It was around 4 am on a Tuesday morning when my phone alarm bursts into some up-beat rock-metal kinda toxic sound. Reaching to the top of my drawer, I grabbed the phone and hit DISMISS. Normally I would have to hit snooze so many times; that by the time I get out of my bed, it would already be 5:30 am or even 6am for that matter. But this time was different.
I moved one leg stealthily to the side of my bed and then onto the floor; taking an extra caution not to wake up my girl just yet. After a nice & warm shower, making my coffee and even toasting a slice of bread at that early morning seemed all unreasonably a joyful experience. Usually, I would stumble into the shower just to run some cold water on my body so that I would prevail in ridding the morning devil out of my system. But this time was different.
This time, was the end of something and the beginning of something else. It was a journey that had taken me 21 months through the lives and revelation of a history in the making. I wanted to say that I was there when this happened; and that I too was part of this history; the day America elects the first African – American man into the oval office was way overdue. This was not the movies; the fifth element, nor is this the hit show “24”. Barack Obama is no Morgan Freeman or David Palmer. This was real and it was going to happen on Tuesday Nov. the 4th. So you see, this particular Tuesday was different than any other Tuesdays I’ve lived through.
When Barack first announced his candidacy for president of the United States of America – standing on a platform in Springfield, IL, I knew he was going to win and I also knew that he was going to win it big. I am no psychic nor am I over confident about the election. I just knew that he was going to win.
So I left home this early Tuesday morning to get to work and make it back home just in time to allow myself plugged into the TV set once again. The people I’ve gotten to know through my TV set during this historic election season; the Chris Mathews, Kieth Olberman, and the Rachel Maddow of MSNBC and of course who would ever forget, the Sean Hannity of FOX news. They all became part of my life as they guided me, tortured me, and even sometime made me want to break my TV once and for all. I would switch from one station to the other; usually from MSNBC to FOX news and back. Just when I was feeling good and confident about the election after hearing Rachel Maddow slice and dice the erratic John McCain and his running mate Sara Palin, Sean Hannity of Fox news would bring me back to the resentment I had on conservative America with his rhetoric about William Ayers and Jermaih Wright.
As painful as this journey was, today was the day to close that chapter and move on to the next.
So around 4 pm that Tuesday afternoon, I made it back home just in time to watch Americans go the voting poles to put an end to this. The line at the poles and the general turnout in most states was staggering. Fortunately for me, I voted using Florida’s absentee ballot early on.
So now comes 7 pm central STD time. The first few poles in states like Indiana, Kentucky, and Vermont are now closed and the numbers were already beginning to be reported.
MSNBC projects – John McCain (winner in Kentucky). I was not worried. I expected that. Then comes Obama – projected to win Vermont. Okay one down! I said to myself.
Then all of a sudden, most other states in the East coast were throwing their number out and Obama was in the lead by a big margin. But still that wasn’t a comfortable lead yet, not until Pennsylvania went for Barack followed by Ohio and Florida. Then I began to jump with lots of joy. But then before I knew it, Keith Olberman of MSNBC news announces…BARACK OBAMA—WINNER with more than 270 electoral votes.
It was almost as if I was hit by a bus. I could not believe it. Is this real? Did this actually happen? Oh my God….Oh my God….I kept repeating the words….before accidentally breaking down in tears like most others. All of a sudden what seemed to be a long 21 months journey just suddenly seemed an instant.
We as Americans have now carved a new chapter on the stones of the American history. From that moment on, I knew America and even the world would never be the same.
But then of course there could have been the other outcome. And that was something I genuinely believed that people were afraid to even ask what if…?
What if John McCain turned out to be the winner? With all poles showing Obama in the lead just until Election Day, what if it was John McCain that took the trophy home? I couldn’t possibly imagine what the Wednesday morning just after the election would look or even feel like to millions of Americans if Obama had lost.
I defer from making any speculations, but rather ask the readers to weigh in on this. So ask yourself this question:
What if it was John McCain that won this election? And what do you think would happen to this country and even around the world if the outcome of this election went the other way?
Published by November 17th, 2008 in Current Issues and Thoughts.
The white house would have turned into a nursing home for McCain and a nursery for Sarah Palin’s children…
Other than that there would have been three days of grumbling about America being racist and then back to business as usual….
