E-Day is upon us ! Good morning to the day America has been preparing for the last two years. This is the big game, bigger than Super Bowl and The World Series.
Today is also a tragic day; yesterday, the day before the grandson she helped to raise is likely to become the first African-American president, Obama’s granny died from cancer, aged 87 - she was the last of his parents and grandparents alive. Obama had been in Hawaii the week before to see her – but we had all hoped for her to at least get to experience his big night, the big night for the whole family. Passing away less than 48 hours before this incredible moment in history...makes you wonder a bit, doesn’t it...? Condolences from Denmark, Barack...
The radio show hosts are spilling over with enthusiasm – and so are the weather Gods; it’s pouring down for the first time since I arrived in the US three weeks ago. Starbucks and Ben & Jerry’s are quick to see the opportunity to catch freezing or wet voters waiting in line; they are giving out free coffee for those waiting in line tonight between 17h and 20h.
Coming to work this morning again amazes me. Even more people have showed up today, to go out and ring those last door bells and make those last phone calls. No more flyers today; now it is just about getting out that vote, knocking on all the doors possible. If we find an unlucky victim who admits to not having voted yet, we drag him into our cars and drive him to the polls ! Before noon, we run out of turfs to cover, or list of doors to knock – so we start diverting volunteers to other counties where they need them. Late afternoon most bets are off, and Eric, myself and another volunteer just drive out into a neighbourhood and start knocking on doors in the darkness and pouring rain. When finally we find Bryan, who hasn’t yet voted, I drive him straight to the poll site, while the others keep knocking. Coming home, we high five for having literally dug out one more vote for the good guys !
After a short stop at a staging location, where rumours are already starting to fly through the air about who has taken which state, I drive down town and watch the coverage on a big screen set up for the purpose. This is a day of partying; bands are playing and people are braving the rain, standing in little clusters and looking at the big screen, cheering when something happens (mainly when the networks announce that Obama has carried a state). After a little while, though, I get tired of the rain – and start missing the remote controlled cinema at Irwin and Meredythe’s house, so I rush home and viola, election nights as it should be, the American way; in a big chair, with chocolate pop corn and two screens to follow several networks at one time. ABC seems to be a bit faster on the trigger than the other networks – but I prefer CNN, for some reason. As the night rolls on, it becomes clear that McCain’s chances of coming anywhere close to winning are as small as all the pundits had predicted – and growing smaller by the hour.
At 22h00 Eastern Time, ABC calls Virginia to Obama – yet another upset to McCain, and a clear victim to the 50-state strategy. With that, and as the polls close on the West coast, ABC immediately calls California for Obama, pushing him beyond the magical 270 electoral votes. History is made; we now officially have the first African-American president of the United States of America. Within 30 seconds, all the other networks also call it – and scenes of joy erupt all over the nation ! Live scenes are shown from Grant Park in Chicago, Times Square in New York and.....downtown Durham !! Meredythe’s silently sheds a tear here at Lansing Avenue...;-) What a beautiful moment – I know I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.
Soon after, McCain goes on stage in Arizona to make his concession speech. His supporters are understandably disappointed and he has to calm some of them down. And he only adds to the emotional moment for the nation, by giving probably his best speech of this election. He is gracious, he tells us how much he loves this country and will continue to fight for her, how he will fully support President-elect Obama and do anything he can to help the transition process – and you can see on him, hear it in his voice, that he 100% sincere. More sincere than any of the mud-slinging or political stump speeches; he truly loves his country.
The crowd in Grant Park is working itself up and after a short while, the new First Family comes onstage in Chicago. The pictures will go down in history; everything from Michelle’s dress, to the young girls, to the kiss between Barack and Michelle, to the tear rolling down Obama’s cheek as he shortly mentions his grandmother. They will all be shown again, published in books, remember and pulled out many years from now. In his speech, Obama continues to pound on his ‘Yes, We Can !’ mantra – and the 250,000 people in Grant Park go nuts, along with the half or whole million outside the park and the many, many more around the country. Jesse Jackson and just about all the women (and many men) in the crowd shed a tear – many cry openly. I probably had a little lump in my throat, too...;-).
My dear hosts, Meredythe and Irwin, grew up in a time where segregation was the law in many states. It is only a little more than 50 years ago, when a black man couldn’t even sit next to a white man on the bus – something that my generation cannot comprehend. Irwin was in the middle of this, being the first African-American to graduate from University of North Carolina and a visible figure on the various sports teams when he was young. Meredythe and Irwin never thought they’d see this day. I dedicate this victory – if I may be so grand – to them, because they opened their house to me and tolerated me for two full weeks. That in itself is a test ! ;-)
Thank you, Meredythe and Irwin !
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