I went to bed last night around 2 a.m.
Kentucky had just been called for McCain. Vermont had just been called for Obama. Some analysts were talking smack about Indiana leaning towards McCain. And I just couldn't take it anymore.
I tossed. I turned. I think I got up to pee 4 times.
I woke up drenched in a cold sweat around 5 a.m. I had just dreamt that Wolf Blitzer had called the election for McCain, then busted into a manic giggle saying, "Heh! Just kidding! You shoulda' seen your faces! Bwah-hahahahahaaaa". As soon as it settled in my befuddled brain that it had just been a dream, I had to get up.
The headline on CNN's home page said "McCain camp losing hope as Obama's lead widens". The electoral college count stood at Obama 222, McCain 135.
I found a dry nightie, went back to bed, and slept like a baby for a whole hour and a half before Mister's alarm went off--the news of Obama's victory all over the radio.
And that's the story of election night at JEDA's house.
Elder Miss wanted to know why I was in such a good mood. "Because it's a happy day my beauties! America chose a new president last night, and we got it right this time!"
To which Boy asked, "Is it George Washington again?"
"No, Boy. He's dead," said EM, "It's that man with the brown skin, right mom?"
"Right my darlings! Only his name is Barack Obama. Say it with me: BA ROCK O BAM A."
"MUH BOCK O MAMA"
"Whatever! I'm in too good a mood to let your poor syntax get in the way of my happiness. We shall work on it tonight! EM you shall write his name 10 times on a piece of paper and memorize a brief biography to share with your class on Thursday. Boy you shall aspire to be like him in every way. Missy you work on clapping and swooning every time I say 'Change has come to America'. Now go forth. Today will be a great day! Today you are Americans!"
8 comments:
Clearly the best man won...but did you know he had Scottish roots!!!
Obama could count at least two royal ancestors: William I “the Lion”, King of Scotland, and Henry II of England. He is related to at least six US Presidents: Jimmy Carter (half 7th cousins three times removed), Harry Truman (7th cousins three times removed), the 2 George Bushes (10th cousins once and twice removed, respectively), Woodrow Wilson (husband of Obama’s 6th cousin five times removed), and James Madison (3rd cousin nine times removed). He is also a ninth cousin once removed of Vice-President Dick Cheney. He has several relative lawmakers and Supreme Court Justices, as well.
But Obama’s ancestry is not limited to political personalities. He is a 7th cousin four times removed of renowned artist Georgia O’Keefe, and his eighth cousin once removed, Elizabeth H. Richardson, was married to novelist Ernest M. Hemingway. Another relative is Gordon B. Hinkley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Theodore N. Vail, founder of AT&T, is a sixth cousin four times removed, while banker JP Morgan is a 7th cousin four times removed.
Fecking hilarious - ninth cousin twice removed...the same could be applied to almost anyone. Did I tell you that my sixteenth cousin, 29 times removed is in fact GOD?
AMEN!!! I can't remember when I have been prouder to be an American and more hopeful about our future. Now is only I weren't a Utahn.
Jeda, sounds like you could've partied with the best of them in Grant Park! Chi-town is pretty pumped.
I am smiling from your great post and also the comments left for you.
I am happy as well! When I was in the line to vote, Zoe told me she thought I should vote for Obama since she thinks he is a good singer. Somehow, she got him confused with the Frank Sinatra cd we listened to that morning.
Looking forward to watching him serenade us so WE can swoon under his deserved direction!
I'm also proud and happy. Or at least I was until I got the gloom-and-doom speech from Big Brother about liberal socialists taking over the country, blah, blah, blah, and how we have just lost the second American Revolution and not a shot was fired, blah, blah, blah......
He's touting the video, "The Rise of the Socialist States of America". I haven't seen it yet, but it has his shorts in a nasty little twist, and he feels completely compelled to share his message of Fearful Forboding! He really put a damper on my good mood!
So reading your blog and comments almost saved my evening. Well done!
Amy--
I would have LOVED to be there. I would have loved to be ANYWHERE in the States (well, maybe not Utah) to celebrate this victory with my country. My friend La Dragon is talking about going to the inauguration, and I'm seething--POSITIVELY SEETHING--with jealousy.
And you Jilly--
Look, it's one thing to draw attention to Barack's kinship with Carter and Truman, or even the vile Bushes. But to go around insinuating that his parentage in anyway touches even the roots of the family tree of a Mormon prophet is...well...it's sheer folly. Trust me on this. The Mormons know where you live. They have ways of making you sorry....Fair warning sister.
Which brings me to Uncle Pete and his fellow Socialistaphobes--
Allow me to say this clearly:
WHAT. EVERRRRRR.
First off--I'm genuinely curious on this one--even if this conservative nightmare came true, and Obama managed to turn America into a model of Social Liberalism (which, for the record, I don't believe for a second he even wants to do) so what? What, exactly, is so all fired up evil about socialism? All of Europe revolves around socialism, and, um, they seem to be doing okay. I've lived in a straight up, boardering-on-true communtist country for going on 14 years now, and aside from the high taxes (which are vexing but by no mean crippling) here's what I tend to bitch about most: they work a ludicrously short work week, government offices are like NEVER open, and it can take more than a week to get in to see a doctor or whatever, oh and schools suck a little bit...but they suck a whole lot in a lot of places in the states too...My point is, Socialism, Marxism, whatever you want to call it, isn't evil. Expensive, but not evil. I just don't quite get the fear the very word raises in the heart of conservative America.
Furthermore--near as I can tell, even when Barack Obama is at his most progressive--talking crazy talk about universal health care, education reform, and *gasp* environmental controls--his politics barely fall inline with the Norwegian Høyre (Right) party, a party which is ever so slightly to the right of center in this country, and no where near any of the real power here, which is all WAY to the left. Obama is simply NOT the Socialist boogieman the Republicans so badly want him to be.
I fully admit to being a political dilettant. I only sort of know what I'm talking about here, and I'm sure Uncle Pete and pretty much anyone else could smoke me in a debate if they really wanted to. But I do know this much--if they're trying to scare me away from the pride and hope I feel at the prospect of an Obama administration, they're going to have to find something else to scare me with than Socialism.
uh....Amen, I guess.....
Bravo. Well said.
DC (in January), here I come. I'll send you a postcard. :)
Can I just say a few things here?
1) For an ex-pat, you're very patriotic.
2) I love to see you be so passionate about this.
3) I'm not so sure anyone could smoke you in a debate, and
4) I just love you so much!!
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