For the first time since I’ve been able to vote (this was my third presidential election) I was moved to tears by Obama’s victory on Tuesday. And I’m not alone.
All over the country, Obama’s win seems not only a milestone for racial equality but a sign that we, the people, are ready for change for our country. For the past 8 years the rich have been getting richer while the poor have stayed or gotten poorer. We’ve been fed a bunch of tripe about how it’s necessary for national security that our phone calls (among other things) are monitored. Innocent Arab-Americans are hauled in for questioning because they matched a possible profile. And on and on.
When I saw that Obama had won the presidency my knees grew weak and I cried tears of joy and of hope. While he does not strike me as the kind of person I’d go have a beer with, he seems very genuine. He is not the kind of man who would pick a female VP candidate simply to get/keep Clinton supporters. He provides hope to those who have little to none left. He outlined again and again what he wanted to do for his country and how he would do it.
And, he admits that he will not be a perfect president.
In a way I feel sorry for him. He’s got twice the pressure going into this than any other president-elect would have had. He has to try and fix a crumbling economy, the situation overseas, healthcare, and so on. In addition he will be held to a higher standard because of the color of his skin. He will be the ultimate role model to children and teenagers across the country — and likely around the world, as well as in his own home.
I hope that he is able to meet and exceed the expectations of him. I hope he’s able to meet his own expectations. There will always be those who will complain about the way he handled something, but the truth is there are those kind of people no matter who is in office. He will make mistakes. He will make unpopular choices. But no matter what happens he has already succeeded in helping the country become a better place, because over 64 million people united together to say “Yes, We Can”.
I know this is not as eloquent as some other blog posts/articles about this ceiling-shattering event, but when I woke up Wednesday morning I felt as though the weight of the past 8 years had lifted from my shoulders. And the feeling is still with me today.
A Nerdy Mom! 