Wednesday, November 05, 2008

A Class Act

John McCain's concession speech, just in case ya missed it (10:00 min):



My initial reaction to this speech last evening was there has to be just a little bit of buyer’s remorse amongst some Obama voters. Not the hardcore Obamanons, mind you... I'm thinking more of the cross-over vote and/or newly registered “Independents.” Senator McCain is a class act… a man of courage, integrity, and values. He would have made a great president.


I also watched Obama’s acceptance speech last night and it wasn’t all that bad. There wasn’t any substance in the speech (as usual), but he did say a few of the “right” things. Once again, in case ya missed it, here’s Obama’s acceptance speech (17:00 min):



I was up until 0400 this morning watching all the brouhaha. I’m tired, disappointed, and emotionally hung-over today (no alcohol hangover, thankyouverymuch). But I need to say one thing: I was SO very proud to be an American last night. Our democratic political system played out as it has so many, many times in the past. There will be yet another peaceful transition of power, with no blood in the streets, no riots, no threat of a coup d’état. There will be a recount or two where the results were close, but that’s about it. My bottom line: I may not like the results but I LOVE the process.


Well Done, America.

18 comments:

  1. Well done to the process, yes. But I won't say well done America to the result.

    No.

    I'm wearing all black today; it may be a trend for the next 4 years.

    I'll recover as will the rest of us who voted for the correct candidate. But it's going to be a very long 4 years.

    The only consolation I can find is that at least I can say - I didn't vote for him so don't blame me.

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  2. You are right of course. Damnit. But we did have a mostly fair election process and so far no fighting in the streets.
    Only one thing I am afraid of now and I don't want to spoil your magnificent prose with it.
    Thanks for a well written acceptance.

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  3. Time to just hunker down and live with it. Surely there must be SOMETHING good to come out of it? Will wait with bated breath.

    My heart breaks for John McCain. He wasn't the best choice in the world, but he was the best one running. He gave so much for this country, and now he won't have another chance.

    At least Roosevelt County voted right on about everything, even though the rest of the state didn't.

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  4. Well said, Buck. Thanks for the level-headedness. We'll be just fine, I s'pose.

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  5. Thanks for running that video. Kerry and Gore should take note. McCain is a class act. He will continue to serve and fight for America. Once a warrior always a warrior.

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  6. Agreed on McCain's classy concession speech. At least as classy was Condi Rice's comment this morning. Very nice, indeed. Let's hope the transistion goes as smoothly as has been promised.

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  7. Thank you all for your kind comments, and thank you, Lori, for the vid link. I saw her comments on the news earlier and couldn't agree more with what Ms. Rice said.

    And Lori... I'm suppressing a rant that's been building up in me all day today. I won't go ballistic on ya or anything (much), but the adults lost last night. The Left should watch carefully and learn. There's NO equivalent of BDS on display here, there were NO burning cars, no riots, no outrage over "stolen" elections, no "voter suppression" cries, or ANY of the shit that marred the past two elections... all of which came from YOUR side of the wire.

    Can we be done with all the goddamned conspiracy theories now, please? Your side won and my side is accepting of that fact, for the most part. Graciously accepting, at that. Quite the frickin' contrast, ain't it?

    I feel somewhat better, now. The ball's in your court (not you, personally, but the Left's, as a whole), metaphorically speaking.

    /rant

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  8. Uncle Buck...though i don't and have never heard anything of the like...please don't pick up and move across either border. Of course, i wouldn't blame you if you went north, for the hockey of course.

    And to the rest...i am in full agreement with the author...can we please be done with all the, agreed upon expletive, conspiracy theories?

    Of course, i really have no place to say anything on any subject regarding politics whatsoever, allegedly.

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  9. Uncle Buck...though i don't and have never heard anything of the like...please don't pick up and move across either border.

    And you never will hear anything like what you mention, Jay. I'm not in the habit of making idle threats or promises. I have faith in our system, I believe we... as a nation... are inherently strong and good, and we have both the strength and integrity to survive and even thrive, despite wrong-headed policies. Hell, we survived Carter (and to a lesser extent, Clinton)... so we can certainly survive Obama. I think. ;-)

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  10. "the adults lost last night."

    Interesting that you should say that, Buck. The first complete sentence out of my mouth last night was to my spouse Mary: "Honey, I believe our country has just grown up."

