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President-elect Obama’s Soul

By Bill Becker on Nov 4, 2008 at 11:41 pm

Now that we know Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States, we can turn to the next critical question of national leadership: In this historic moment, how bold will President Obama be?

It was Candidate Obama who introduced the theme of change to the 2008 campaign, and it proved so powerful among voters that the other leading candidates quickly adopted it. It’s a clich© for candidates to run against the status quo in Washington, no matter how long they’ve been there. But in 2008, Obama seems to grasp that “change” has a much deeper meaning.

The 21st century is presenting us with new problems that politics as usual can not solve.

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Yglesias

The Mandate

By Matthew Yglesias on Nov 4, 2008 at 11:19 pm

My colleagues and bosses will, of course, have more official things to say on this subject in the morning, but for now look at the issues tab from the Ohio exit polls, that I’ll take as a stand-in for the as-yet-unavailable national numbers:

issues_1.jpg

People want Obama to implement his agenda, and his agenda is a progressive one — cutting carbon emissions, expanding access to health insurance and early childhood education, making the tax code more progressive, and spreading the wealth around building broad-based prosperity.

Politics

President-Elect Barack Obama

By ThinkProgress on Nov 4, 2008 at 11:00 pm

At 11:00 pm EST, the networks call it…

obamabiden2.jpg

The AP reports John McCain has called Barack Obama to concede.

UPDATE: McCain delivers his concession speech. The crowd boos at the mention of Obama’s name, but McCain holds his hands out, symbolically imploring them not to react with anger. McCain says, “I pledge to [Obama] tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.”

UPDATE II: Obama reportedly told McCain: “I need your help, you’re a leader on so many important issues.”

UPDATE III: President Bush calls Obama. “What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters,” Bush said, telling Obama, “You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself.”

UPDATE IV: President-elect Obama delivers his address: “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.”

Yglesias

Country X

By Matthew Yglesias on Nov 4, 2008 at 10:57 pm

Now that country first is out, where does that leave us — country last? Country second? Country fifth? Discuss amongst yourselves.

Climate Progress

What are your thoughts on this historic night?

By Joe Romm on Nov 4, 2008 at 10:44 pm

An astonishing achievement that brings hope back to those who care about global warming, clean energy, or rational, moral domestic and international policy.

McCain sold his soul, embraced the basest form of politics, and hugged not only Bush but the dirtiest of fossil fuels — and lost. Sad.

We may finally see what a country does when its leader really gets energy efficiency!

What are you thinking and feeling?

Politics

Election ’08 Results

By ThinkProgress on Nov 4, 2008 at 9:35 pm

Update

Former Republican senator Rick Santorum has had his right to vote challenged in Pennsylvania, “and election officials will not count his absentee ballot (or that of his wife) until the matter is resolved, Allegheny County Elections Department director Mark Wolosik confirmed. Erin Vecchio, chairman of the Penn Hills School Board and chair of the Penn Hills Democratic Party, says she challenged the Santorums’ right to vote in Pennsylvania this morning because they really live in Virginia.”


Update

,Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) has been defeated by Democratic challenger Jim Himes. Shays’ defeat means there are no more Republican congressmen in New England.


Update

,Scandal-plagued Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-FL) has lost his seat to Republican challenger Tom Rooney.

Politics

Fox’s Nina Easton: ‘I think there’s a real possibility’ that this is now a ‘center-left’ country.

By Faiz Shakir on Nov 4, 2008 at 9:33 pm

This evening on Fox News, host Brit Hume commented, “It has been conventional wisdom for some time, and I certainly thought it was true, that this is a center right country.” He then asked fellow Fox News pundit Nina Easton whether this election mean we are possibly a “center left country.” Easton responded, “I think there’s a real possibility of that, and partly because the nature of the use of government has changed so dramatically over the past year, two years.” Watch it:

Conservatives, fearful that a progressive tide is coming, have been trying to push the claim in recent weeks that “this is a center-right country.” (Watch this video.) As David Sirota has explained, this propagandistic talking point is pure myth.

Update

Former UN Ambassador John Bolton said on BBC tonight: “It’s important for viewers around the world to understand that fundamentally the United States remains a center-right nation. This will be a substantial victory for Senator Obama…but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s going to be a divergence from the basic core values of the country.”


Update

,Moments later, Fox pundit Fred Barnes responded to Easton: “I don’t think so at all. We have a center-right country, and now we can be more right than center, and I think it’s moved a little to the center from the right, but we’re definitely going to have a center-left Washington.”

Yglesias

Ohio

By Matthew Yglesias on Nov 4, 2008 at 9:26 pm

And that’s the presidential election, folks. McCain “could” win, but at this point in fact he can’t.

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