“A new world.”
Words uttered by a slightly inebriated gentleman on my way home on MUNI Tuesday night. He raised his brown paper bag and toasted with his companion; a pre-game drink en route to a post-election celebration. All those with either Barack Obama paraphernalia or an "I Voted" sticker acknowledged each other and smiled as if to say, “We did it.”
This was followed by fits of spontaneous applause among the passengers on our train. Outside, we could hear honking car horns on the streets, a sound normally reserved for impatience and annoyance, overtaken for one night by jubilation and elation. It was more than an excuse to celebrate, and still more than genuine happiness. These were the sounds of ownership, a realization of having participated in the most dramatic change this country will undergo in our lifetime, a real sense that America had won. "We did it."
I recently blogged that I have an affection for times when the inhabitants of my city, San Francisco, all move in unison. Some type of holiday event usually influences uniform participation, but there are instances when it is caused by something of greater magnitude. And as a city with a famously homogeneous (and liberal) viewpoint on most social matters, there is a call for this great city to serve its purpose as trailblazer when the challenge arises. On Tuesday, San Franciscans heeded the call and hit the polls in support of Barack Obama. On Tuesday night, they watched Obama's win together and celebrated afterwards as one.
I shared the Obama victory announcement with classmates in my UCB Extension class. Our professor was kind enough to update election results on his projector throughout the course of the class. It only took until halfway through our session to learn of the historic moment. The entire class cheered when we saw that Obama had secured the necessary 270 electoral votes. I felt a slight tug in my heart and was a little surprised by my emotional investment. Until that very moment, I had solely looked forward to a Democratic candidate replacing the incumbent party from the nation's highest office. At some point during his campaign, Obama's eloquent rhetoric transformed into a sincere call for change in my eyes. The official announcement of his win erupted a dormant joy that had been unknowingly seeded in me. I shared this sentiment with my classmates. And every corner of San Francisco cheered. "We did it."
We watched Senator John McCain’s gracious concession speech that fully cemented the inconceivable result. I was very much moved by his poignant words and seeming desire to return to be a dutiful servant. McCain can now use the remaining years of his office to rebuild a tarnished image borne of a campaign rooted in mudslinging and one almost unforgivable mistake. He is an honorable man, and I think we will see that again going forward as evidenced in his amazing speech.
Once I reached my stop, I walked around my neighborhood to consume myself in the palpable energy. Bars were packed even by weekend standards and election coverage replaced the usual ESPN highlights on flat screen televisions. Even hours after the landmark announcement, folks were still high-fiving and gleefully recounting the night's happenings. "We did it." I thought that Bill Clinton's victory over George Bush in 1992 must have fostered a similar energy among young people. That election is in no way remotely comparable to what happened on Tuesday, but for young people in a metropolitan city, the sense of change must have been inspiring.
I concluded my night by sharing a personal moment with the President-Elect. I watched Obama’s victory speech online in my bedroom. I felt an overwhelming flood of emotion and pangs of joy usually reserved for my family. They are truly words that inspire, words that challenge, words that bind us.
“A new world”, I will keep coming back to this indelible phrase for the tenure of Obama’s presidency. It is a lofty challenge, and one that can’t possibly be lived up to by policy changes. But I’ll remember the sincerity with which those words were spoken. I think the real takeaway is simply the fact that someone actually chose those words to describe an election. In that sense, a change has already swept over this country. Obama is the leader of a new voice; one that recognizes that it shouted for something fresh. Things are different. Young people are connected. San Francisco cheers. "We did it."
Godspeed President Obama.
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