History Has Been Made. A Victory For The People.

Last night's victory of Barack Obama in the US presidential elections was truly memorable. A black candidate has won this race for the first time ever. He did it by an enormous margin (see New York Times report), and carried with him a large victory for Democrat Senators and Congressmen. He beat John McCain in the key states that the candidates had spent months battling over, including Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, which voted for a Democrat for the first time since 1964. Put simply, he pulled America behind him. He was not yoked to a mule but did this with his free will and his undimmed spirit. He quickly reached out to those who did not back him and showed that his presidency will be a truly national affair. I know that most black people feel pride so enormous that they will probably take years to really absorb all that has happened so fast and so considerably. But, to me, it's important to start to see America and its politics as a field not of racial division but of racial differences that build national unity. The large crowds that greeted the victory were in keeping with those who turned out at almost every rally for Senator Obama. He is truly popular.

In graciously accepting defeat, John McCain made the kind of moving and sincere statement that could have produced enormous support for him and could have changed the election. We must just wonder why his campaign went to the garbage pail of negative attacks, which backfired so badly they must go down as one of the worst campaign strategies of all time. Admittedly, he was weighed down by the failed presidency of George Bush, who managed to divide his country, set the world against his country, and become one of the most unpopular presidents of all time, with policy blunders piling high.

Senator Obama made a typically moving acceptance speech, playing much on the mantra "Yes we can!" Like the little engine, his train is only just about to leave the station. He has enormous expectations laid on his shoulders. His background in community organizing had helped mobilize millions of voters and supporters who had been lost to and in the system; energized a nation to go out and vote, especially its young people and those who are called minorities. The election scenes yesterday and before were amazing. Was this really America, with people standing in awful weather for hours?

The world has been mobilized in support of Senator Obama, not least in Kenya, the country of his father's birth (where they have declared a national holiday). Celebrations were quickly underway in the US, but also across the globe. Here in Barbados, there was whooping and hollering and clapping, as we ate corn soup and ham cutters and bread pudding and flying fish...and boiled peanuts offered by an American lady, named "Daphne". I know that in Jamaica there was celebration too, with plenty of fish eaten. Japan has a small fishing village named Obama, and they celebrated too for hours. Official endorsements came in fast and furiously.

For me, Obama really represents someone to vote for, with ideas that seem to fit what is needed to make the economic and social landscape of America a place where more people can really say "Yes we can!" That is the message of hope. He reflected this with the story of Ann Nixon Cooper,a black lady now 106 years young and living in Atlanta, Georgia, who had seen it all (see Times report). This victory was for people like her: someone who during her life had been denied a vote because she was a woman and black, who could now put her finger on an electronic screen and cast her vote.

I now have to get on with grooming another possible presidential candidate. Miss Bliss is American and already has been mentioned as a future president. She has about three decades to wait to get her chance. But she will be made to believe that she can do it. God bless America.