How are you feeling this morning? What kind of emotions are you experiencing? What was your overall impression of yesterday’s events? What are waiting to see?
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
I’m waiting to see the airport.
Yesterday, walking past the white house after the ceremony, at the very same time my cousin and I said “I don’t dislike looking at that place now.” I hope Obama lives up to a quarter of our expectations.
Proud, apprehensive, excited, uneasy. Shit, there’s a whole range of emotions today. Yesterday was AWESOME.
I am waiting to see what happens when all the paranoid, tin-foil hat type stuff that everyone around me is expecting to happen does not come to pass. Today, from the time I stopped on the way in to work to get coffee at a local BP station to right up until this very moment at work I have heard nothing but racial hatred, derision and scorn about everything Obama and everything related to anyone who is black. It seems I am surrounded every day by nothing but small-minded bigots and outright racists.
Where in the hell do we grow these types of people? They make me sick. Southwest Ohio sucks.
Lived in NE Ohio during the 60’s, and I was glad to leave, despite some good friends, the Cleveland Orchestra, fall color, etc. The racial polarization was ugly on both sides of the divide.
Mike, I love you man. Keep up the good fight.
I would. It will get worse before it gets better.
Not a few black blogs I frequent were inundated with spew from some less-enlightened types yesterday. I would have blogged while watching the Inaugural, but my laptop is ailing.
These people, at bottom, are afraid. Fear makes people like these irrational, and being irrational is definitely a mental disease. Ed Schultz was saying that most of the gun sales that occurred after Obama was elected was because the National Rifle Association was telling them that Obama was going to take away their guns. That, and people thinking that black folks were going come to their doorsteps any moment to take away what they had.
Like I am that interested in what others have. I just want to get my own.
What do I want to see (not necessarily in the same order):
Yes, it is definitely fear. My youngest brother, a very fine guy at heart, is a perfect example. He, like many people, has swallowed the fear-mongering hook, line and sinker. He owns a few guns. He’s not a hunter but enjoys shooting occasionally. He recently told me he went to buy some ammo from a local dealer and the guy told him, “These are the last two boxes so you’d better get both of them. The next ones you buy are going to be way more expensive after January 20, if you can get them at all”. I asked my brother why that would be, and he said, “Because of Obama”. Why would they be more expensive? I asked. Nothing has changed. Except the ammo dealers see an opportunity to make a ton of money off of all these paranoid guy’s fears. And that is what will happen. It’s the same irrational fear that causes everybody to buy up all the milk and bread when the weatherman yells, “SNOW!!!”.
I’m telling you, there are a goodly number of people right here around me who think there is going to be a black-led insurrection. They really believe it!! Concealed handgun permits are through the roof. Classes for prospective concealed carry applicants are booked weeks out. And I can tell that at these classes there is often a palpable racist overtone to what is presented. There are waiting lists at local gun stores for the most popular concealable weapons. People around here cannot arm up fast enough. It is incredible. Is it any wonder that there were so many receptive people at those Sarah Palin rallies to all the subtle implications to the threat posed by Obama and all those “like him”?
There was a whole lot of “feel-good” floating around concerning the potential healing power of an Obama Presidency. And I really, really want to believe that a lot of racial walls might come down or be diminished because of it. But out here where I am, all it has done is add gasoline to what was already a pretty large inferno of race-based fear. These people are crazy and irrational. And there is nothing, absolutely nothing that will convince them that they might be wrong.
I feel as if an atmospheric change has yet to reach my location.
My emotions are a tabula rasa.
As for yesterday’s events, they were necessary.
I’m waiting to see the winds of change headed my very own way through the limbs of distant trees.
I feel an immense sense of relief. Like you Booman, I did not like our new President being out in the open sooo much. I’m glad GW has left town. I’m hopeful that the new government can actually do some things to improve people’s lives. (hey, there’s an idea for you!) I’m thinking I might even buy an American Flag decal to put on my car.
Now more than ever. I’m with you on that one.
