I generally don’t stay up late into the night to watch things live, such as Formula 1 or the Oscars. However, I did stay up until almost 3am this morning watching the US election results come in, only going to bed when Ohio declared for Obama, pretty much guaranteeing he was going to win (it’s a crucial swing state) – at the same time unofficial predictions were that Florida and New Mexico were going his way too, making it pretty much unassailable. Of course in the end, Obama won by 349 electoral college votes to McCain’s 162, which makes it officially a landslide.
I’m tired as hell, but happy. I wasn’t around when JFK was elected (or when he was assassinated), or when Dr King made his speech (or when he was assassinated too – let’s hope this isn’t a pattern), but I feel I have just witnessed an important moment in US history which ranks alongside, and perhaps even above those seminal moments.
I’ve never had any desire to live in America but just for this one moment, I envy those who do. There are tough times ahead for sure, but the majority who voted for this change deserve to enjoy this moment.
