Concession!

Don can untwist his fingers and toes, now.


And let me just say that Obama ran a great, no... brilliant, campaign.





However.....




















for the first time here on our stage.....











:banana:

 

But seriously, folks... my President-elect just gave a great speech, as he usually does, and it raised the hope that he'll be able to live up to the promise of it.

Time to end the piss-taking kow-towing to the lunatic left and apply his ideas in ways that will work.

Congratulations America!

Here's what the blogs I read said:

Hot Air - Allahpundit:

GatewayPundit:

National Review - Geraghty:

Commentary Magazine blog..

Podhoretz:

Rubin:

 

Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos!

I thought both McCain and Obama gave good speeches last night, and Obama quite rightly focused on the fact that yesterday was the starting gate, not the finish line - getting elected is the means, not the end - and that he needs to lead for the many millions who voted for McCain as well as for the many millions who voted for him.

 

Congratulation America, I though both candidate ran good races. Bringing Palin onto the ticket invograted the road to the White House. But most of all, congratulation to all 131 million of you yanks who got off your sterotypically fat asses and went to register your vote. There's hope for your young nation yet!

GBFC.

 

Yes, this long long difficult election is over and now I can sit back on my fat ass, whew!

In all seriousness, CONGRATULATIONS TO OBAMA. He is probably the most popular politician, if not person, in the world and he is our President. I never thought that I would see that day.

 

Geezz. You didnt need to read a freakin' book to figure that out. All you had to do was watch him respond to a question on some 'controversial issue'.

He is a master at sidestepping then plugging in a point that has absolutely nothing to do with the issue.

 

Don. With the Economy tanking, I don't think a different VP choice for McCain would have changed the result (closer certainly, but same result). America was in a firing mood and McCain was too closely tied with GWB to escape the effects. A true outsider, a Romney or someone like like might have avoided falling under that bus, but a 20+ year GOP Senator had no real chance.

 

Renewed optimism, hope that change will occur, vibrant new leadership and the bright outlook of what is to come... It's an exciting time to be an American. (Also a Hoosier... first time the state has gone blue since 1964 I believe)

 

I thought Tom Ridge might have made a positive difference for McCain, but then, I'm the kind of person who would consider voting for a Republican only if they focused on classical conservative issues (e.g. limited powers of federal government, fiscal discipline, etc.) and got themselves out of the morality police business.

 

You said it -- worst thing about my party and a reason for me to be dissatisfied w/ McCain, for the reasons Heather said. I voted for McCain more out of hope than expectation, that he would return to his moderate social conservative roots. Nonetheless, congrats president Obama and I look forward to a prosperous and safe four year reign.

 

Interesting points, all.

What turned this election from being as close as it should have been to a near rout was:

1) The mobilization of young voters -- unprecedented turnout, participation, and interest. I have been sorely disappointed in this group in years past, and their particiaption in 2004 was of pure apathy when it came time to vote. This time around, they were the difference.

2) McCain's flub on the economy. Clearly the "foundation" was not strong, everyone knew it, and it sounded like more of an apology on behalf of Bush than any sort of a realistic appraisal.

3) The Inflexibility and Datedness of the GOP message. The GOP apparently made no changes to its pamphlet since an eyeopening 2006, and it cost them. Too extreme, and this country is tired of Jesus freaks and their inability to understand or manifest the separation of church and state. McCain is a moderate at heart, but he chose to appeal to the same bases that carried the elections in 2000 and 2004. America is sick of it.

4) Bush. McCain should have disowned Bush from the start, just as Obama shunned Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. I mean, who are you going to alientate, the approximately 20-25% of Americans who still approve of Bush? Wouldn't these people vote for any Republican candidate, regardless of qualifications/behavior/stance on issues?

Just my (less than) two cents.

 

This election was always Obama's to lose. I disagree with Don on this one point. It is back to the mantra of the Clinton's "It is the economy, stupid". This economy was on wobbly knees well before the credit crisis finally made the front page. Also give credit to Obama for mobilizing the young voters. They made the difference.

Also:

"The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that's out always looks the best." -- Will Rogers

and finally an opinion I completely agree with:

The Treatment of Bush Has Been a Disgrace
What must our enemies be thinking?
By JEFFREY SCOTT SHAPIRO

Earlier this year, 12,000 people in San Francisco signed a petition in support of a proposition on a local ballot to rename an Oceanside sewage plant after George W. Bush. The proposition is only one example of the classless disrespect many Americans have shown the president.

According to recent Gallup polls, the president's average approval rating is below 30% -- down from his 90% approval in the wake of 9/11. Mr. Bush has endured relentless attacks from the left while facing abandonment from the right.

This is the price Mr. Bush is paying for trying to work with both Democrats and Republicans. During his 2004 victory speech, the president reached out to voters who supported his opponent, John Kerry, and said, "Today, I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent. To make this nation stronger and better, I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust."

Those bipartisan efforts have been met with crushing resistance from both political parties. The president's original Supreme Court choice of Harriet Miers alarmed Republicans, while his final nomination of Samuel Alito angered Democrats. His solutions to reform the immigration system alienated traditional conservatives, while his refusal to retreat in Iraq has enraged liberals who have unrealistic expectations about the challenges we face there.

It seems that no matter what Mr. Bush does, he is blamed for everything. He remains despised by the left while continuously disappointing the right.
Yet it should seem obvious that many of our country's current problems either existed long before Mr. Bush ever came to office, or are beyond his control. Perhaps if Americans stopped being so divisive, and congressional leaders came together to work with the president on some of these problems, he would actually have had a fighting chance of solving them.

Like the president said in his 2004 victory speech, "We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us. And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."

Democratic President Harry S. Truman, whose own approval rating sank to 22% shortly before he left office. Despite Mr. Truman's low numbers, a 2005 Wall Street Journal poll found that he was ranked the seventh most popular president in history.

Just as Americans have gained perspective on how challenging Truman's presidency was in the wake of World War II, our country will recognize the hardship President Bush faced these past eight years -- and how extraordinary it was that he accomplished what he did in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time.

Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty -- a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this natfter Mr. Bush has left the White House.

Mr. Shapiro is an investigative reporter and lawyer who previously interned with John F. Kerry's legal team during the presidential election in 2004.

 

I appreciate you posting this RR; I have felt the same way for some time. The animosity towards Bush has reached an insane level; it is irrational and a manifestation of group-think which I fear is becoming more and more common with 24 hr news stations, Hollywood's influence, a shift from teaching critical thinking to teaching "how to think", etc. It has been tragic. I've heard many say W is the worst president ever. I've read my fair share of American history and I am certain that decades from now W will not be regarded as such by historians. They will probably say his biggest failure was his inability to sell himself, his policies, programs, and successes to the American people. In truth it has been the American people's failure. They cant be bothered so they need a quick simple answer; the result is more and more the President gets the blame. It's ironic how people say he has abused executive powers and yet they blame him for everything, most of which are out of the realm of executive powers.

I always say if you want to really make a difference pay attention to your local and state politics; Pay more attention about who you elect at those levels. That is where your vote counts and that is where most of the bad politics is occuring.

Finally to Obama, the good news to me is that I have never heard him disrespect Bush. He has certainly criticized Bush's decisions but I've never heard him talk about Bush lying or profiting or being arrogant or studpid. Correct me if I'm wrong because this is limited to my abilitly to keep up with events. Anyway, to me this means that he is aware and appreciates the impossible situation that Bush has been in and that he soon will be in. It is good that he is aware of this because from the international reaction that I've heard, they think he is the messiah (excepting Isreal of course who favored McCain 3 -1 )