I would be ashamed of being an American,
Just to be a little provocative Chelema: Nothing would have happened that is not already happening. Bush is reversing course on almost every single issue that the neocons have advocated and pushed for, on domestic and international policy deregulation and unilateral action are thoroughly defeated. American industies are being nationalized, unbelieveably, under a hand-off free-market advocate admin… McCain, as the Dems kept saying, would have been more of the same, yes, but that same would be the new-born Bush. Obama is an exceptional guy, and I wait to see if he leaves the world better off substantively. But if the celebration is just about showing that a black guy can do the same that a white guy can do, I am finished with the celebration. That revelation is not worth celebrating. It still remains, btw, that majority of white americans voted for McCain…
arif question
I knew i knew McCain wont win b/c of Sarah. This is just right time to have Mr. President in oval office…(dont know …how things worked out. This is why i believe in divine realm. Things always dont work because you work hard or you want it so bad..there is always something outthere make it work beside your hard work.
what if McCain won?? I would have wondered about Obama the rest of my life….
btw Chelema great to have you back at this moment..
Obama would have delivered one of his extremly moving and insightfull speech accepting his defeat so that the millions who has voted against him would regret it and feel guilty.
lol maebel
I would have hated living here if Obama had lost.
I think there would have been a riot in major cities, since most of the people feel cheated and the election stole again.
The Bradley effect perhaps would have been justified. At least for me, this election wasn’t really just about electing the first black president, it was also about a negative campaigning that went above and beyond, which actually worked and that it will become the platform for future campaigning. Calling Barack a socialist, communist, terrorist …and what have you! very interesting.
As Barack himself would say… this election was not about him, it was about the American people. I am glad to see that America finally got this one right!
we would have another 4 years of Bush. And who knows what country he will pick on next? Maybe Nigeria.LOL
I would have boohooed my eyes out and would have gotten drunk be bisichit!
Chelema,
Absolutely.
Also, we have given Obama a great deal of credit. He deserves it. But the American people should also be given credit for their ability to see beyond the color of his skin and elect a black president despite the race, the name calling, the accusations, the fear mongering republicans etc….
As McCain said…America has spoken and spoken clearly….
Dinich, your first comment was very interesting. Because that would have been exactly what would follow if indeed Obama had lost. How frustrating that would have been. But thank God he didn’t lose.
So are you all gonna try to make it to the Inauguration on Jan 20th?
The writing on Obama’s face does it say “hands on me” or “hands on”
If McCain had won similar articles would be written by his supporters and I imagine the title would read “What if the n****r had one”
Before we start getting orgasmic at the sound of Obama’s name let’s see if he can deliver 1/2 of what he has promised.
I am usually a person who expects the best but prepares for the worst, but this time there was no ‘worst’. I knew he was going to win, even had an election party at my house.
Like someone above mentioned, if he doesn’t make a difference in the way this country is going, he’ll just be another man (who happens to be black) was a president; period.
But he’s destined for big things. If he manages to decrease the unemployment rate by 1 percent and improve the economy, try to manage the Iraq war, and provide a reasonable healthcare benefit to most folks, he’s done more than most presidents.
Anyways, speaking of the inaguration…my my my, the plane tickets to DC are crazy. I need to fly to Richmond and drive up, or else fork up some serious change.
Good day.
In addition we should be directing our energy towards wishing him 4 years of a safe life as he has also been declared the winner of the only president-elect in history to receive the most threats.
One more thing as the economy is continuing to come crashing down the only part of the market that is thriving is gun sales since Obama was declared a winner. Is anyone concerned about that?
bereket… Its an image of ‘HANDSOMEONE’, thats what I see.
HOW he brings change is gonna be just as intriguing as IF he’ll bring change.
If he didn’t win…ppl’ll take a dose of some disgusting realism and chug along…
Bereket, Not only is he the fist black president and the president to receive the most threats but probably the president that inspires the most orgasms. He is HOT, what can I say.
