Hooray for Pennsylvania

They showed wall-to-wall clips of Reverend Wright proclaiming "God **** America!" non-stop for 3 or 4 days in Pennsylvania, where I have lived since 1996. And it didn't work! I am so glad.

Pennsylvania went for Obama. It had done so for Gore and Kerry too, but it was very close. Looking at the projected percentages it looks like Obama will get over 60% of the state (according to CNN).

McCain (who didn't officially support the Reverend Wright ads, but didn't stop them either) has led a relentlessly negative campaign in this state.

I am so sick of Joe the Plumber. I like my plumber Ed out here in PA. He returns calls quickly and has a license. I am so glad McCain and Palin and Joe the Plumber couldn't succeed in terrorizing everyone about taxes.

And the long, long days of every f-ing Republican alive labeling Obama's plan to return to the Clinton tax levels for couples making above $250,000 as "redistributing the wealth" ... those days have come to an end. They have bullied us all with their Orwellian names for 8 long years.

The 8 long years of Bush have been very, very hard to live through. The country is in awful shape, it's going to be very hard to get things back in order.

It feels like Obama is going to win, right? Without Ohio or Pennsylvania, McCain can't win unless Obama loses some unexpected states.

You know what, I'm shell shocked. I can't feel glad yet, that's a quirk of mine, it's hard for me to celebrate.

I have hated the last 8 years so much, and hated the way that Republicans "spun the truth" so that no real discussion ever happened. Mr. President, why didn't you get warrants to listen in on American citizens as required by the FISA law? Bush: "Well, if someone's talking to Al Qaeda, I want to know about it." That's how the news stories always ended. But it didn't answer the question, did it? Bush is an old hand at redefining the question and answering that one, and not the one asked. A little bit like Sarah Palin in her Vice Presidential wink-fest.

Yet if we all go back to hating each other -- I heard 3 minutes of Rush Limbaugh today, wow what a hater he is -- yet if we all go back to hating each other, well, it won't be good. I'm not sure how to get over a lot of anger toward the "other side" that I and others like me feel - but perhaps President Obama will set us all a good example.

Oh, and let's be glad the rest of the world will love our choice. I, like the Dixie Chicks, was ashamed of our president.

I think in a couple of hours I'll start feeling ecstatic. (Oh, he's just become President. Okay, I'm starting to feel it.)

Read more Election Day Liveblogs, Reaction and Analysis from HuffPost Bloggers

Comments

[writinghannah]

My humble musical letter to President Obama:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4bZw9FmXZ4

Best,
Hannah Friedman

[08politicaljunkie]

Admittedly, I was worried about Pennsylvania.

As a campaign volunteer, I was introduced to the bigotry here in Westmoreland Country that I wasn't aware existed -- at least not as prevalent as it is.

Most Democrats here embraced Hillary whole-heartedly and said they were either going to vote for McCain or not at all.

This election threatened to tear families apart and end long-term friendships. Hopefully people will continue to "cling to their Bibles" and heal.

[KatInPhilly]

Never been so proud of my state as I am today! What a week - first, the world series and then the election. I have had a non-stop hangover since last Wednesday.

Memo from PA to the Republicans - You're fired.

[bayside]

I am happy but leary too Chris. Keep thinking about FISA from a consitutional lawyer..Hope they are right that Obama is the most liberal congressman in congress because that is what we need in congress..Not more center and right thinking..Guess we will just have to wait and see..

[zmadwoman]

I guess just the thought of another republican white house was far scarier than the negative ads. I guess we should try to become more United in these states but can we still pick on Palin? It's so fun..

[Kassandra]

Just take a deep breath, man, let it out and FEEL. Let go for a minute or two. It won't hurt, I promise we can all pick up our cynicism later, if we want to.

