AMEN

I just returned from voting here in NJ. I waited in line for the first time ever. People seemed truly hopeful and excited to be there. I know I was. I left the polls happy that I had a chance to be part of such a historic day.

The efficacy of the the last 8 years will not be turned back by this new administration, whomever it turns out to be.
Returning the country to the constitutional law will not happen. Once the rules are usurped never again will they be returned by any administration.
e.g. the way the books are cooked with unemployment, and the cooked books on inflation.
So be it Obama or McCain nothing changes, and in four years the echos of this campaign shall start anew with the same clamor and frustration.

I was going to chide you for an improper use of enormity.

However, I notice that Webster has now decided it's OK to use it to mean "really f---ing big" instead of the old-school "outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act."

I'm sure that someday Webster will decide that "niggard" is a racist term.

Half African and half white? Not to be a pest, Jack, but care to re-think that one?

I can only pray that you will be correct in voting this man in. From what I've seen, he is being voted in because he promised things (health care, college education, tax credits) that I don't think he'll be able to keep (or do). I think he is being voted in because he's black. I think he is being voted in because he's not a republican. I sincerely fear for the future of our nation so I pray that I'm wrong about this man. Experience and history tell me I'm not wrong about this man, but time will tell. Now, like those before me who had the Bush derangement syndrome, I will have the Obama derangement syndrome.

Experience and history tell me I'm not wrong about this man

What does your experience and history tell you about GW Bush?

I am looking forward to an Obama presidency, but we don't know that much about him, and I fear that he'll overreach and divide the country even more than it is now. I pray your optimism is justified. What this country needs now more than ever is someone who will give us hope.

Half African and half white? Not to be a pest, Jack, but care to re-think that one?

Well, his dad was Kenyan, you know.

I seriously hope Obama wins, but I am not quite ready to call it a done deal, what with all those people voting and the ballots not having been counted yet.

Get your country back? When was your country socialist/marxist?

You must mean "get the country you always wanted."

If for some reason Obama should lose there would be unprecedented civil unrest, and a country more deeply divided than ever before in our history. This would be especially true if McCain won enough electoral votes while losing the popular vote, or if McCain won the election by a very slim margin. I could only imagine the conspiracy spin that would come from left leaning news sources and blog sites to incite that unrest. I seriously hope Obama wins too, but for different reasons.

Jack,
While I share your sentiments, don't count your eggs until they hatch. Lots of Diebold machines to break down, lots of voter frustration due to standing in line for hours. Lots can happen, but let's hope for the best, and then we can get on with putting things right.

The stories I expected to hear about this guy and his followers are already rolling in. With his untouchable status as far as negative media goes, I'm sure for every story we here there are quite a few more. I was very unhappy to hear about the Bush shenanigans in 2000 and 2004 and this is no different, though I'm sure you guys will find a way to defend your own and make it seem OK.

I hope Obama wins, but it's just the beginning. We have a long way and a lot of work to bring this country round right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwcgoUYpBF8

"...if McCain won enough electoral votes while losing the popular vote..."

So exactly like the last election? I'd be more worried about the reverse, McCain winning a majority of the votes but losing the electoral count. The right wingers love their hate, and they sound ready to take up arms to "correct" the election.

I sincerely hope for those who feel like native oregonian, that an O administration can fill that half empty glass up. It won't be enough to be better than Bush, that bar is quite low. Our mass cynicism is not inherent in our character, but has grown from frustration and impotence to effect meaningful change. What does the promise of an "O" admin. bring? Only a glimmer of hope and thank God it springs eternal. Now if only we can make it happen rather than wait and see. Participatory democracy? That would be nice for a change.

The right wingers love their hate, and they sound ready to take up arms to "correct" the election.

There's no way myself or any of the hundreds of gun owners I call friends would take up arms to put McCain in the office. Ron Paul, maybe.

whoever will take over in January will face many hard challenges. it wont be a picnic for sure. if it does not work out for next 4 years, i might move to another country. i will not watch news tonight. I will check the Oregonians tomorrow morning.

An e-mail from a faraway friend first thing this morning says it all:

"Can you smell what history is cooking!!!"

pretty good stuff.

"... they sound ready to take up arms ...."

THAT's exactly IT !!! 'They' SOUND scary. PANIC!, everybody. FREEZE where you are. Freeze your brain with FEAR -- don't think.

For instance, it appears that the threats to bomb Iran we've all heard SO MUCH about, are threats aimed at American citizens, not at Iranians. 'THEY' are NOT going to bomb Iran, but instead, ARE going to shock-and-awe YOU to believe they might be foolish and insane enough to do it.