    And I really believe that. It's long past time we put the fear of "other" and "different" behind us. Then again, I was in Stark County, Ohio (probably the most Republican county in that state, and the place where I was raised) from last Friday through Monday, and I was still hearing socially and intelluctually retarded comments about Obama being (let me state it politely) black, "Muslim," blah blah blah. It seems that some parts of the nation may never mature.

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  11. I was still hearing socially and intelluctually retarded comments about Obama being (let me state it politely) black, "Muslim," blah blah blah. It seems that some parts of the nation may never mature.

    I don't deny the fact there ARE idiots out there; there will ALWAYS be idiots... on both sides. But what's chapped my ass over the course of the last eight years is all the shi'ite that's gone down at Kos, Firedoglake, Digby's place, et al. Or, the Loony Left, if you will. The sad fact is that sort of crap got mainstreamed and became the face of the Left. When you say "...our country has just grown up" what I think you mean is the Left just grew up. The Right has always been civil in its disagreements with the Left, albeit a lil bit sharp at times (I'm thinking specifically of that loose cannon [to be kind] Coulter, just to name one). We can trade examples of excess all day and long into the night, but I'm sure you get my point. You'll NEVER hear someone on the Right go on about "black helicopters" over the course of the next four years.

    And... apropos of nothing... I'm sorry about Prop 8. But I didn't vote in California.

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  12. Buck, thanks for your remark about Prop 8. I found it amusing as all get out that the Mormons (historically and fractionally such great examples of "traditional marriage," LOL) were so involved in getting Prop 8 passed. I will never understand why anyone thinks they have the right to deny MY civil rights, but ... whatever. This fight ain't over, and, for the meantime, my marriage will remain intact, spiritually and legally.

    Hey, remember this? (For those who didn't see it, be sure to click around. Pretty decent programming, if nothing else.)

    Anyway, it's now become this. Dig it (or not, but I do).

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  13. Like you Buck, I was very proud of how our system worked. I only watched until it was clinched, so I missed the speeches.

    We live in a great country, to make this transition peaceably every four years when we've been so divided, throughout our history, as a people is breathtaking.

    I have decided to be optimistic about our new president, hoping he makes wise decisions, but more than willing to voice loud dissent when I disagree with his course.

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  14. There will be yet another peaceful transition of power, with no blood in the streets, no riots, no threat of a coup d’état.

    We sometimes forget how lucky we are, don't we?

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  15. I was also very excited to see most people throw off their apathy and get out there and vote. Did we achieve MY desired outcome? No. But I am glad all the hoopla is (mostly) over with. I'm adopting a wait-and-see attitude regarding our President-Elect. And I agree with you on McCain, absolutely a class act.

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  16. NO HUNKERING DOWN.... We are the ones who have the responsibility of keeping track of what he is doing and stopping things that are wrong. That's an important part of the process too....

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  17. okay - I had written something pretty good but I will sum it up in one sentence.

    If you can't beat them... join them or at least make sure they are playing by the rules.

    I am disappointed but proud to be an American.

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  18. Daphne sez: I have decided to be optimistic about our new president, hoping he makes wise decisions, but more than willing to voice loud dissent when I disagree with his course.

    Well... at the risk of appearing redundant, "me, too." You can bet your boots I'll be part of the "loyal opposition," in every sense of that phrase.

    Amy sez: We sometimes forget how lucky we are, don't we?

    Sometimes, Amy. As for me, personally, it's pretty hard for me to forget how lucky we are. I saw tanks in the streets of Ankara as a child when the military "relieved" the civilian government, saw martial law again in the Philippines as a young man, and saw tanks in the streets of Moscow while I was there on business back in the '90s (and beat a hasty exit, as well). Those sorts of sights make it hard for me to forget.

    Christina sez: Did we achieve MY desired outcome? No. But I am glad all the hoopla is (mostly) over with.

    Oh, my... YES! on your last, there! This election cycle went on about a year too long, for me.

    Cynthia sez: NO HUNKERING DOWN.... We are the ones who have the responsibility of keeping track of what he is doing and stopping things that are wrong. That's an important part of the process too....

    Agreed, yet again. And I'll be keeping an eye on the guy... you can rest assured of THAT, Cynthia!

    Balancing Act sez: If you can't beat them... join them or at least make sure they are playing by the rules.

    I am disappointed but proud to be an American.


    Well... I'm pretty danged far from joining "them," as I TRULY believe the Dems are misguided, at best. Thier track record of "playing by the rules" ain't so great, either. But... it is what it is.

    And thanks for dropping by!

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Just be polite... that's all I ask.