My Favorite Moments of 2008
Please forgive me for another non-"Daddy's Firm", non-sexual update to this blog, but I just can't help myself. The holidays always depress me and looking back on my favorite moments of the past year brightens my spirits. Without further ado, here's the list (with video) of my Top Five Favorite Memories of 2008.
5.) Obama's Iowa Victory Speech.
I saw this one live, too.
I remember I was under the weather that day. I was also depressed about the current state of the election. For a couple of weeks Obama had been pummeled in the press for his connection to his pastor, Jeremiah Wright. I saw his campaign crumbling. I watched with a broken heart as race reared its ugly head in the election. The doubts my Democrat friends had voiced to me about Obama's electability, doubts I had dismissed, seemed reasonable all of a sudden. The country was too white to elect a black man. His affiliation with a hate-speech black minister proved it. All was lost.
Obama had an ace in the hole, though. His campaign announced he was going to make a major speech to address the issue of Wright, a speech that would do even more: it would tackle racial politics, too.
Such a speech, I knew, had to be more than just good. It had to be amazing. It had to be historic. In the end, he needed a home run. Instead, he delivered a grand slam.
Jon Stewart said it best on the Daily Show: "And so, at 11 'o clock on a Tuesday, a prominent politician spoke to Americans about race as though they were adults."
I've lived my whole life wishing I had been alive to see Dr. King's speech on the Mall. Or that I had been alive to see Lincoln's speech at Gettysburg. Or that I'd been in Parliament when Churchill declared, "We will fight on the beaches, and in the streets, we shall never surrender...".
After this speech, though, I was just glad I was alive in March this past year. This speech ranks with the "better angels of our nature" and the "never give in" speeches of previous centuries.
Click here to see the Daily Show clip about the speech... it's worth it!
1.) Obama's Victory Speech
At this defining moment, change has come to America. God bless you, Mr. President. And God bless America for shocking the world by doing the right thing. America? Fuck yeah.
5.) Obama's Iowa Victory Speech.
It all started on a chilly winter night. January 3, 2008 will very likely go down in history as one of the most important in American politics. I watched the caucus returns with Beth (cry) and a bunch of her friends and I remember being the only person in the room wearing an Obama t-shirt (which Beth had just bought for me a couple days before; a simple white t-shirt with the now-famous "Obama Rising" logo). I was probably the only person in the room who nearly orgasmed when he was officially named the winner of the contest, but after his speech I was approached by lots of Hillary, Edwards, and even Kucinich supporters who wanted to know more about the Junior Senator from Illinois. It was a wonderful night and that speech still makes me smile. :)
4.) "Yes We Can" Obama Music Video
When I watched this video the first time it brought tears to my eyes! I knew right away it was going to be an important way for Obama supporters to sum up our candidate's message, so in February 2008 I sent it out to literally hundreds of my friends and acquaintances. Ten months later the original YouTube post is nearing 15 million hits. Decision 2008, meet Web 2.0!
3.) Fox News Calls Ohio for Obama on Election Night
I couldn't find an embed-able video of this, but clicking the link above will bring you to a Huffington Post article that includes a video of Karl Rove declaring: "If [McCain] loses Ohio, he goes from 286 [electoral votes], which the Republicans carried in 2004, down to 266, and that puts him below the 270 threshold needed to win the White House. So he'd not only need to sweep the rest of these states which were won by the Republicans in 2004, he'd also need to pick up something as well."
"Guess what Karl,"a somber sounding Brit Hume broke in, "I've just received word that the state of Ohio has gone for Barack Obama."
I was watching Fox News at an election party during this announcement (we flipped between MSNBC and Fox News every fifteen minutes). I saw it live. Unlike everyone else in the room, I didn't cheer, though. I started crying and never really stopped for at least a week. Why the tears? Because his victory in Ohio meant that Obama would be our next president. I don't think I ever felt such relief, and joy, and hope, in my entire life before that moment. It was amazing, one of the most emotional moments of my life, and it still makes me smile from ear to ear to remember it...! :)
2.) Obama's Philadelphia Speech On Race: "A More Perfect Union"
3.) Fox News Calls Ohio for Obama on Election Night
I couldn't find an embed-able video of this, but clicking the link above will bring you to a Huffington Post article that includes a video of Karl Rove declaring: "If [McCain] loses Ohio, he goes from 286 [electoral votes], which the Republicans carried in 2004, down to 266, and that puts him below the 270 threshold needed to win the White House. So he'd not only need to sweep the rest of these states which were won by the Republicans in 2004, he'd also need to pick up something as well."
"Guess what Karl,"a somber sounding Brit Hume broke in, "I've just received word that the state of Ohio has gone for Barack Obama."
I was watching Fox News at an election party during this announcement (we flipped between MSNBC and Fox News every fifteen minutes). I saw it live. Unlike everyone else in the room, I didn't cheer, though. I started crying and never really stopped for at least a week. Why the tears? Because his victory in Ohio meant that Obama would be our next president. I don't think I ever felt such relief, and joy, and hope, in my entire life before that moment. It was amazing, one of the most emotional moments of my life, and it still makes me smile from ear to ear to remember it...! :)
2.) Obama's Philadelphia Speech On Race: "A More Perfect Union"
I saw this one live, too.
I remember I was under the weather that day. I was also depressed about the current state of the election. For a couple of weeks Obama had been pummeled in the press for his connection to his pastor, Jeremiah Wright. I saw his campaign crumbling. I watched with a broken heart as race reared its ugly head in the election. The doubts my Democrat friends had voiced to me about Obama's electability, doubts I had dismissed, seemed reasonable all of a sudden. The country was too white to elect a black man. His affiliation with a hate-speech black minister proved it. All was lost.
Obama had an ace in the hole, though. His campaign announced he was going to make a major speech to address the issue of Wright, a speech that would do even more: it would tackle racial politics, too.
Such a speech, I knew, had to be more than just good. It had to be amazing. It had to be historic. In the end, he needed a home run. Instead, he delivered a grand slam.
Jon Stewart said it best on the Daily Show: "And so, at 11 'o clock on a Tuesday, a prominent politician spoke to Americans about race as though they were adults."
I've lived my whole life wishing I had been alive to see Dr. King's speech on the Mall. Or that I had been alive to see Lincoln's speech at Gettysburg. Or that I'd been in Parliament when Churchill declared, "We will fight on the beaches, and in the streets, we shall never surrender...".
After this speech, though, I was just glad I was alive in March this past year. This speech ranks with the "better angels of our nature" and the "never give in" speeches of previous centuries.
Click here to see the Daily Show clip about the speech... it's worth it!
1.) Obama's Victory Speech
I was already crying (see number 3, above) when he gave this speech. My tears only increased. I felt such relief, such joy. It was simply amazing to behold: he did it. He actually did it. Not only that, though, but we did it. We got him elected. We won! For the first time in my entire life I felt pride and hope and optimism in my country meld together in a way that has not changed since. Oprah said it best: "He is The One."
At this defining moment, change has come to America. God bless you, Mr. President. And God bless America for shocking the world by doing the right thing. America? Fuck yeah.
Love,
-shannon-
P.S. I had many good non-Obama moments this year, btw, some of which include experiences with this site. But nothing can compared to his historic election! I mean... we changed the world! As awesome as it is, how can posting a neat short story that I'm still so proud of, or receiving amazing gifts from fans, compare with that?
P.S. I had many good non-Obama moments this year, btw, some of which include experiences with this site. But nothing can compared to his historic election! I mean... we changed the world! As awesome as it is, how can posting a neat short story that I'm still so proud of, or receiving amazing gifts from fans, compare with that?
posted by Shannon at 9:33 PM
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