(This Kissinger 'geopolitical' Doctrine was stated in those exact plain words, in 1972, and used ever since. Read THIS, Dubya's handlers are it, use it, and train him.)

Sure, sure, insane fools can fake competence to get elected. . . NOT! If 'they' are in office, elected, and you are not, then 'they' are smart enough to be at least one jump ahead of you ... so if 'they' are insane fools, what does that make you?

The 'crazy' idea PUBLICIZED to 'bomb Iran' is the fear meme to freeze brains. (Especially paralyze Congress brains to not think about Bush LIARS, war crimes, betrayal, TREASON.) In fact, Iran is not bombed, and I expect not going to be bombed.

Whereas, Georgia was bombed. Kazakstan was bombed. Pakistan is being bombed. Tibet/Nepal are being bombed. Syria is being bombed, just last week. And nobody heard announcement about any of it, all NOT publicized.

I think the touted, brandished, publicized terrifyings of Obama are supposed to incapacitate and isolate him wrapped in a blanket of 'their' Secret Service overprotection to keep him out of touch with normal ordinary people and reality. I doubt 'their' scare works the way 'they' mean; I think Obama's got some soul. America's soul. 'You GOT to have some SOUL! HOTTT Mercy, it's the Wolfman Jack speaking.'

You're supposed to obsess to think 'they' sound ready to take up arms, take you on, take you out. We've heard so much of it.

You'd better think about what we haven't heard. Haven't heard a squeak out of the present Chimp ... and the threats of danger against him because of the traitors' secrets he holds that 'they' intend go with him in his coffin.

Think about it. . . using your brain, not 'their' blowhard b.s.

In some way my LINK didn't work.

TRY THIS.

"Get your country back? When was your country socialist/marxist? You must mean 'get the country you always wanted.'"

This country has always worked better under a kind of mixed economy: mostly capitalist wtih modest regulation where it counts and a progressive tax code, with tax revenue building the infrastructure that gives everyone a shot at prosperity. That's not socialism or communism. It's good old fashioned pragmatism. And THAT's the country I want back. (Plus the country that used to at least understand and try to abide by its Constitution.)

This country has always worked better under a kind of mixed economy: mostly capitalist wtih modest regulation where it counts and a progressive tax code, with tax revenue building the infrastructure that gives everyone a shot at prosperity. That's not socialism or communism. It's good old fashioned pragmatism. And THAT's the country I want back. (Plus the country that used to at least understand and try to abide by its Constitution.)

I can agree with that. Unfortunately, that's not what Obama and the D's in congress want to do. Too far to either extreme is bad for America. I was one of the few R's who didn't think it was a good thing that we controlled the white house and both chambers of congress.

You do NOT know what "Obama and the D's" want to do, and you do NOT know what they are going to do. But broadcast voices put ideas in your ears.

You do NOT know what "extreme" is.

Your statements about incomplete political understanding, appear as a symptom to indicate that you need to look between your ears for the missing understanding.

sa, what "infrastructure", programs, government entitlements are you talking about that has decreased in government attempts to solve, or has decreased in dollars spent (inflated dollars or otherwise)? I'm sure you can name a few, but in large majority all these "infrastuctures" have increased in numbers and dollars, both under Clinton and Bush-16 years.

0oO0Oo0ooOO00o <---- Look! Chickens!

I hope you're right, but let's hold the champagne until a bit later, m'kay? :-)

Dave J.,

I believe that ian's (correct) point is that "African" is not a synonym for "black." There are millions of "white" Africans who would be amused by the description of Obama as "half African, half white."

What a hope-filled day!

Wednesday will come, the sun will rise in the East and set in the West, hopefully I will awake, and I will have the sage wisdom of my now mother-in-law, "Same s**t, different day."

yes. It's something of a mixed combination of identifiers. If Obama's father had been from France, would we term him half European? I doubt it.

A small point, I guess, but one thing that will hopefully come from this moment is a deeper reflection on ethnicity, racial identifiers, and perceptions. Obama's father was a black African from Kenya, and I think calling Obama 'half African' relies on assumptions of what that means, rather than the more nuanced reality.

Swell. You're a genius. Are we done now?

Bill Orreilly said today that his campaign will be studied for 30 years by future candidates. It was the single greatest campaign in US History. I agree with this. It is a great sign that this is a man who wants to win....and has the vigor & strength & BRAINS to do it. Expect press pow-wows like Kennedy did in 61-62-63.
No plants-No planned questions. This is what we needed after 8 long tough years of the idiot and the gangster operating out of 1600 Penn Ave. I'm excited. Jan can't come soon enough.
I just fear his safety.