Nearly 150 years ago, in one of the darkest years of our nation's history, President Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of Thanksgiving. America was split by Civil War. But Lincoln said in his first Thanksgiving decree that difficult times made it even more appropriate for our blessings to be - and I quote - "gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people."
This week, the American people came together with families and friends to carry on this distinctly American tradition. We gave thanks for loved ones and for our lasting pride in our communities and our country. We took comfort in good memories while looking forward to the promise of change.
But this Thanksgiving also takes place at a time of great trial for our people.
Across the country, there were empty seats at the table, as brave Americans continue to serve in harm's way from the mountains of Afghanistan to the deserts of Iraq. We honor and give thanks for their sacrifice, and stand by the families who endure their absence with such dignity and resolve.
At home, we face an economic crisis of historic proportions. More and more Americans are worried about losing a job or making their mortgage payment. Workers are wondering if next month's paycheck will pay next month's bills. Retirees are watching their savings disappear, and students are struggling with the cost of tuition.
It's going to take bold and immediate action to confront this crisis. That's why I'm committed to forging a new beginning from the moment I take office as President of the United States. Earlier this week, I announced my economic team. This talented and dedicated group is already hard at work crafting an Economic Recovery Plan that will create or save 2.5 million new jobs, while making the investments we need to fuel long-term economic growth and stability.
But this Thanksgiving, we are reminded that the renewal of our economy won't come from policies and plans alone - it will take the hard work, innovation, service, and strength of the American people.
I have seen this strength firsthand over many months - in workers who are ready to power new industries, and farmers and scientists who can tap new sources of energy; in teachers who stay late after school, and parents who put in that extra hour reading to their kids; in young Americans enlisting in a time of war, seniors who volunteer their time, and service programs that bring hope to the hopeless.
It is a testament to our national character that so many Americans took time out this Thanksgiving to help feed the hungry and care for the needy. On Wednesday, I visited a food bank at Saint Columbanus Parish in Chicago. There - as in so many communities across America - folks pitched in time and resources to give a lift to their neighbors in need. It is this spirit that binds us together as one American family - the belief that we rise and fall as one people; that we want that American Dream not just for ourselves, but for each other.
That's the spirit we must summon as we make a new beginning for our nation. Times are tough. There are difficult months ahead. But we can renew our nation the same way that we have in the many years since Lincoln's first Thanksgiving: by coming together to overcome adversity; by reaching for - and working for - new horizons of opportunity for all Americans.
So this weekend - with one heart, and one voice, the American people can give thanks that a new and brighter day is yet to come.
The Obama family went to work at a food bank on the day before Thanksgiving, to exemplify the meaning of the holiday, especially when so many people are struggling.
This is Barack Obama's 4th year visiting to show support. Malia and Sasha joined their parents to give holiday wishes to hundreds of people who had been lined up for hours at the food bank on Chicago's south side.
The family handed out wrapped chickens to the needy in the chilly outdoor courtyard of the St. Columbanus Church. People in line also received boxes with potatoes, oranges, fresh bread, peanut butter, canned goods, oatmeal, spaghetti and coffee.
The president-elect told reporters that he wants the girls "to learn the importance of how fortunate they are, and to make sure they're giving back" and have "an understanding of what giving and Thanksgiving is all about."
Here's a little video to give you some Thanksgiving cheer, and remind you of something we all are very thankful about.I am so thankful that this is not our VP-elect!
I'm also thankful I'm not a turkey. :)
Being an omnivore, I'm not at all grossed out by turkeys being slaughtered, but it's pretty humorous that someone set this interview shot up with that happening in the background.
Oh, poor Sarah, can't catch a break! What TV person set up this shot? After she did a fun publicity visit to a local turkey farm to officially "pardon" a Thanksgiving turkey, sparing its life, she did this interview, where turkeys are being slaughtered in the background! Oh the irony. Actually, the turkey slaughtering is the most interesting part of the video...
"So I was reading some stuff in your blog earlier...and I was just wondering what your opinion is about a question I have. Do you think educated people like yourself in ANY way, shape or form vote Obama because he is partly black? And if so, to what degree?"
My Answer:
Interesting that you asked that, because I was thinking of writing a post-election analysis type blog about that.
It’s complicated, but yes, I do think there is a little of that – only as in “the icing on the cake” or “cherry on top” kind of thing, though. Because I know what it would mean for so many African Americans in this country – how the simple fact of electing a black president shows the best of American democracy in action, and of the power of redemption for our society’s past sins. But by no means was it a primary reason – electing a woman would have had a similar power, but then, women aren’t minorities. Many countries in the world ~have~ elected women leaders, but would not be able to elect a member of a minority as a leader, so that made me proud of my country that we could and did.
