So...

[sdelmonte]

I see that the vast majority of my f-list is ecstatic today. That's great. There is certainly reason for ecstasy.

But I'm still not quite feeling it. While I feel a lot better about our next president than I did at primary time, and think he's grown a lot in his battles with Hillary and McCain, I haven't quite embraced him. I'm still concerned about his inexperience. I'm still concerned about his grasp of economics (far better than McCain's but not at the level of Bloomberg or even Bill Clinton). And to my surprise, I still don't find him that engaging. I thought he said all the right things last night, but it seemed just okay. This was - yes, you will tell this is shocking, but it's true - the first time I heard a full speech from him, and I just didn't see what the big deal is. Again, compared with Hillary and with McCain and with Dubya, he's JFK, but I didn't feel it.

This isn't to say he won't be a good president. He is clearly smart, dedicated, capable, focused. He has the seeds of success, and I think he will pick the right people to help and reach out to the other side effectively. But at the same time, I am holding my breath just a little. And that seems to have tempered my joy at this otherwise historic, stunning, well-deserved, world-changing victory.

And I do hope that the rest of you can understand why I don't quite share your feelings of absolute squee. I really am glad that after the last eight years, and especially after the abject depression of the alst election, so many of my friends are smiling like they haven't in ages. Just forgive me if my grin is smaller.

Comments

[agoodshinkickin.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if it's shock, being overwhelmed by my week as a whole, or just good ol' fashioned sleep deprivation, but nothing feels all that real to me at the moment.

[bercilakslady.livejournal.com]

I've been relatively quiet with my political posts for similar reasons. That said, I am happy that I feel there is hope for the future, which I haven't felt for a long time.

[tinylegacies.livejournal.com]

I understand the concerns about his inexperience.

But someone smarter than me made the comment that "he knows what he doesn't know and will choose good advisors".

[agonistes]

This.

Also, at least on my part, most of my overwhelming sense of joy doesn't come from the man himself -- it comes from the knowledge that I'm not alone in wanting a change in how we do things in this country from our collective leadership. I'm not insane for believing the things that I do, and what happened last night -- not just in the presidential election, but in the amendments and referenda in Colorado as well as the Senate and House elections -- made me feel like I'm not alone and I don't have to be afraid to speak up in my day to day life.

And I'm happy because other people are happy. I'm happy because the world's happy. This is our collective chance to get something started, all over the world. It's true Obama is inexperienced. He is, however, very good at getting people inspired and mobilizing those people; this, to me, is what matters. Eight years of anti-intellectual Republican leadership later, I have hope again.

And I'm not alone.

[tinylegacies.livejournal.com]

Yes!

It's been a long damn time since I had this kind of hope.

[sdelmonte]

All of this is great. I don't deny that. And it's also great that there is a return of idealism in America.

But I'm just not feeling it in myself. Maybe I'm just too cynical too young.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Who wants a haggis shortage to happen? ;)

Honestly, I'm a little frightened of my own happiness, of how easily I feel like I could be way too invested in President-Elect Obama, if I'm not already. His win symbolizes forces much greater than a single man (as he himself observed), and part of my happiness is about that, but also I find myself wondering how much is real and how much manufactured of the image I've grown so impressed with. I don't want to love a politician; that way lies a broken heart. I'm glad I have a friend who is a little reticent and more likely to see the flaws that I can't for the hearts currently in my eyes, yet who doesn't wish everyone would shut up and stop valorizing the person they see as that awful man who's about to ruin our great country.

Unlike some non-squeeful comments I've read today, yours doesn't leave me wondering if you and I live in parallel-universe Americas. I can totally understand a different intensity of emotion.

[osewalrus.livejournal.com]

It's a policy wonk thing.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Go watch his speech on race. It moved me, it may do the same for you.

[ashen_key]

I'm more cautiously optimistic about what he'll end up doing.

However, especially for the world at large (given I'm not American), just voting him in in the first place is a huge statement - yes, America's grown up enough as a country to vote in a black man and yes, America acknowledges that the last eight years have been a mess and it's a time for a collective change. Many of the people squeeing on my flist are intelligent, savvy people, and they KNOW it's going to be tough. But what I read about last night was them just letting down their habitual cynicism and, just for a night, letting themselves go and when seeing someone else beaming, just letting themselves smile in return.