I’ll never forget where I was. It was 8 pm here in Brooklyn. Julius and I locked ourselves in place in our library. Julius was wearing his Obama t-shirt and Obama buttons. (And he says he’s not superstitious!) I supplicated myself before all the benevolent forces in the ethers. We both had our laptops out and CNN blaring.
First, CNN announced that Obama won Pennsylvania. I was hugging our cats and cheering, “We won!” Julius warned not to speak too soon. But then we won Ohio! Not even Julius could crab that. Still, it wasn’t official. A landslide of electoral votes poured into the Obama column. And then…Virginia! It was all over! For once, I can say that with relief!
Still, CNN was about to go on counting polls and I thought we’d have to wait until 1 am to get the official word. But, at about 11 pm, Wolf Blitzer stopped in midsentence to announce late-breaking news. A new screen broke in with Barack’s image. “Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States!”
I’m still trying to take it all in. We watched via satellite as Barack spoke before over 200,000 people in Grant Park in my hometown of Chicago. I became homesick, but Julius and I put our coats on and went to 5th Avenue. What can I say, it was a Par-tay!
Hope at last! Hope at last! Hope at last!
(Oh, yeah…And no more Sarah Palin!)
Kyle Thomas Smith
Brooklyn, NY
Tags: Barack Obama, Barack Obama Presidency, Barack Obama wins
