OMG, America, Yes, you did!!

It became self evident across the day just how much people were wanting Barack Obama to win and just how much people cared about what was happening to and in America. We knew today was important. Americans have to understand that the whole world has been concerned about America. So on the way to work I heard about the EU sending its 6 page letter to the new president of America…but all day at work we were on the Net and we were listening to broadcasts because we were interested and wanted to know. In the car I heard John McCain give his speech and what a wonderful speech that was. He is  a very sensible Republican who holds good values and he was prepared to concede defeat in such a gracious and dignified way because he knew his country needed to change and needed a big change. His speech said a lot about him and it’s unfortunate he was held up and back by Sarah Palin. But I also heard Barack Obama’s inaugural speech as the president elect. He was so true to what his country needs right now and what we need. We need politicians we can talk to and relate to and we need politicians who know what our lives are like. Someone whose Grandmother died just before she got to see her grandson achieve the impossible. We have all had moments like that and we talked a lot about how sad it was for him to lose his grandmother now and just before he had won. We can’t wait to see the poodle in the White House and we are just going off we are so pleased that Americans had the guts to get out there and put it right for their country. It is fantastic. You won’t believe how glued to the information we have been today and how much we have cared. People gathered together to watch the speeches. This is unheard of. My friend was telling me one of they guys he was with, as they sat over a drink watching on the big plasma, was crying when Barack Obama gave his speech. Many of us are so relieved and have been so involved in this long campaign trail. There is a reason for this. Some people did not dare listen to the news because they just didn’t want to know Barack Obama had not won. Do you think there is a reason we have been so engrossed today and we have genuinely cared about how much the American people have achieved in the last 24 hours? We know some of them have had to stand in long queues to cast a vote and we know some of them have heart ached about making the right decision today. So we sat and listened to both speeches and John McCain is a wonderful statesmen who cares deeply for his country but Barack Obama is the man who is needed at this point in time because we can all relate to him.

Yes We Care

Image via Wikipedia“He makes me think of America the myth, the land of the free, the way it thinks of itself but doesn’t often behave,” she said.

This is unbelievable. This is different. We have got Australians who feel so strongly that they can identify with Barack Obama as the president of a country we have such a long association with, that they are prepared to go over to America and do whatever the Barack Obama campaign offices need. This is such an amazing thing. There are young ones and political veterans and they are doing it for the same reason I am doing this I guess. We need an America with a person who is approachable and who can work with the world. We need someone who can talk and engage with others. Whether Americans want that is another matter. It is their country, but surely they must be tired of Mr. Bush spending all their money overseas funding destructive initiatives? Barack Obama is popular here and it’s because you sense he does care and that he can hold a proper conversation with anyone. He doesn’t appear to be short of words or capacity to empathise. Facebook has a Yes We Care group which was founded by an Australian and it is going really well. We want to see America do well so we are barracking for Barack! Can you believe that? Yes We Care.

Barack Obama

Image via WikipediaThe world is changing and we need to be looking at new leadership models to fit in with our changes. People are far more open and want to connect. From where we sit, Barack Obama is someone we can relate to. He is human, he is engaging and he talks a lot of sense. He is not cobwebby and dusty. America does need to create a friendlier international face which other countries feel they can deal with. We want a world where we can all negotiate. We want a world where we can discuss , debate and participate as equals. There will always be a dominant culture like there is always a person who dominates a group, but we want to co operate as nations. We are so over the adversarial stance and Barack Obama is able to build relationships just by being himself and that is so important. He has international appeal. He is someone we feel we’d like to meet. He is capable of identifying and relating to so many people and it is his easy manner and his optimistic approach which we find refreshing. He is not full of platitudes and well worn turns of phrase. he is dynamic and he appears to represent the sort of person we would like to know. For America at this point in time that is a crucial point in his favour.