But I know I still would have voted for him if he were white. Because of the issues, because of his campaign and his temperament during the campaign, because of Sarah Palin being so clueless and scary and extreme in her views as the VP choice of an older president. I used to like McCain, and at the beginning of the election felt that I’d be happy if either won, but during the campaign that changed quite a bit, and especially after Palin. McCain started “playing to the base” of the GOP and that is a huge turn-off, because they are the antithesis of what I stand for.
So, yes, race was important, but not more important than the candidates’ stands on the issues and on my perception of their ability to be good leaders and bring the country together. With McCain/Palin, I saw more disenfranchisement of those who disagreed with him, like Bush saying you are either for us or for the terrorists. Stupid. With Obama, I saw someone who can actually listen to the other side and even find common ground (like all those times in the debates where he said he agreed with McCain) which is the sign of a strong and fair leader in my mind.
Obama’s tax plan, his health care plan, his focus on investing in technology and support of good science, his energy plan (ahem – not “drill, baby, drill”!), and all of it I liked better than McCain’s. I think McCain’s health care plan would have been disastrous. And all the anti-science crap that kept coming out of the McCain campaign pissed me off!
In other words, if their races were switched, I DEFINITELY, no question, would still have voted for Obama. I just think it’s nice, for the country, that he also happens to be black.
And more thoughts:
The fact of Obama's race is obviously important - but ESPECIALLY to African-Americans, and also to all minorities in America. There have been so many wonderful, touching stories that have come out because of his election, and so much hope welling up, that it feels the transformation has already begun. (see the links below for just a few of those stories) Parents honestly able to tell their children they can be ANYTHING they want when they grow up, even president, is one "side-effect" that we will feel the effects of for years to come, as the "Obama Generation" grows up. A young child of a Twitter friend said, on election night, "We've never had an African American president? That doesn't make any sense.… I hope Obama wins." That's "the Obama generation." Kids that will grow up and know a new "normal."
I don't think Obama's race helped him win, as some conservatives say. I think Obama's race, along with an incredible amount of groundwork by dedicated volunteers, helped a lot of people in this country put aside any lingering racism when they cast their ballot. And THAT, my friends... that is a victory worthy of celebration by everyone.
As Barack Hussein Obama places his brown hand on that black Bible and takes his oath, it will not make him merely the President of blacks who admire him nor leave him indebted to whites who assisted him. He cannot acquiesce to the liberals who support him nor vilify the conservatives who don't. He must remain a philosophical centrist who garners our best and brightest from both sides of the aisle.
Very thoughtful, honest article about evolving attitudes about race, from a personal perspective yet gracefully translated to a national perspective. I love this blog.
"I've been fortunate enough to do a number of New Yorker covers, but being chosen to create the cover that commemorates Barack Obama's historic election as the first African-American President of the United States is not only flattering, it's beyond humbling."
I am filled with "unyielding hope" for a better future. But at the same time, sad about California's prop 8 apparently passing. It's a mixed up world, when we can elect one minority for president and take away the rights of another minority group on the same day.
I would rather have both, but if I was forced to choose one, I would have chosen the Obama win. No... that doesn't make the passage of prop 8 any less bitter? Well I thought I'd give it a try. Still, the Obama victory, and not just by a slim margin, is sweet, so sweet!
There is much work to be done! Time to roll up our sleeves and get busy.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.
A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain. Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton, and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady, Michelle Obama.
Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.
And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.
And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America. To my chief strategist David Axelrod, who's been a partner with me every step of the way. To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics. You made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy, who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep. It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth. This is your victory.
And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.
There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you: we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change.
And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.
Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers. In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people.
Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity. Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.
As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin. And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.
Yes we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.
Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.
Check the sidebar - the Daily KOS Electoral Map should update automatically as electoral results come in. Click the orange "enlarge" button at the top to open it full size in a new window! Here it is a little bigger:
Google has a mashup 2008 Elections Map, too. Oddly, since Blogger is owned by Google, I couldn't get it to scale properly for embedding, so you'll have to go there by clicking the link.
Update: Life Imitates "The West Wing" If you notice some uncanny similarities between the 2008 presidential campaign and the final seasons of "The West Wing," there's a good reason. Torie Bosch explains.
I really liked this image in particular, about which the photographer said,
"Senator Obama was doing press interviews by telephone in a holding room between events. Sometime later as he was getting ready to begin his event, he asked me if I was photographing his shoes. When I said yes, he told me that he had already had them resoled once since he entered the race a year earlier. Providence, R.I., 3/1/2008."
Be sure to click the "Show More Images" at the bottom each time - there are many wonderful, inspiring, beautiful photos that give insight into the kind of man our next president (barring a miracle or a crime) is. Digital Journalist - Callie Shell's Obama photos
Thank you to Helen for sending this out!! Fills my eyes with tears of joy - I LOVE DEMOCRACY!!
