Over the past few weeks I've tried to avoid all the election coverage (my poor pregnant brain can't cope with an overload of political knowledge!), so I've never really been swung towards either candidate.

However...

I listened to Obama's victory speech on the radio this morning (5.15am!) and was actually moved to tears by what I would consider the greatest speech of this century.

If I were American I'd feel proud and full of hope for the future right now

Of course, let's hope his actions match his words...

i'm not an american.....and i'm full of pride and hope for the future too....this is such an important 'turning point' for the whole world and humanity in general.....my future grandkids will look back on this bit of the worlds history....

If you liked his acceptance speech, you should hear his 'yes we can' speech: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe751kMBwms

He truly is the great orator of our time.

The only thing i did not like was all the news people saying "America's first black president".

Does it really matter what colour his skin is. I think it is what he is capable of and that still remains to be seen. For all i care he could be pink with purple polka dots. I am not racist and do not beleive anyone should be judged by the coulour of their skin. People should just be accepted for who they are

Emmjay

who gives a s**t there all the same

Of course they had to say America's first black president, this is a huge achievement and one many thought would never occur in their life time.
From Rosa Parks sitting on the bus to make a stand to Martin luther King marching for equal rights, and now Obama running for the presidency and winning This is a glorious day and a magnificent achievement for America as a whole. Americans should feel proud today for this is a day where bigotries were put aside and the best man for the Job was chosen.

Lets hope the world takes note and justice and equality for all can be achieved through hard work and an ambitious spirit.

May God bless President Obama and give him the strength and wisdom to lead the great US of A

It's interesting to see Obama's win described as a landslide. OK, he won a big majority in terms of electoral college votes. His share of total votes cast wasn't all that huge.

More importantly he didn't get the 60 seats needed to be filibuster proof. Still, there were excited phone calls late into the night at our house.

I wholly agree that the colour of one's skin is irrelevant in any normal context, but I can't refute the significance of Obama's victory in terms of racial equality. It will indeed go down in the history books and hopefully it will help defeat the racism that still exists in the USA (indeed the world).

I would like to believe that he was elected "...because of the content of his character, not the colour of his skin".

That said, I hope he actually makes it to the White House... (I wouldn't be surprised if there was an assassination attempt either before January or once he's in office). Apparently there was one plot foiled already...

Anita

Do you mean in the senate? I have to confess an ignorance of how the US legislature works.

Yes. If you have sixty seats you have a lot of power to pass legislation, as a majority government would in the UK. If you have less than sixty then all bills require some negotiation in order to get enough votes to pass, something like a minority government in a parliamentary system. Weird clauses get tacked on to bills in order to secure the extra votes producing something like the "Countrywide Tax Reform and Aid to the Northern Utah Sheep Industry Bill".

I see. Ta.

It's what they call horse-trading?

Except of course for a few that have died and a few that weren't eligible to vote last time, wasn't this guy voted in by the same people that voted in Dubya - TWICE

Nothing can alter the fact that they are still Americans - with all that entails

Yes, the horse trading leads to sticking pork on the bills!