Yes we DID!

It has been forever since I blogged and so much has happened (the economy has gotten worse, I have done more shopping…I know, I know what an oxymoron), but I think it is undeniable that the biggest event since I last blogged is the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States! I was working at InStyle (another update..I freelance at InStyle now) on Nov 5th when the news broke (we are a day ahead). I had been refreshing my CNN.com screen every 3 minutes or so, watching as Obama clinched key States. Then a girl walked into the office saying, “He won!” “I know,” I said, “He got Iowa!” “No, he won!” I was ecstatic in a way I can’t explain, because it was a different type of excitement than I’ve ever had. I wasn’t even expecting to feel the way that I did. My heart was racing, and all I wanted to do was transport myself to DC or New York and go crazy with a mob of happy citizens. Instead, I drank a glass of champagne and watched a few Aussie fashionistas wipe away tears during his memorable acceptance speech. But I never really got the chance to celebrate with people who felt the same way I did….and what was that feeling? Relief. Hope. And Pride. As an American that has spent so much time feeding my passion of travel, it feels good to be overseas and to be able to feel a certain pride that for as long as I’ve been traveling I haven’t been able to feel. I’ve been in the back of taxis in Nice, France telling the driver “Je deteste Bush aussie. Oui, Clinton est tres bien.”

On the historical night Miriam and I were sending emails (Blackberry to iPhone, me at my desk in Sydney, her at a bar in Williamsburg) and one email from Miriam comes to mind. I had written something like “Yeah!!! He got Pennsylvania,” and Miriam wrote “Anna we might be saved, our country is saved.” It was so dramatic, and also so amusing because Miriam and I spend so much time talking about bangs, boys, and dream jobs…that to be sharing that kind of raw excitement over something so important was wonderful. Okok we aren’t that shallow, I just painted a bad picture!

Below are excerpts from some emails from friends that I received during the few days following Election Day.


EMILY in DC:
I got home from school (after having been to only one class because the Chinatown bus driver on the way home from Philly got pulled over for speeding and then state trooper discovered that he was not licensed to drive a bus - honestly no one on the bus batted an eyelash bc par for the Chinatown bus course at this point, but we did get into DC 2 hours late) and did some HW and Gchatting, was very pumped (thanks to Margot) that I had made the trek to Philly to vote. Eventually Mike got home with Pinkyring and FIVE GUYS (second night in a row - America! Fuck yeah!!!) and we turned on NBC and ate. Saw some funnies in the Times Square coverage - including this hilarious man who Andrew took a picture of and I am attaching to this e-mail.

Eventually tall Ari came over and Obama began to win state after state. I was multitasking a little bit - looking at duvet covers online in our bedroom, because we need a new one - when around 10:00 a heard some serious football shouts from the other room. I ran in and saw the teeny-tiny graphic at the bottom of the screen and was initially confused - why wasn't it bigger? But the boys kept shouting and everyone on TV looked really excited so I realized that despite TV's mishandling of this moment, it was true - Obama won the fucking presidential motherfucking election. Then the text messages started rolling in (one from Miriam thanking me for voting in PA - <3 you boo), the most hilarious one being from Pinkyring's friend Boson: "guys this is a historic moment." Funny bc true!!!

Then the news started showing footage of DC - specifically the corner of 14th and U, where at least 20 people were standing on top of a bus stop shelter, dancing and the streets were packed with frenzied revelers. We heard rumors of a drum circle and traffic being backed up for blocks, so we decided to head down after Obama gave his speech. After watching John McCain be obligatory nice guy and seeing a little tear glistening in Sarah Palin's eye, Obama finally came on around midnight and I almost lost my shit. I know this is like, DUH, but goddamnit that man has a way with words! I was also freaking out at the Michelle/Sasha/Malia clothing ensemble (her dress was Narciso Rodriguez!!!), but you guys can read Listopad for my thoughts on that bc I posted about them on Wednesday.

Finally at 1 AM we headed out the door. Every step of our walk - through Mount Pleasant, Adams Morgan, and down U Street - was marked by people losing their shit. The sound of people honking their horns did not stop for the entire walk. The entire walk!!! It's a good 35 minutes from my house down to that corner. People would jump out in front of cars - and the cars would honk, not because they were pissed at antics but because they were happy too! Complete strangers would high-five you as you walked by, or they would just whoop and scream "WE DID IT!!" and you would whoop back. (Actually Andrew did most of the whooping.) As we stopped to talk to a friend we ran into, a woman pranced by (literally pranced) yelling, "MY UTERUS IS MY OWN!!!"

