What I Told My Sons About Last Night

Over the last seven years, it's often been hard to be filled with national pride. It required a lengthy explanation: "I love my country, but hate what my government is doing. I'm proud to be an American, but not proud of things happening in the name of America."

Well, I have never been prouder to be an American than I was last night. Watching Obama's speech took me back to my childhood in Chicago, going downtown with my mother to take part in civil rights demonstrations.

Last night, I was the parent, explaining to my sons that they were witnessing a groundbreaking moment in the history of our country. A moment filled with promise, and hope, and the power to remake America's tattered image in an instant. The instant Barack Obama is elected president. That instant, the world will look at us differently.

I can't wait.

Comments

[TRYKER]

Sounds to me like the long dry spell has everyone over-impressed with the big fish of the day.
It was this big....no it was this b-i-g!

[Counterglow]

I like Barak Obama, but what is his "Plan B" for when the only compromise he can get out of the Republicans is "my way or no way"?

[Marsangusidaho]

As I watched the white crowd giddily cheering on Sen. Obama last night, I couldn't help but wonder whether they were cheering him and what he plans to do for America, or themselves for being so forward-thinking as to have brought themselves to vote for a black man. At the very least, I have a feeling that it was both.
I still couldn't tell you what Sen. Obama actually wants to do as president. I like the idea that electing him after the past seven years would be like beaming a message to the world that we really are not as racist, as anti-intellectual, as insular, as bullying, as fearful, and as hypocritical as we often seem, and have seemed every day since GWB took office. But I'm not keen at all on electing anyone just because he's black or young or white or male or any other category -- or just to send a message to someone, for that matter.
I'm voting for Sen. Edwards because I know where he stands regarding corporate control of the country and its government, and his concern for regular people's concerns, such as health care, paying for college, and environmental protection.
I'll vote for Sen. Obama if he gets the nomination, on the assumption that his tepid, middle-of-the-road positions are still probably much more aligned to my own priorities than any Republican nominee's will be. But we just never seem to hear any actual policy reasons for people's enthusiasm for him. All we hear are the cheers, and at least half of those seem self-directed.

[ez14livin]

obama's victory speech (for all its oratory flourish) was a hollow rephrasing of points initially introduced by john edwards.

john edwards was outspent 6 to 1 in iowa, and he came in second.

john edwards has taken a stand against corporate influence in elections. john edwards challenged his democratic rivals to take the same stand last spring. and they didn't, especially clinton and obama

john edwards, as a trial lawyer has a track record of success founded on fighting corporations and winning: he didn't get paid unless his client WON. so now he's a millionaire, earned by his efforts.

just as injury lawyers don't take on cases they don't think will pay off, corporations don't invest in a candidate without expecting a return.

john edwards set, and is setting what should be the american agenda. if he would not have presented a DETAILED, FUNDABLE and rational plan for national healthcare, this issue would not even be a topic of discussion today. john edwards FORCED every other candidate to respond, in depth.

john edwards has taken a principled stand regarding campaign financing. that's the 10 year difference in life experience between edwards and obama.

to put it in 'drug' lingo: edwards has walked away from the vice, cold turkey. obama thinks he can puff a little, snort a little or shoot a little up since the dealer is giving it away; and that he won't become hooked. he is just another junkie about to get played; and take the US further down the path of self-destruction the dry drunk GWB has us riding on (in style)

maybe bill clinton never inhaled, but his wife has, and she has swallowed much more (if pot really leads to harder drugs...) to build on another drug metaphor, hillary's is the poster face for a party on crack.

obama is the nice kid getting off the bus in stevie wonder's 'living for the city': 'i didn't do nothing, i was just standing here'

8 more years HARD TIME, United States

only john edwards has the experience and understanding to get US clean

[GayGrandpa]

The world is watching. I was talking to a friend in Indonesia and he said "Obama!" and I said yes, how did you know? "The whole world knows," he said.

I think we all want things to be better and want to have hope. We have been beaten with fear to a pulp. We have been led down roads by greedy warmongering monsters, dangerous roads where our children have been damaged and killed. We all hope it will end and that peace will prevail.

There is enough pie for everyone to have a slice! Why cannot we lead the world again in peace and hope and prosperity? We can!

Obviously we are not afraid to spend billions on war without thinking, why not spend it on peace and R & D, and on health care, education and rescuing the poor and the elderly? Why when those things are mentioned that people ask how are we going to pay for it but when the President asks for an additional 70 billion no one blinks an eye? Why? WHY?

We have a world in crises and we spend billions on war just because Bush asks for it...the country hungers for sanity and peace. We hope as the world waits...Ob­ama is bigger than the Democrats! Obama is bigger than America!

Our bridges are crumbling our world is exploding look at the weather! The world is watching, waiting and hoping for an honest leader who will roll up his or her sleeves and lead. The world is eager and ready to be led and to roll up sleeves and help. We need to hear again "ask not..." instead we have been lead by quiet sneaky thieves who ask nothing but silence and quiet as the coffers of America are robbed!

I for one do not want my grandson to think that as Americans the only thing we are good at is destruction and death and war. Where has Bush led us and what kind of legacy has he left for our children and us? We need a change we need Obama!

[CGrace]

I know that you supported Senator Obama from the beginning, hosted a fund raiser for him, but who is Rahm supporting? Is it his friend Senator Obama, or his former employer, Clinton? I hope it is his friend.

[maidyalook]

And why couldn't you be just as proud telling your sons about last night that the first female president ewould be just as monumental an occasion for America as the first black president.­Now, you aren't teaching your sons to be sexist, are you? Just asking!!!!

[SouthJerseySteve]

Isn't it a bit premature to declare Obama the President? Remember Howard "crazy man" Dean? More importantly, where is Oprah? Why wasn't she in Iowa with her "other" man? I can see it now.... The O & O show--Oprah would make a fine Secretary of the Treasure, which her billions of dollars, she could fix our economy after one tv show.

[TimmySlagle]

Wow Ari.

Considering you know the inside of the Clinton Machine better than most people, it took a lot of balls to jump ship like that.

Welcome back from the dark side

[MrsManarlican]

Mr. Emanuel, I wish that the people responding to Ariana's blog about Obama's win in Iowa could feel what you feel and expressed here. I see a lot of people there rah rah-ing for Hillary because she has a better chance at beating the Republicans. Would that not be considered trading one evil for another? Isn't that what we did four years ago and four years before that? I am tired of people "playing it safe" when choosing who to support. I hope, very dearly, that next November you will have the same conversation with your sons that you did last night, for the sake of us all.

[hrayovac]

Thank you for saying that. I hope that you and Rahm won't in fact wait and will work very hard with the rest of us to make that dream come true with Obama and for the sake of the country..