Election Thoughts Continued

Barack Obama is the President-Elect.  I won't say that I never thought I'd see a black man as president but I never thought I would see it so soon.  I wish I could feel the joy that I saw expressed by so many people for this historic event.  After all, I did vote for Obama.  But the moment where I felt that he would win, I felt an impending dread.

I felt for his family.  For their safety and his.   Beyond that, I felt for him.  I think the pressure and criticisms he will face will be at a far higher level than any previous president.  As I've stated, I don't feel like he carries the burden of black folks on his shoulders, or at least I don't think he should.  I do feel like he carries the heavy weight of setting a precedence for any presidential nominee who is not a white male.

On a different stroke, I noticed Virginia went blue for the first time since the 1960's.  I find this extremely interesting.  A battlecry from the conservatives  has been that the military must stay in Iraq and win this war.  In backout would be admitting a defeat.  Growing up in the Tidewater area, I know the ridiculously high military presence that calls the place home.  I find it interesting that with such a high military personnel voting population, the sentiment did not go with the conservative mantra of stay and fight.  If the military personnel doesn't support the cause (very different from supporting the troops in my opinion), is this a war that can be won?  For that matter, has anyone defined what ends qualify as 'winning the war'?

Lastly, I was saddened to see some of the status updates on Facebook from friends of mine who also happen to be Republicans.  Instead of a congratulatory word, or maybe something to try to bring folks together in this most divisive of elections, most were exaggeratingly pessimistic.  Updates ranging from 'Hope you're happy, I can't wait for the first terrorist attacks!' to '...mourning the country as takes a huge step in the wrong direction'.  I wanted to comment to both of these but for the sake of the friendships, chose to let them deal with their disappointment in their own ways.   However, didn't the first terrorist attack already occur on 9/11?  And given the crises of the past couple of months, not to mention the never ending war, wasn't this country already headed in the wrong direction?