When we got the corner of 14th and U it was insane. It was like twelve Adams Morgans on a Saturday night, only people were drunk on JOY and not alcohol. The entire intersection was filled with people yelling, dancing, carrying signs, hugging - and there were indeed the sounds of drums coming from somewhere. And the bus stop shelter roof was still a dance floor. Guys, we are talking that one scene at the beginning of Matrix 2 or 3 when everyone is doing like tribal dancing underground. It was beautiful. Our friend Aaron appeared out of the crowd and ran towards us whooping as if we were his long-lost parents. Then we walked down U Street towards Bohemian Caverns where our friend was DJing and as we passed Dukem, which is a (delicious!) Ethiopian restaurant, we encountered a huge dance party. On the sidewalk. As we stood outside Bohemian caverns, we watched a legitimate parade walk by - all people yelling and carrying signs, of course. I heard later that they marched all the way to the White House. Traffic was at a complete and total standstill - buses, taxis, no one was moving - but NO ONE cared. Cops were everywhere, but they looked on with pleasure and joy as people congregated and went crazy.

I still haven't told you guys the story of how we heard my upstairs neighbor drunkenly yelling at his TV (it's actually really sad - he's a terrible alcoholic and Mike saw him coming into our building the next morning, drunk off his ass at 10 AM) during Obama's speech, but I'll save that for later because I have to go. Remember how I said this was going to be fast? LOL.

MIRIAM in Brooklyn:
anyway, my obama story is pretty lowkey; ben and i went on a mighty trek to the bar next to our house, which had put up a big screen and posted signs everywhere boasting an "election party all night long." his friend andrew came to meet us, and audrey came, and yonkers and mari briefly after awhile ben and andrew got sick of trying to see past hipster poofy hair and went back to our apartment on the other side of the wall. i stayed at the bar with just yonks as everyone else had left. it was crazy how sudden it was though, we we were waiting after penn and ohio were announced and i glanced at the screen and it had the 'elected president obama' graphic and i quietly said to yonkers "obama elected!" no one in the room would believe it until yonkers started hollering and then the whole place was up in arms for a good 10 minutes. no speaking, just yelling. then the bar just started handing out bottles of champagne. it was greatttttt. after i just wen tback home to listen to his speech but there were cars a-honking and people screaming in the streets all night.

MARGOT in Italy:
I discovered that I have a working TV in my bedroom, that receives only a few channels (one of which is, blessedly, MTVItalia) and one of them was doing all-night, live election coverage. I curled up in bed and watched until PA and OH both went to Obama. I passed out and woke up around 5am to shouts and banners on the TV of "HA VINTO OBAMA!!!!!" and it felt like a million Christmases rolled into one. I watched his speech, which had an angry Italian lady shouting the translation over him. That was unfortunate. But I tuned my ears and isolated the English and proceeded to well up and have chills. Walking around Florence the next day I had my head held high and still feel SO PROUD to be American. An entirely new feeling! Everyone in Europe is celebrating and ecstatic, the only exception being my anal beads roommate who is still sulking around because she wanted McCain because she is blond and heartless.

MARY in Chicago:
YOU GUYS! i was THERE. I had vip tickets to the rally. It was UNBELEIVABLE! I cannot even describe or explain. He is so amazing. People were cheering and screaming in the streets for hours. I didnt get home till 2:30 am. I am so lucky to have been there for that. He looked so amazing, michelle is GORGE and everyone was crying and laughing. When it was announced we all started chanting "YES WE DID! YES WE DID!" instead of "yes we can." Sooo many goosebumps!

CHRIS DEUTSCH in DC:
Last night when they announced it people were running and yelling in the streets. Our whole apt complex came out on their balcony's and were cheering and high fiving. It was really inbelievable. Billy and I set the speakers out and played Same Cooke's 'Change is Gonna Come' and people were dancing and having a good time.

A few thousand people gathered on U street into early in the morning. All peaceful and upbeat. I've never seen anything like it. You couldnt help but feel very hopeful for our future despite the tough road ahead.

MY MOM:
I’ll tell you one thing – I think the new first lady is going to be fun to watch in term so fashion. She seems to love clothes and to wear them well. Also – interesting – she NEVER wears suits! The stodgy uniform of the working woman – she just doesn’t wear them. She usually wears dresses – something I really don’t have. Of course, I’m not first lady so I may not need them…

Did I tell you that I started my speech in Florida by mentioning your excitement about the election and post script re Julius Rosenwald enjoying this? I then mentioned how John McCain had mentioned Booker in his concession speech and said I did think the Julius-Booker partnership was one of the steps that got us to today’s hopeful moment. After my speech, in the question period, an elderly man said he had been working hard for the McCain campaign but that my talk had really helped him understand the importance of this moment in terms of racial progress. I really felt good about that. I am going to try to get some more speaking gigs cause I really like it and think I do it pretty well.


I love these intimate images of the Obamas..
Nap now while you can, Mr Prez! You've got a lot of work ahead of you...