Barack Obama has been inaugurated as president of the U.S.!

[ChitoDog]

I think it's time we infultrated both major parties and surprise them with freedom!!!

Give em the old "Braveheart" strategy lol

[Crazy Man Dan]

...Though McCain's speach really did make him seem such a brilliant person, being so gracious in defeat hasn't really been seen in politics for a long time. I appreaciated that a lot.

I agree that his concession speech was well written and well delivered, gracious and humble. Now if only his campaign had been run more like that and less like a dump-truck full of manure, maybe I wouldn't despise the ticket so much.

Honestly, I wouldn't have had such a problem with McCain if it wasn't for the Palin side of the ticket. That woman is ridiculous.

...I'm proud of our nation for ignoring racial prejudice (though more than a little bit miffed that they still voted their gender prejudice). And had he been, in my eyes, the best candidate for the job, I would have gladly voted for him.

My decision to not vote for McCain because of Palin was most certainly not gender-prejudice, it was because Palin is wholly and abjectly unqualified to take over as president should the circumstance arise. She is inexperienced, she is unfamiliar with basic political necessities, and she proved herself to be horrible at thinking on her feet. I don't want to be lead by a hockey mom - I don't have anything against hockey moms, just against hockey moms running my country. Politics suck, but they are necessary, which is why we have politicians - I'll leave the political jobs to them.

After 8 years of quasi-senility, I'm just plain tired of being lead by the least of us, as if it were some twisted testament to the "America Dream" that absolutely anybody can get in the White House, regardless of aptitude or basic qualification. Barack Obama may be inexperienced, but he's well educated and level-headed, and he has a very experienced and intelligent man backing him up as VP. He is in fact the right man for the job. With the economy hanging by a thread and our basic freedoms being encroached upon by our own government, Barack Obama is a unifying force among the American people - just look at the votes: 349-163 in the Electoral College, 63 million to 55.8 million in the Popular vote. That's not a guy who sneaked in and stole the presidency, that's a guy who called out to people everywhere and gave them hope again. As corny as it sounds, it's something we desperately needed.

So yeah, I'm proud to have voted for Barack Obama. The next four years will be interesting, that's for sure.

[ChitoDog]

...Though McCain's speach really did make him seem such a brilliant person, being so gracious in defeat hasn't really been seen in politics for a long time. I appreaciated that a lot.

I agree that his concession speech was well written and well delivered, gracious and humble. Now if only his campaign had been run more like that and less like a dump-truck full of manure, maybe I wouldn't despise the ticket so much.

Honestly, I wouldn't have had such a problem with McCain if it wasn't for the Palin side of the ticket. That woman is ridiculous.

...I'm proud of our nation for ignoring racial prejudice (though more than a little bit miffed that they still voted their gender prejudice). And had he been, in my eyes, the best candidate for the job, I would have gladly voted for him.

My decision to not vote for McCain because of Palin was most certainly not gender-prejudice, it was because Palin is wholly and abjectly unqualified to take over as president should the circumstance arise. She is inexperienced, she is unfamiliar with basic political necessities, and she proved herself to be horrible at thinking on her feet. I don't want to be lead by a hockey mom - I don't have anything against hockey moms, just against hockey moms running my country. Politics suck, but they are necessary, which is why we have politicians - I'll leave the political jobs to them.

After 8 years of quasi-senility, I'm just plain tired of being lead by the least of us, as if it were some twisted testament to the "America Dream" that absolutely anybody can get in the White House, regardless of aptitude or basic qualification. Barack Obama may be inexperienced, but he's well educated and level-headed, and he has a very experienced and intelligent man backing him up as VP. He is in fact the right man for the job. With the economy hanging by a thread and our basic freedoms being encroached upon by our own government, Barack Obama is a unifying force among the American people - just look at the votes: 349-163 in the Electoral College, 63 million to 55.8 million in the Popular vote. That's not a guy who sneaked in and stole the presidency, that's a guy who called out to people everywhere and gave them hope again. As corny as it sounds, it's something we desperately needed.

So yeah, I'm proud to have voted for Barack Obama. The next four years will be interesting, that's for sure.

