over nothing. Thatā€™s how we do it. Thatā€™s what happens when free men and women decide things. Itā€™s loud and messy, and itā€™s rarely conclusive, because nobody is better than anybody else, and everybody has a right to their opinion. And, at the end of the day, we are all still Americans. United we stand. And we always will. ---
**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, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/119 "2008-11-05T22:29:35Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > No, cancel that. Obama is **my** President. I also teared up when I read this. I have certainly had more than my fair share of issues with **Shodan** in the past, and likely will in the future, but as of right now he and I are both Americans, both hoping our new president will do a good job in a very difficult situation. Obama is my president, and **Shodan** is my fellow countryman. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199/120 "2008-11-05T22:46:57Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Obama is my president, and **Shodan** is my fellow countryman. Now you got me doing it. I donā€™t even have any jokes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-did-it-congratulations/471199.md?page=7)