Election Night in the UK

Anxiety reigned throughout the day. Usually when there's an election or a primary day, I'm used to checking online almost constantly and getting updates and going through the whole process. So much has already happened by the time I'm awake or able to use the Internet. But here? I woke up late (which is normal) and nothing had happened yet. Of course, it was only 8am in the east. So I had to sit there, getting nervous and anxious and having my stomach feel like I had eaten something indescribable. Finally I was able to get some people together to go get some good ol' American food - a nice fat juicy burger. Eating dead animal topped with cheese and more dead animal always calms me down.

The SU was having an election party and they were staying open very late. Lots of people showed up, the main room was pretty full. The SU finally opened at 8 for pound a pint night and the American-themed pub quiz, which didn't start until 9:30. So we waited around and watched BBC show the same shots over and over again. We met a Republican who said that if Obama wins, he still had to produce a birth certificate. We ignored him the rest of the night. He actually left early because he felt uncomfortable around all of us big bad liberals. So we went through the pub quiz and finished a disappointing fourth, but at least our friends in another American-centric group won.

Finally the live coverage on BBC started at midnight. Every McCain win was met with a chorus of boos, every Obama win was met with raucous cheering. As Pennsylvania and Ohio fell and some traditionally red states were not called right away, the more optimistic of us were already calling it. Factoring in west coast states we knew would go blue, quick math gave us a count of around 250-260 electoral votes. Surely, we optimists thought, that's it, Obama will easily pick up the necessary votes in other states. However, some people had to hold out until they were absolutely sure it happened. This happened somehow around the hour of 4am when California fell followed quickly by Oregon which put Obama over the top.

As soon as this happened, the staff kicked us out. No worry, we all went back to our places, grabbed our alcohol and met back in C block to drink and dance. The jovial atmosphere was only interrupted by Obama's victory speech, which brought many a tear to those huddled around the choppy streaming video of a Dell computer. We were loud enough to get yelled at twice by the security guys. This spurred our decision to move farther away from the security block to the safe confines of F block where more dancing and drinking went on. This went on until about 6:30am when we grabbed our sparklers and went outside to the parking lot outside the building. There we stood for a good 20 minutes basking in our sparklers glow and singing patriotic songs. We were even joined in song by someone who was hanging out of their window. After sparklers, we walked down to the Goldsmiths' Cafe for some 7am breakfast and then we went back to respective flats to finally get some rest. That night a few of us went to watch fireworks for Guy Fawkes' Night, but we all believed - just a little bit - that the fireworks were actually in celebration of Obama.

For the first time in my politically-conscious history, I am proud of my country. I was walking on air for the next couple days. It was also great to see the people gathered in Grant Park and it made me miss Chicago very much. As great as it was and as much as I wanted Obama to win, it still scares me a bit the devotion and love some people show to him. To many, Obama could do no wrong. However, for me, I had problems with his shifting views between the primaries and the general election. I know he had to move to the center for vote purposes, but I still don't like it. He's also a politician, and a Chicago politician at that. Politicians do not deserve that kind of loyalty. They're politicians. His whole idea of change has already been tarnished. He's bringing in Clinton-era people for his staff or people that have been in Washington awhile and know the old school game. I understand this is judging him too harshly too quickly, but its what I do. Hopefully he can show me he's for real and bring about what has been called a "new New Deal."

Even better though, was the reaction of Republicans I know. On Facebook, there was immediately a group made called "Impeach Obama." And now I count five of them. He hasn't even been sworn in yet. Here are some quotes from the group descriptions:

"We know he was raised as a Muslim, but for the past 20 years has been a member of a violently liberal church in Chicago, but there is no available record of his baptism into the Christian faith."

I didn't know being a Christian was ground for impeachment.

If we grow large enough in just a few days, and do not manage to get censored by President Obama and his Truth Squad, we may appear on Fox News.

Appearing on Fox News, always something to strive for. This group also doesn't seem to understand that he won't be President until next year.

Some quotes from some of my friends status updates:

• this man better live up to the hype...
• RIP America. Enjoy your Soviet Rally, hope you all drink the kool aid.
• is you wanted it, you got it. we'll see what happens now... / I don't get it....
• Yesterday history was made. I only hope that it did not lead us down a path our future will regret.

The third one is from a girl that has showed no political consciousness at all as long as I've known her. From what I can tell she just listened to what her boyfriend and family told her instead of thinking for herself.

I'm still not sure how people can think that McCain, who would more or less continue much of Bush's policies, would be best for America. He said the economy was sound, he picked Palin as a running mate, he wants to bomb everyone... This is good?

I'm not saying Obama is going to end his term being considered a great president or anything. But I firmly believe that at this point in our history, we need to look forward and have some young blood and young ideas, instead of being held back by an old man and a woman that hates women. America is capable of using climate change to propel us and the world into a new era. Obama is more likely than McCain to do this, the only question remaining is, will he?