Election Night 2008

In the spirit of moving forward, the United States elected Barack Obama as the President of the Untied States of America. This ended a very long process - years of the primary race within the Democratic and Republican parties and a very condensed past few months of heavy campaigning by both parties. I believe the whole country must be relieved that we have finally come to a conclusion.

I watched John McCain's concession speech from the counter of our local pizza spot, as the camera flashed to glimpses of the Obama rally taking place downtown at Grant Park. As he gracefully stepped aside in the race for the presidency, it became more and more apparently to the jubilant crowd in Chicago that it's hope for change was not quite as audacious as it had been in previous election years.

An image gently weeping Jesse Jackson marked the remarkable and historic shift in social and political possibilities. As I crossed the intersection of Congress and Michigan Ave. after jumping on the train to head to the rally, this thought occurred to me again when I realized that I had crossed the site of the riots of 1968 during the Democratic National Convention, 40 years ago. how the world seems to have changed. I heard the crowd roaring when I stepped out of the subway a few blocks away at jackson and Wabash, and knew the victory speech had begun.

The crowd in Grant Park was elated, full of smiles at random strangers, exchanges of hugs and high fives. No one was more enthused and proud than the city's African American population who represented themselves, bearing signs proclaiming "Yes, we did!"