[kellysmalltowngirl]

I live in southwestern PA, in John Murtha's district, and we do have racism problems, Murtha knows his people. My county went blue, and always has, because we have been struggling economically for 30 years, most of my 42 years, and we know that this economy is never going to be fixed by more tax cuts or trickle down economics. In my county, the wealth has only trickled up and out.

Finally enough of us have seen how the GOP has used our fears to manipulate our votes and we have refused to be used. We have voted for positivity, hope, and unity.

[Etrusca8]

Hi, I'm from Dauphin County, too -- the very Republican northern end -- but I now live in Italy. My vote for Obama arrived back there in time, however. I was very worried at times about what was happening in PA, but I'm reassured today. This is a great day for the USA and for all the world. Europeans are ecstatic that Obama won, as am I. It's a new day.

[dutchgirl55]

You managed to listen to three whole minutes of Rush Limbaugh? Man, that's nerves, or a stomach, of steel.

I'm from Pennsylvania, too, and I'm thrilled for my state and my country today.

[Chris Durang - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes, listening to three whole minutes of Limbaugh was indeed daunting.
I've read the comments so far (and ones below too), and I really appreciate hearing from so many Pennsylvania people. I too felt both relief and pride for Pennsylvania to have voted in sufficient strength to give Obama the state.
And I acknowldege the comment below, we were indeed helped by moderate Republicans who crossed party lines and voted for Obama. I appreciated hearing them in the media too (Andrew Sullivan, Colin Powell, etc).
And I have gotten over my shell shock... I am today feeling very thrilled at Obama's win (and the country's win). Yaaaaaay!

[curbappeal]

It wasn't only Democrats who elected Obama in Pa. Clear-thinking, level-headed, forward-thinking Republicans in Allegheny County and Western PA voted for him, too. I was one of them. Although my decision came months ago, I was also completely disgusted by the diluge of Rev. Wright ads this past few weeks. That one backfired.

[judydaltx]

And a shout-out to Allegheny County - Pittsburgh, you did not let me down. I've been away for over 20 years but I am a Pittsburgher at heart. I was a bit nervous at first, but when I saw PA go blue, I knew Barack would win! Thanks, PA.

[era889094]

I'm in Chester County, PA. I must say, I was worried right up until the end. I knew a lot of people who were voting Obama, and the GOTV effort was massive here, on the ground and on the phone lines. However, I knew many people who were small business owners, stockbrokers, realtors, and others who were voting McCain because they were certain that their taxes will go up under Obama. They were voting purely in their own self-interest, and they didn't really care about the other issues, or at least that's how they came across. My own financial planner/broker made several comments to me over the past months about how Obama would raise capital gains taxes, and while he never came right out and said who he was voting for, it was clear that he was for McCain. And even in my upper middle class community, there were definite hints of racial bias that surprised me in some cases, and did not in others.

In the end, I just think that there were more of us who looked at the big picture and saw the clear choice. And Palin certainly helped that cause. As my colleauge in China, a lifelong Chinese citizen and a really nice guy, wrote to me today in an email, "You made a right decision! I wonder why Bush was elected for a second time 4 years ago."

Indeed.

[char982]

I also live in PA, and those Rev. Wright ads were really starting to worry me. On every news station, they seemed to be playing during every commercial break. I was seriously worried about that. But I'm so proud of all the Pennsylvanians who turned the state blue on the electoral map! And all the other states that helped make this an amazing victory as well!

[cornflower]

Don't underestimate the effect of the Obama's campaign TV advertising which responded to every negative smear attempt with a positive deflection that prevented the negative from sticking. Savvy ad campaigns helped A LOT.

[Bebe68]

I believe that after 8+ years of listening to distortions, exaggerations and outright lies, the American people finally rebelled.

We began to look at our lives and the way our country was heading with every Republican victory , into one downward spiral after another.

The smears and the simplistic talking points became so much background chatter.

And we heard from Barack Hussein Obama the voice of reason, and calm and HOPE, and we voted accordingly.

I thank the gods, karma, who/whatever that I lived to see November 4, 2008.