In all seriousness I wish him and his family safe four years. Alice Walker’s letter to the president elect expresses my sentiments best. Check it out http://www.theroot.com/id/48726
If Obama didnt win I would have moped around for days and so would many others…never mind the race factor, based on the final five weeks of his campaign and his performance under political duress and probably personal stress he showed how a leader should conduct himself..if after all that Americans would have chosen Mr MCain and his second, appalling as they were then I would have wondered whether racism was more relevant to life in the US than common sense …
Obama winning has already changed America and the world beyond, perhaps the change isn’t one of a practical nature yet, but give it time, for now that change is one of perception and about race and it is a good beginning and its benefits maybe reaped outside of the US, here suddenly we are discussing how to make the rules at the Labour Party more flexible so that politicians can participate , and that wouldn’t have happened without an Obama victory… Scotland too made history and have its first black female Attorney General but that was before Obama, just days before it though…
“so that politicians can participate” was meant to be so that politicians from ethnic minorities can participate…
‘…was also about a negative campaigning that went above and beyond, which actually worked and that it will become the platform for future campaigning.’
I have a different take Chelema… May be its because I hate fox, they are a nightmare, I dont give them a chance if I can help it, but the MSNBC crew Matthew, Kieth and Rachel, I am on a first name basis with them. And here’s what I gather: The other guy and his party went full out negative which is expected of the Republicans, but it did not work, this election was the death of negativism in politics, one legacy of Obama. The platform of the republican party since the sixty has been to win through using race as a wedge issue–Reagan and his welfare queen included. All this play to fear of blacks and immigrants in politics delivers defeat not victory–remember the infamous Macaca in Viginia.
The electoret map has changed. And if the republicans stick to politics of fear, they risk becoming a regional party and the south ceases to matter because an urbane, northerner, black/white/hispanic/asian democrat can win now without the help of the south. No longer does a democrat to win has to come from the south.
I am saying the negative attacks did not work, not only because McCain lost, but the polls went up for Obama everytime the Republicans came up with something new, nothing worked…
now that he is elected tho…
what do u think obama should do for africa?
http://www.senduq.com/2008/africa-obama/
The ‘what if’ question made me almost sick then…and don’t want to think of it now.
good to have you back chelema!
tpeace, ok I’ll be the first one to take you up on Africa but sadly I don’t keep up with events in Africa as much as I should for fear that their tribalism may rub on me. Anicdotally, the issue I run across, although your question of what I think is diffrent from the many could, should, will happen in the new admin when Africa is the issue. The shift from seeing Africa through the prism of charity and terrorism related militarization to justice and equality is an overdue and badly needed. Will Obama do that? I have a lot of doubt because if you look at the many Clintonites he is being advised by, not only do these people not have any track records of bringing justice, but they will be a nightmare for Africa for a long time to come if their worldview wins out. Lets start with Summers, preeminent economist and former prisident of Harvard and an econ adviser to Obama. He is on the record for making Africa the toxic dumping ground of the West because it makes an economic sense for Aricans. Toxic was an issue in west Africa recently if anyone followed. Expect more of that in Arica. Susan Rice just got appointed to the UN desk and she was at the helm of the US team to resolve the erit/ethio war in 1998. her incompetence was a travesty. We are also all aware of the genocides, rennaisance men, dismberement of congo under the Clintonites. Their success when it comes to Arica ironically is failure. They have no track record of success in africa and I am to believe that Obama will bring change to Africa with these people. Fresh ideas require fresh people who have history with the fresh ideas. My assumption with these people on top is to mistrust them. You’ve got two type of corruption in Africa. One you know the other, the more potent is collusive corruption, the side you find western banks and companies. Can we please get more publicity on that. I am a believer in the energy of Africa. The 411er of west africa, the pirates of somalia who have opened a new frontier who hit where it hurts the most, who have demonstraded that if given a fair shake can beyond survive.I give them a fist bump for complicating global trade in return of complicating our continent.
I misspelled Africa… should be unforgiveable. Sorry about the structure, I was on blackberry and running errants.
Should have mentioned elimination of agricultural subsity in the west… would be a big boost for African goods like cotton. Which I doubt will happen.
Annox, I just read your comments and it seems like you raise a good point. I am just hoping it is true when they say “attitude and actions reflect leadership” and the fact Obama is by far a better man with way more international personal experience(and more intelligent & competent than Clinton and even JFK in my opinion) will rub off on his advisor’s and so on. But only time will tell.
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