Where were you when Barack Obama was announced president?

Legend has it that if the Washington Redskins win their game before election day, the incumbent party wins. If they lose, the opposing party wins. On November 3rd, election eve, they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 6-23.

Across the country and maybe even the world this was a memorable enough moment that I for one will always remember. I was sitting in this tiny yet packed Arab cafe with 4 others. We were watching the electoral vote update on the muted screen hung in the corner and the owner had a James Blunt CD on repeat. We were all getting text message updates from various loved ones, I replied back to most of them saying "yea I know I'm watching :)". One of the girls I was with proudly announced she voted for McCain but admitted she knew he had no choice. Had she said that a bit louder (the voting for mccain part) we would have been ostracized from the rest of the crowd there.

The excitement and hint of nervousness was thick in the air. There were lots of weak jokes, lots of praying, lots of hi-fiving and hugging. It was sometime close to midnight when a news flash announced that Barack Obama is now the 44th president of the USA. By then it was just me and one other girl from our group and we stuck around waiting for that moment. Everyone got on their feet and stood around the TV as the sound came on and the room alternated from emotional jubilee to an exhausted speechlessness.

We listened to McCain say his final words and I thought it was a bit odd that he called this day a victory for African Americans as opposed to a reason for all to celebrate. When he mentioned Sarah Palin the room moaned and groaned. We stuck around until Obama made his speech as we were bombarded with text messages.

It was late, it was a weekday, we all got up early to see to our daily life obligations, some of us spent hours in lines, and I now felt safe to call it a night. I just hoped I wouldn't fall asleep at the wheel driving home. This morning definitely feels like a brand new day!

Nowadays you can't discuss politics with your colleagues

Scene: university shuttle
Student 1: I wonder if it's too late to submit an absentee ballot
Student 2: No you have until Friday to do that, go do that! Wait, you're voting for McCain right?
Student 1: (silence)
*Everyone eyes everyone else wondering how safe it is to speak*
Studnet 2: McCain right?
Student 1: Well I just really don't like Sarah Palin
Student 2: Oh come on she's not the one running for president
Student 1: I'm just not going to talk about this

Scene: a car with students on the way back from a university service event. The driver notices a painted sign on a back window
Student 1: (reading) Honk if you're voting for McCain.......
*Everyone eyes everyone else wondering how safe it is to speak*
Student 2: (shouting) RUN THEM OVER!!!!!!!!!!!

Scene: University Shuttle Again
Student 1: I just got my state license here so I can be allowed to vote here
Student 2: You're voting for McCain right?
*Everyone eyes everyone else wondering how safe it is to speak*
Student 1: Ummmm....no
Student 2: WHAT?????
Student 1: (feels her blood boiling) I'm just really strongyly.....prochoice (that's probably not her main reason. She just wanted a quick bailout of a potential brawl)

Scene: Off campus restaurant after an exam where we got into a discussion about health insurance companies
Me: and that's why I'm voting for Obama
*Everyone eyes everyone else wondering how safe it is to speak*
Student 1: Well ummmm errrrr eeekkkkk.....ok I just won't say anything

"Muslims for McCain reject protesters"

I took this clip courtesy of the American News Project, the headline from AOL news. I'm sure confrontations like this have been occurring at McCain rallies everywhere considering the polarized crowds in attendance.......and someone got it on tape!

It's nice to see McCain supporters at the rally denounce the actions of the hateful people we all read about. I wonder though if they would have done the same had there not been a microphone, camera, and reporter in their face asking them if they support the 'protestors'.

My favorite line is "Are you deliberately trying to get us to lose this election?" Oh and when you watch this can you please tell me what the man was saying before the word "madrassa", it sounded like a whole bunch of mumbling but I really wanna know what he was trying to say. I wonder how he would have answered if the reporter asked him what a "madrassa" was.

More exciting than this being taped is that it was on the homepage of AOL news!

"Joe the plumber has gone to sleep"

This breaking news headline from Keith Olbermann had me cracking up so hard.

So who is Joe the Plumber?

His name was mentioned like 35 times in the last debates. He seems like an intelligent guy. He’s also pretty cute.

He came on the scene after a meeting with Obama where he expressed his concerns about raising taxes for those making $250,000 considering he has plans to buy the company he works for. Although he doesn't admit to it, he's clearly voting for McCain.