Obama Wins Presidency
Posted August 23, 2009
(Originally published on November 6, 2008 in the Call & Post Newspaper, Ohio's Black Press, with distributions in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati)
After wining Ohio by 5 percentage points Illinois Sen. Barack Obama became the first Black president of the United States of America Tue. night following a euphoric election that represents the height of Black intellect and achievement in American history.
The first Black presidential nominee of a major American political party, whose oratory brilliance and message of hope and change reinvigorated Americans nationwide, swiftly won the Electoral College to take the presidency over Republican nominee Arizona Sen. John McCain. He also won the national popular vote, making his election a slam dunk.
At press time Obama had 364 electoral votes to McCain's 164.
Obama's election night victory came on the eve of the death of his maternal grandmother, who reared him along with his late mother and maternal grandfather. Still, the mood leading up to his presidential win was upbeat, if not tantalizing, as the aura of defeat of the Republicans became a beacon of hope for the Democrats.
“The road ahead will be long and the climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or in one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful that we will get there,” the president-elect told a crowd of 200,000 at Grant Park in Chicago, Ill that gathered to hear his victory speech. “ A government of the people, by the people, and for the people, has not perished.”
In addition to his wife Michelle, and Vice President Joe Biden, and his wife Jill, Obama was joined on stage by his two daughters Malia, 10, and Sacha, 7, who will soon be the first Black children to grace the White House on a residential basis and the youngest since Amy Carter.
“Its historical in the sense that an African-American man has become president of the United States, and he will work for solutions to problems, which begins with rebuilding urban centers,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, who gathered with hundreds to celebrate at the Lancer Steakhouse in Cleveland.
The crowd of prominent local politicians, political wannabes and others rose to its feet and chanted “Obama, Obama” when CNN projected a win shortly before 11 p.m. Some took to the streets, dancing and chanting, others prayed, and still some said that they were simply numb in disbelief.
McCain conceded in style, congratulating Obama and telling his supporters that the loss was his. “Its my failure, not yours,” he said.
The soon-to-be 44th U.S. President, Obama steps in as the country approaches a recession after back-to-back quarters of negative growth. His candidacy came to symbolize a new day for America as he called for a departure from politics as usual in Wash. D.C., promised to responsibly end the Iraq War and promoted a political platform with public appeal on issues such as the economy, health care, foreign policy, education, and revitalization of urban communities.
“It is the dawn of a new springtime in the life of the Democratic process in America and a spiritual and prophetic moment in the history of our nation,” said the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr., pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland and a Civil Rights pioneer who marched with the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “His election says to the Black community that there is no substitute to having access to the ballot box and using it.”
Though he drew universal support across racial, political and socioeconomic lines, Blacks from around the country in both poor and elite communities rallied to Obama, not only in long lines at the ballot box, but from small places like barber shops and beauty parlors to seventh grade classrooms, community churches, and ivy league colleges and universities. His ability to raise large sums of campaign money by collecting small sums from ordinary people and his skill in drawing capacity crowds to hear his motivational speeches gave his campaign an unprecedented momentum.
The Obama-Biden and McCain-Pailin factions were in a statistical tie in Ohio going into the election, according to some polls, making the buckeye state pivotal as it has always been, where no Republican has won the White House without winning Ohio.
“All of you can give America the change it needs and it starts right here in Ohio, it starts right
here in Cleveland,” Obama told the crowd at a rally in Cleveland just two days before Tuesday's election.
Not only did Obama's message of hope resonate in Ohio, it caught on nationwide, eventually carrying him to the White House, though not so unexpected after he beat New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in a heated Democratic primary that pitted former President Bill Clinton against the Black community. With the overwhelming support of Blacks in South Carolina, Obama took the Democratic Primary there, after Bill Clinton angered the Black community by dubbing Obama a “boy” and predicting his presidential defeat in the same vain as the Rev. Jesse Jackson's unsuccessful bids for president in 1980 and 1984.