:shock: I'm speachless.........you took the words right out of my mouth. Only, the way you said them was better lol

[david.atwell]

I'm still not convinced that Sarah Palin would've been that bad. I think the media has overblown her inexperience, and underplayed Barack Obama's. The fact is that we didn't know her: an excellent reason not to vote for her, but not a very good reason to vote against her. She was in the public eye for far too short a time; though she had greater executive experience, had cleaned Alaska up quite neatly, and had proven herself as an excellent campaigner, people just haven't had a chance to get to know her well enough. In the future, I think we'll discover that she is much more qualified than the media made her out to be.

Or not. I admit, I could be wrong about that.

Dan, I agree with you: John McCain's campaign was run like a manure truck. As useful as a manure truck may be, this particular campaign required someone to vote for, not someone to vote against. Obama supporters had someone to vote for. And everyone else just voted for McCain as the lesser of two evils.

The Republican party is licking their wounds right now as a result of a fundamental flaw: they underestimated their opponent. They underestimated the power of hope. And as much as I don't think that President Bush is the most evil person ever created, I do believe that there was a missed opportunity in running on the power of change. And the cliche that every news outlet in the country is using today is correct: we've witnessed history. In multiple ways: the first African-American president is historic, to be sure. But don't forget that he's also changed the way elections are run in this country. He positioned himself as someone poised to change everything. I'd be willing to bet money that whoever the 2012 Republican contender is, s/he'll run on a very similar platform.

[Sozo]

Everyone overlooks the fact that Sarah Palin was the only one of the candidates with executive experience.

[BoltBait]

Everyone overlooks the fact that Sarah Palin was the only one of the candidates with executive experience.

...and she was the only one that could see Russia from her house.

[david.atwell]

Yeah, Tina Fey didn't use THAT one to a bloody stump...

[HELEN]

Do you guys really see a difference between the liberals and conservatives? The only difference I see is that conservatives have four syllables and liberals have three. Even though I agree more with the conservatives, I was more happy to see Obama win. Just because there's no difference.

[BoltBait]

Do you guys really see a difference between the liberals and conservatives? The only difference I see is that conservatives have four syllables and liberals have three.

THAT ^^ is exactly why I'm a Libertarian.

[Crazy Man Dan]

I'm still not convinced that Sarah Palin would've been that bad. I think the media has overblown her inexperience, and underplayed Barack Obama's.

The big thing about this whole inexperience argument - the President doesn't run the country alone. There are loads of aides, advisers, experts in particular fields the President can consult in an effort to make the most informed decision possible. The big difference is Obama strikes me as a person who would recognize a good idea when he heard it, and Palin doesn't strike me as the kind of person who listens to people who are trying to help her.

As useful as a manure truck may be, this particular campaign required someone to vote for, not someone to vote against.

Exactly. The classic smearmy politics dive me crazy every two years. Obama's campaign was managed with aplomb - it wasn't perfectly clean, and no campaign will ever be, but most of the attacking ads were responses attempting to refute the banal lies placed out there by the McCain camp. Take for instance Obama's 30-minute infomercial - not a single mention of his opponent, just a continuous message of "Hey, I want to try and help you." That, I believe, is what struck a chord with voters this election cycle - the GOP were so set in their tactics of smearing the opposition with whatever they can find, they neglected to realize that people were looking for something positive.

The biggest issue for me this election was our standing on the world stage. If you've watch news or news-based television from countries outside the US, you will have noticed a very strong frustration with America and where it was going, and a very strong support of the new direction Obama can offer. The other countries of the world seemed to have wanted us to elect someone bright, someone open, someone who acted like he cared. I've seen so many comments across the Intarwebs from people outside the US looking in wondering how the McCain/Palin ticket could even be considered plausible at this stage, and frankly I agreed with them.

One of the guys I watch on YouTube is an Australian, and he was one of those people. When he learned early this morning (our morning, anyway) that Obama won, he released

. I'd encourage you to click the "more info" link in the description box and read what he says there - it's long, but it's a perfect example of what I mean.