You Can Vote However You Like
The kids from the Ron Clark Academy performing live "You Can Vote However You Like," a parody to TI's "Whatever You Like". Atlanta Georgia Ron Clark Academy.
Lyrics:
Obama on the left McCain on the right We can talk politics all night And you can vote however you like You can vote however you like, yeah
Democratic left Republican right November 4th we decide And you can vote however you like You can vote however you like, yeah
(McCain supporters) McCain is the man Fought for us in Vietnam You know if anyone can Help our country he can Taxes droppin low Dont you know oils gonna flow Drill it low I'll show our economy will grow McCain's the best candidate With Palin as his running mate They'll fight for gun rights, pro life, The conservative right Our future is bright Better economy in site And all the world will feel our military might
(Obama supporters) But McCain and Bush are real close right They vote alike and keep it tight Obama's new, he's younger too The Middle Class he will help you He'll bring a change, he's got the brains McCain and Bush are just the same You are to blame, Iraq's a shame Four more years would be insane
Lower your Taxes - you know Obama Won't PROTECT THE LOWER CLASS - You know McCain won't! Have enough experience - you know that they don't STOP GLOBAL WARMING - you know that you won't
I want Obama FORGET OBAMA Stick with McCain and you're going to have some drama We need it HE'LL BRING IT He'll be it YOU'LL SEE IT We'll do it GET TO IT Let's move it DO IT!
Obama on the left McCain on the right We can talk politics all night And you can vote however you like You can vote however you like, yeah
Democratic left Republican right November 4th we decide And you can vote however you like, I said You can vote however you like, yeah
I'm talking big pipe lines, and low gas prices Below $2.00 that would be nice
But to do it right we gotta start today Finding renewable ways that are here to stay
I want Obama FORGET OBAMA, Stick wit McCain you gonna have some drama MORE WAR IN IRAQ Iran he will attack CAN'T BRING OUR TROOPS BACK We gotta vote Barack!
Obama on the left McCain on the right We can talk politics all night And you can vote however you like, I said You can vote however you like, yeah
Democratic left Republican right November 4th we decide And you can vote however you like, I said You can vote however you like, yeah
Interview with the students - wow, what a GREAT bunch of kids!!
Election Eve... and I'm thinking I should post reasons why we are voting for Obama, following Obama's own example in the "Obamamercial" which focused on what he will do as president, on where we will go as a country, and in which there was no mention of McCain/Palin. It was refreshing and inspiring, and if you haven't seen it, definitely take the time to watch it.
One interesting thing about Obama's speeches in general, is that they are not easily reduced to sound bites and talking points, and, as this Newsweek article from way back in April points out, that is deliberate.
As much as the opposition tries to paint Obama as a radical, extremist, socialist, Marxist, and even terrorist sympathizer, he is winning because he is not any of those things, and in fact, he's a centrist. Of course, when you are looking into the middle from the extreme fringe, like many that try to paint him with those labels, it looks like the opposite extreme. It's all about your perspective.
People in the Middle recognize Obama for what he is, though: http://www.peopleinthemiddleforobama.org/ I think the real strength of his candidacy is that he does speak for the middle – which is to say, the bulk of Americans. Some of us are more left than he is, more green than he is, etc, but I think we feel he will listen to our side, AND he’ll listen to the other side, and he’ll likely make some compromise. I HATE the idea of “clean coal” for example. But I love the idea of investing for the future in clean tech, and really supporting moving in cleaner, greener, more energy independent directions. So there are going to be some things that I disagree with Obama on, but I still think he will make the best decisions as a leader for the whole country, not just the left or right, but all of us.
Here is an excellent (and longer) Time article on why Obama is winning. The part about Obama's meeting with General Petraeus was especially telling. He is a leader, and a decision-maker, but also a respectful listener and one who not only knows strategy from tactics, but is a strategic, big picture thinker, which we sorely need in charge. Very good article, with excellent insights into Obama's character and leadership qualities: Why Barack Obama Is Winning
I’m sure you’ve heard that along with most major newspapers in the nation, the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska’s largest newspaper, has endorsed Barack Obama! http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/567867.html
(the last two are examples of why techies favor Obama by a very large margin)
Lots of great, clearly spelled out, thoughtful reasons why people support Obama. If he's so extreme, why would so many moderate Conservatives endorse him? He has taken the high road, again and again, telling his crowds they don't need to boo McCain, they just need to vote, for example. Not rising to the various bait that McCain's campaign has dangled repeatedly in front of him, accusing him of first this, then that - he has remained respectful, thoughtful, intelligent, careful yet strong, cool and calm, unflappable, implacable, "no drama Obama" and that, "my friends," is presidential.
Now Get Out And VOTE!
(The nerdy guy in the shirt and tie is my hero, Roy Zimmerman, backing up Laura Love on her song, "Yes We Can.")