After winning the Iowa Caucuses and the South Carolina Democratic primary, Obama won Super Tuesday and never looked back. The Clintons' fractured relationship with the Black community continued throughout the Democratic primary season but took a back seat after Obama clinched the Democratic nomination for president and skillfully reeled in Clinton supporters and the Clinton's themselves, who joined him on the campaign trail with apparent ease and a commitment to the Democratic Party.
“I don't think there's any question that he [Obama] unified the Democratic Party,” said Louis Stokes, a retired U.S. Rep. of the 11th Congressional District, and brother of the late Carl B. Stokes, who became the first Black mayor of a major metropolitan city when he was elected mayor of the city of Cleveland in 1967. “It has now been carried to the top of the mountain what Carl started by giving Black people vision, hope and aspiration, that in electing Carl that same city would someday be part of a nation that elects the first Black president.”
Obama's climb to the presidency followed his decision to forgo lucrative jobs on Wall Street and in corporate law to become a community organizer on the streets of the south side of Chicago. Through that venue he was elected to the Illinois Senate and then to the U.S. Senate in 2004. His run for president was spurred with support from prominent members of Congress such as Massachusetts Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, and ranking Blacks like Rep. John Conyers of Michigan. Just weeks before the presidential election, he snagged the endorsement of Republican Colin Powell, a former member of the Bush administration and the first Black Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State.
Johnathan Holifield, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Cleveland, said that Obama's victory reminds America that Blacks can excel in all arenas and counters negative and unfounded stereotypes about the Black intellect in America.
“Without a doubt, it dispels the myth that Blacks don't measure up intellectually,” said Holifield.
“Obama was able to blend academic excellence and community organizing into a compelling candidacy.”
Obama will have the privilege of working with a Senate and House of Representatives controlled by his fellow Democrats. His win comes four decades after the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech in the nation's capitol.
“I didn't think that this would happen in my lifetime,” said Alma Cooper, 85, who was elated about Obama's election. “We never believed that Martin Luther King Jr. would happen and this exceeds that.”
(Originally published on November 6, 2008 in the Call & Post Newspaper, Ohio's Black Press, with distributions in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati)
After wining Ohio by 5 percentage points Illinois Sen. Barack Obama became the first Black president of the United States of America Tue. night following a euphoric election that represents the height of Black intellect and achievement in American history.
The first Black presidential nominee of a major American political party, whose oratory brilliance and message of hope and change reinvigorated Americans nationwide, swiftly won the Electoral College to take the presidency over Republican nominee Arizona Sen. John McCain. He also won the national popular vote, making his election a slam dunk.
At press time Obama had 364 electoral votes to McCain's 164.
Obama's election night victory came on the eve of the death of his maternal grandmother, who reared him along with his late mother and maternal grandfather. Still, the mood leading up to his presidential win was upbeat, if not tantalizing, as the aura of defeat of the Republicans became a beacon of hope for the Democrats.
“The road ahead will be long and the climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or in one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful that we will get there,” the president-elect told a crowd of 200,000 at Grant Park in Chicago, Ill that gathered to hear his victory speech. “ A government of the people, by the people, and for the people, has not perished.”
In addition to his wife Michelle, and Vice President Joe Biden, and his wife Jill, Obama was joined on stage by his two daughters Malia, 10, and Sacha, 7, who will soon be the first Black children to grace the White House on a residential basis and the youngest since Amy Carter.
“Its historical in the sense that an African-American man has become president of the United States, and he will work for solutions to problems, which begins with rebuilding urban centers,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, who gathered with hundreds to celebrate at the Lancer Steakhouse in Cleveland.
The crowd of prominent local politicians, political wannabes and others rose to its feet and chanted “Obama, Obama” when CNN projected a win shortly before 11 p.m. Some took to the streets, dancing and chanting, others prayed, and still some said that they were simply numb in disbelief.
McCain conceded in style, congratulating Obama and telling his supporters that the loss was his. “Its my failure, not yours,” he said.