I'm not an idiot, and I'm tired of falling under the generalization of "American == idiot" that has become all too easy to draw over the last 8 years. I don't expect it to change overnight, but I do think that this is a step in the right direction.

Whichever way we all may have voted, we have a new President, and I can only hope that we all can unite as a country under this new banner. Smiliey Face.

[david.atwell]

Do you guys really see a difference between the liberals and conservatives? The only difference I see is that conservatives have four syllables and liberals have three. Even though I agree more with the conservatives, I was more happy to see Obama win. Just because there's no difference.

Admittedly, the line has become blurry in recent years...but I definitely see a difference. At least on a case-by-case basis...

[Sozo]

...Obama strikes me as a person who would recognize a good idea when he heard it...

I hope so, that's going to be his job for the next few years.

FIXED!

[david.atwell]

@CSz- I didn't say that. Dan did.

[Crazy Man Dan]

Usually the best of friends, here we find them in a battle to the death! CMD vs. d.a!

I think he just forgot to remove the opening tag of me quoting you when he quoted me.

[survulus]

I'm still not convinced with Sarah Palin, who did claim to be keeping Russia out. But that's idiotic in that:

1: Russia, for some reason have not gone into WWIII yet.

2: How on earth would she be "keeping out the Russians?

3: When queried about it she had no explanation or evidence she was "protecting" the US in this way. She litterally was speechless. Which to me showed she'd prepared to lie or at least stretch the truth and she isn't very good at it.

As for George Dubya, sure, wasn't the worst, though for a lot of people he dragged the republican party name through the mud with stupidity, corruption, deception and a devastating war, which is a serious shame for the party to suffer such a leader.

[Sozo]

Usually the best of friends, here we find them in a battle to the death! CMD vs. d.a!

I think he just forgot to remove the opening tag of me quoting you when he quoted me.

Whoops! Reality just altered itself there. :wink:

You know what they say: Out of the mouths of Dave's...

[david.atwell]

Usually the best of friends, here we find them in a battle to the death! CMD vs. d.a!

A wild DAN appeared!

> FIGHT     MAGIC
 ITEMS     RUN

[Crazy Man Dan]

You enter the chamber. Before you is a DAVID poised to attack. Above you is a CHANDELIER. Behind you is a DOOR. Exits are EAST, NORTH, and DOOR. What would you do?
>[]

[Simon Brown]

>Climb chandelier

[david.atwell]

You forgot the most obvious exit - Dennis!

[Crazy Man Dan]

Oh trust me, I've gotten ye flask.

[startreksuite]

startreksuite- you can have an opinion, but when you start insulting my point of view, I have to stop you. Express your opinion without being mean next time. Thanks.

I'm sorry if I insulted you David. When you felt the country made a mistake, that could be construed as insult as well. I preempted my possible insult with an apology, and defended my stance with the fact of what the country needs now. I didn't think McCain was your guy, since you were backing someone else (forgot his name). The best solution is dual presidency, if McCain and Obama came together, I do think then there could be some real progres in both areas.

[Simon Brown]

since you were backing someone else (forgot his name).

Mike Huckabee

[ncfan51]

You forgot the most obvious exit - Dennis!

Rolling. On. Floor.

Laughing.

Back on topic:

A few points:

*I agree, McCain's concession was very well done and it really was a pleasant surprise.

*Since domestic issues such as education and health care do not directly affect me, I really only focused on the candidate's foreign policy.

*I think that Obama's plan to talk to enemies is better than McCain's. Some guy (I don't remember his name) said once that the reason that humans are the dominant species on the Earth is because they can talk instead of solving their disputes by blind fighting. OK, I know, yes, there is some scientific discussion that elephants can actually rudimentarily (sp?) talk to eachother, but whatever .

[hyrule]

Plus, could someone please tell me what is wrong with Socialism?

yes. it is saying that if you work hard t get all of your money, then you dont get rewarded, and you get your money taken away from you. if you dont work hard, you get rewarded, and you get the support of the government wo has taken money from hard working people. It be like taking billions of dollars from bill gates because he is rich and giving it to hicks who are lazy slobs. and if you say what about the people who have bad luck? donate. :wink:

socialism= :evil: :AntiAliasingOff: