America's New Image

The image of a black family – a man, a woman, and their two girls, smiling at the idea that in a few weeks they will be moving into the White House. Two years ago that image would have seemed totally unrealistic, except in a television series. “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” said Barack Obama, to tens of thousands of his supporters who rallied in Chicago on Tuesday to applaud him.

An America of all possibilities, and an election full of emotions. Like the two years of campaigning that led up to this night, the night kept its promises, however excessive. The Democrats’ grew progressively Tuesday night on television screens across America: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Virginia… and then to the west with Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada. Not only did the Democratic candidate win the “undecided” states, but he tipped the scales in a series of other states that until now had traditionally been conservative. Those who, four years ago, handed the victory to George Bush.

The fate of the country and a good part of the planet, waiting in suspense for two years, played out relatively quickly during the night. From the very first hours of the day, long lines formed in front of polling stations foreshadowing that this would be an exceptional election. The participation (of which the tally is not yet final due to last-minute counting) has no doubt surpassed records: eleven million more voters than in the election four years ago. Despite the increasingly evident victory of the Democrats, no one ventured to address it on Tuesday night. “We have waited two years; we can wait a couple more hours,” explained David Axelrod, the senior advisor of Obama’s campaign.

It only made the celebration sweeter. From Times Square to the Ebenezer church of Martin Luther King, from California to Chicago, it was no longer only yelling and hugging among Obama’s supporters until early hours in the morning. There were also tears, like those of Reverend Jesse Jackson, public figure of the struggle for civil rights. Also those of Oprah Winfrey, talk show queen, who put all of her power behind the Democratic candidate. Even General Colin Powell, Secretary of State under George Bush, who gave his support to Obama a few weeks earlier, showed tears.

Is this the symbolic reconciliation of the biggest stain, that of slavery, on American history? Everyone would like to believe that, bringing a unique dimension to that night. “It’s not only a political victory, it’s a spiritual victory,” one young black woman said in the streets of New York.

As a measure of the importance of the moment, conceding defeat, John McCain himself also highlighted “the particular dimension that this vote takes on for African-Americans (who voted 95% in favor of Obama) and the particular pride they must feel tonight.” President George Bush added the next morning: “All Americans can be proud of the history that was made yesterday.”

Despite Barack Obama’s aura of “historic” dimension, he will not have much time to savor his victory, faced with the challenges that await him. To help guide his policies, he will be able to count on both the Senate and the House of Representatives who will have put on the Democrats’ colors. It is the first time since Bill Clinton in 1995 that the Democratic party will control both the White House and Congress. But despite their hopes, the Democrats weren’t able to reach the magic number of 60 seats in the Senate that would have allowed them to ignore the Republican minority.

The names of Obama’s team have begun to circulate in Washington, who will join him on his inauguration on the 20th of January: the representative of Illinois and former advisor to Bill Clinton, Rahm Emanuel, in the key position of Chief of Staff in the White House; John Kerry, senator of Massachusetts, as secretary of State.

“This country is carrying on two wars and is facing the worst financial crisis in a century,” he said in Chicago as the new president elect. “There are new jobs to be created, new schools to build. The road ahead of us is long.” Then he said what is destined to be the reality for his followers: “This victory is not yet the change, but the chance for us to make the change.”