Rab’s World

President-elect Barack Hussein Obama with wife and children

Barack Hussein Obama has been elected the 44th president of the United States of America! This was done by the participation of the majority of the voting population in the 2008 election. Scorecard as of election night was that: Mr. Obama captured an estimated 52 percent of the popular vote and 349 electoral votes to John McCain’s 46 percent and 162 electoral votes, with Missouri and North Carolina still too close to call. * That has changed since the morning after. Latest update is that the electoral votes of North Carolina has gone to Obama. See vote tally and percentages here! [Latest Electoral VOTE Count] * Barack Obama has inherited the “inbox from hell”! World leaders have hailed the election of Senator Barack Obama as the first black president of the United States. Many are relieved that America may change it’s one-sided preemptive aggression and talk to other nations. President-Elect Obama will be sorting through a mess of stuff in the proverbial presidential ‘box’. Economic global recession; Healthcare; Iraq; Afghanistan; Russia; African conflict; the ‘boogeyman’ of Al-Qaeda; Dissatisfied conservatives in the South etc will keep this president up to the wee hours of the morning!

Obama Family realizes USA Presidency - Nov 4th, 2008

Obama Family - Chicago IL, Grant Park - Nov 4th, 2008

I always knew that this would be a special day; but as many humans around the world; I was very skeptical if it would go down like this. But; the majority (not a record though) has spoken through the power of the ballot. I never wanted to imagine what the day after would have been if the election went the other way! So.. new faces in high places huh? Clearly; Obama will not be able to please everybody at the dinner table and waiting outdoors to get inside. But … change is definitely good.

How did my day/night go down? Although I’m a registered voter with no party affiliation (Independent); I was sold on the Obama in the spring season months of 2008. I actively started following political news details in July. After the DNC convention in Denver; I then believed that Obama would go all the way. Although I am African-American; I never allowed myself to get caught up in the ‘aura’ of Obama. Those that know me know that I do not subscribe to elevating a human to deity status. My moves are heavily thought out and calculated. I listened to Obama and came to the judgment that this man could truly make a change. I have seen people of African descent in high places such as heads of state of African nations. Many times, no good news there! I have seen people of African descent in high regard in the USA. High expectations but tight limitations set by the very people whom were held in high regard. This one is different because; the white majority bent a little bit. This is what we have been saying in the USA for generations. The White majority has to bend it’s psyche. I began my work day in Midtown, New York City monitoring 538.com; CNN; Fox News; MSNBC; BBC News and ABC News Now all via Internet!. I had many ‘Obama celebrations’ to attend after work. I first went to GRAE Enterprises bash at Azza on the east side if the island of Manhattan. I then followed up and headed to the Harlem4Obama Election watch party at Body in Harlem. It was there I saw Wolf Blitzer throw the West Coast States to Obama thus pushing his electoral tally over 270 points. Boy! I must say… that was a momentous moment! It was like an ending for one of those ‘feel good’ Hollywood blockbuster movies. There were plenty of white & Asian people in the crowd. It was sooo fun! This is also where the music was lowered for all to tune into the concession speech by John McCain. I must admit; I was humbled by his speech. It felt that all the negative campaign energy was wiped clean with this one speech. Here! See it for yourself!

• A most humble and character-defining concession speech by John McCain.

I danced; hugged; rapped and celebrated and then jetted to 125th and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd to join in the street celebrations with my people! Ahhhhh! the drumming. Of course… there was a big video screen there courtesy of Charles Rangel; [D] rep for this Harlem congressional district. I heard on the radio that Times Square was in a raucous New Year’s-like celebration. I had to head down there! Boy! They wasn’t kidding! It also reminded me of emotionally-high football celebrations in African nations such as Ghana when the National team defeated a formidable opponent during an international match.

I fianally entered Q-Tip’s Obama Election celebration organized by Va$htie at Santos Party House in lower Manhattan. Kamaal was confident enough, not because his album ‘Renaissance’ released that very Election day; but because he knew his presidential pick would be selected by his fellow American citizens!

This is also where I heard that soul-stirring acknowledgement speech by president-elect Obama. Q-Tip lowered the music and we all watched the monitors which I believed were tuned into a live broadcast on CNN in Grant Park, Chicago Illinois. Here is the full video and text for you to see and read for yourself. Except that the speech I saw and heard had some dramatic; cinematic music behind it. Not sure if that was Q-Tip or CNN with that heart-strung orchestra.
• Here is video and full text courtesy of [Click on this green link] BBC News.

We partied to Q-Tip’s djay selections. Then Diddy rolled in with an entourage with cigars in hand to celebrate Sean Combs 39th birthday. The party got real heated then!