The soon-to-be 44th U.S. President, Obama steps in as the country approaches a recession after back-to-back quarters of negative growth. His candidacy came to symbolize a new day for America as he called for a departure from politics as usual in Wash. D.C., promised to responsibly end the Iraq War and promoted a political platform with public appeal on issues such as the economy, health care, foreign policy, education, and revitalization of urban communities.
“It is the dawn of a new springtime in the life of the Democratic process in America and a spiritual and prophetic moment in the history of our nation,” said the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr., pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland and a Civil Rights pioneer who marched with the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “His election says to the Black community that there is no substitute to having access to the ballot box and using it.”
Though he drew universal support across racial, political and socioeconomic lines, Blacks from around the country in both poor and elite communities rallied to Obama, not only in long lines at the ballot box, but from small places like barber shops and beauty parlors to seventh grade classrooms, community churches, and ivy league colleges and universities. His ability to raise large sums of campaign money by collecting small sums from ordinary people and his skill in drawing capacity crowds to hear his motivational speeches gave his campaign an unprecedented momentum.
The Obama-Biden and McCain-Pailin factions were in a statistical tie in Ohio going into the election, according to some polls, making the buckeye state pivotal as it has always been, where no Republican has won the White House without winning Ohio.
“All of you can give America the change it needs and it starts right here in Ohio, it starts right
here in Cleveland,” Obama told the crowd at a rally in Cleveland just two days before Tuesday's election.
Not only did Obama's message of hope resonate in Ohio, it caught on nationwide, eventually carrying him to the White House, though not so unexpected after he beat New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in a heated Democratic primary that pitted former President Bill Clinton against the Black community. With the overwhelming support of Blacks in South Carolina, Obama took the Democratic Primary there, after Bill Clinton angered the Black community by dubbing Obama a “boy” and predicting his presidential defeat in the same vain as the Rev. Jesse Jackson's unsuccessful bids for president in 1980 and 1984.
After winning the Iowa Caucuses and the South Carolina Democratic primary, Obama won Super Tuesday and never looked back. The Clintons' fractured relationship with the Black community continued throughout the Democratic primary season but took a back seat after Obama clinched the Democratic nomination for president and skillfully reeled in Clinton supporters and the Clinton's themselves, who joined him on the campaign trail with apparent ease and a commitment to the Democratic Party.
“I don't think there's any question that he [Obama] unified the Democratic Party,” said Louis Stokes, a retired U.S. Rep. of the 11th Congressional District, and brother of the late Carl B. Stokes, who became the first Black mayor of a major metropolitan city when he was elected mayor of the city of Cleveland in 1967. “It has now been carried to the top of the mountain what Carl started by giving Black people vision, hope and aspiration, that in electing Carl that same city would someday be part of a nation that elects the first Black president.”
Obama's climb to the presidency followed his decision to forgo lucrative jobs on Wall Street and in corporate law to become a community organizer on the streets of the south side of Chicago. Through that venue he was elected to the Illinois Senate and then to the U.S. Senate in 2004. His run for president was spurred with support from prominent members of Congress such as Massachusetts Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, and ranking Blacks like Rep. John Conyers of Michigan. Just weeks before the presidential election, he snagged the endorsement of Republican Colin Powell, a former member of the Bush administration and the first Black Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State.
Johnathan Holifield, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Cleveland, said that Obama's victory reminds America that Blacks can excel in all arenas and counters negative and unfounded stereotypes about the Black intellect in America.
“Without a doubt, it dispels the myth that Blacks don't measure up intellectually,” said Holifield.
“Obama was able to blend academic excellence and community organizing into a compelling candidacy.”
Obama will have the privilege of working with a Senate and House of Representatives controlled by his fellow Democrats. His win comes four decades after the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech in the nation's capitol.
“I didn't think that this would happen in my lifetime,” said Alma Cooper, 85, who was elated about Obama's election. “We never believed that Martin Luther King Jr. would happen and this exceeds that.”
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