I am happily non-cynical right now. Well, relatively–and of course I have no idea how long that will last, but that’s good enough for now.
And I’m playing “Like a Rolling Stone” over and over again with Republicans in mind.
I was sad to see Bush booed and taunted. He deserves far worse: arrest and indictment for crimes against humanity.
Relief. Resignation to reality, and that the times ahead will be brutal. But, we have the best guy for the job…somebody will have to take command, and that person is Obama.
We’re not going to like half of what he does, but he’ll be making the best of a hideous situation.
I’m at work, bored.
…adding that I am enjoying the right wingers grief. they certainly are a bunch of whiney-ass titty babies.
Then you’re not bored.
nah, I’m pretty bored by that too. I’m provoking them in the hopes of getting an angry reaction. THEN i’ll be entertained.
…adding i’ll be excited when i start seeing the results of our election. When i see actually guantanamo shut down for good or when i see health care legislation pass: that’s when I’ll get excited.
right now, i’m just waiting.
I watched the hoopla yesterday and revelled in it. None of it was too much; I felt like a parched person in the desert who has finally gotten to the oasis.
Today I expected to feel let down, but I don’t. I say quietly to myself, “President Obama” and “Former President Bush” and I feel good.
CNN reports that a ‘draft executive order’ of Barack Obama’s calls for the closure of Gitmo within one year.
Feeling relieved and peaceful today after weeping with joy too often in recent days. Had MSNBC on ALL day yesterday, surpassing my annual quota of inane chatter until 2010. I think Chris Matthews was taking nips from a flask off-camera — to keep the chill off — and got noticeably tipsy by 7p. That’s when I turned it off and let my mind become saturated with silence.
I am, oddly, not waiting for anything, not expecting to be outraged, not anticipating some dreadful event, not hoping for something more right now. For the first time in years, I feel like I can relax my vigilance.
I’m still trying to feel like it’s all real. I guess that will take care of itself as the brutal business of repairing the bush debacle proceeds. I think the continuing sense of unreality comes both from the sheer improbablility of a black guy called Barack Hussein Obama speaking as President, and just the length of the campaign: it had begun to seem like a permanent feature.
You’d never guess what the most emotional moment was for me. It came this morning when I added “Barack” to my browser spellchecker. After all the ceremony, after the great speech, after the moving interviews, it was this trivial act that made my eyes wet.
Most of all the overwhelming reality is also simple: that we actually have a smart, thoughtful, decent President representing our country. Everything is in flux and in terms of policy, change, and politics, but I believe that is the one reality that we can count on.
I’m feeling great relief knowing that Bush is finally gone and that things are in much better hands. It’s nice to feel good about being an American, for a change.
I look forward to watching George Will writhe in pain as we begin to transfer the wealth of this nation back to those who earned it.
check this out.
Your analysis skills were brought to mind, especially the post about how Obama is NOT giving the opposition ammunition that rallies the faithful to their (lost) cause.
Seems like deBushification will, per Obama’s wise strategies, NOT actually be like the de-Baathification screw up, firing opposition members, leaving them with righteous grievances.
Should be an interesting process, however he goes about it…
It can only get better after 8 years of having an Administration that looked after the “narrow interest of a few.”
waiting for Immigration Reform..
Reversal of the executive order on stem cell research.
I’m thrilled for President Obama (just love saying that!) and happy that Teddy is out of the hospital.
And I want to kick John Roberts in the ankle.
I’m happy and relieved. Bush is gone and Obama’s in.
I do have to put this on the record, though: lose the rug and decor in the Oval Office ASAP. That fucking rug has Bush and Cheney written all over it. Get rid of it yesterday.
Relief and hope. My best moment was seeing the bushies get in that copter and fly away, never to return.
Yesterday was incredible! Oh happy day!
This morning was weird. For the first time in 8 years I want to know what our President is up to. I feel happy when he appears on TV to tell us what he’s working on. I’m not used to feeling this way about our country or our president. It’s like learning to walk all over again.