Monday, November 10, 2008

We The People...

The thing I find particularly striking about Obama's victory is the reaction he got, around the world and across the country. I've never seen people dancing in the streets to celebrate an election victory before.

They wouldn't have done this for Gore or Kerry. I don't think anyone did it when Bill Clinton was elected, and I'm not sure it would have happened for Hillary had she been the winner. It's not just because of the color of his skin - well, that's a big part of it, I'm sure, and it explains the celebration in Kenya, but I think a lot of it also has to do with his personality, his intellect and his story.

It also has to do with his popular support. Yes, that's sort of circular reasoning (he's popular because he's popular), but stay with me.

In the 2008 election, unlike several previous cycles, the two main candidates appear to have really been selected by the people, not the parties. It seems to me that if the parties had been in charge, we would have seen Hillary Clinton against Mit Romney. But the people, the voters, didn't let that happen. They picked the maverick and the new kid, not the faithful party stalwarts who were next in line.

I think that's a good thing. Political parties aren't bad, but government of the people, by the people, is even better.

3 comments:

Gabe said...

I was quite surprised at the reaction too. I was actually more energized than I thought I would be. When you think of the history we get to be witness to it's...really amazing.

Unknown said...

It is pretty cool - I can't wait to move to DC next summer and get a little closer to the action...

Gabe said...

I had a feeling you might repond that way.