Some joyful, others concerned after Obama wins presidency
Jimmy Sengenberger, Staff Reporter
Issue date: 11/24/08 Section: News
The 2008 elections ushered in an historical outcome: For the first time in American history, an African-American was elected President of the United States.
In a striking win of 365 electoral votes to his opponent's 162, President-elect Barack Obama swept victory in a tightly-contested race that had, at times, most observers unsure who would pull out the win. The popular vote was tighter, with Obama gauging 52 percent to Sen. John McCain's 46.
President-elect Obama's remarkable victory is still a far cry from Ronald Reagan's 49-state win in 1984, and still five electoral votes away from President Clinton's 1992 victory. Nevertheless, for the first time since 1976, a Democrat won North Carolina. And for the first time since 1964, a Democrat won Virginia.
Colorado, Florida and Ohio went for President Bush in 2000 and 2004; in 2008, they all went to Obama. And with 20 Democratic House pickups and at least 6 new seats in the Senate, Obama has secured a formidable advantage for the first two years of his administration.
Yet not everyone is satisfied with the election results. While most Americans felt a sense of pride in Obama's crossing of the racial barrier, many remained concerned about the policies that will result from an Obama presidency, especially with the heavily Democratic majorities in Congress.
"When 'hippie politics' run the country, nothing good ever comes out of that," said Tony, a junior who did not disclose his last name. "The country is headed on a dangerous turn to the left and needs to get back on the 'right' track."
A month before the campaign wrapped up, then-candidate Obama told Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher that "when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." In the last two weeks of the campaign, a tape released of an interview with a Chicago radio station revealed then-State Sen. Obama discussing the notion of "redistribution of wealth" and "redistributive change" not through the courts, but legislatively and administratively (through the executive branch).
In a striking win of 365 electoral votes to his opponent's 162, President-elect Barack Obama swept victory in a tightly-contested race that had, at times, most observers unsure who would pull out the win. The popular vote was tighter, with Obama gauging 52 percent to Sen. John McCain's 46.
President-elect Obama's remarkable victory is still a far cry from Ronald Reagan's 49-state win in 1984, and still five electoral votes away from President Clinton's 1992 victory. Nevertheless, for the first time since 1976, a Democrat won North Carolina. And for the first time since 1964, a Democrat won Virginia.
Colorado, Florida and Ohio went for President Bush in 2000 and 2004; in 2008, they all went to Obama. And with 20 Democratic House pickups and at least 6 new seats in the Senate, Obama has secured a formidable advantage for the first two years of his administration.
Yet not everyone is satisfied with the election results. While most Americans felt a sense of pride in Obama's crossing of the racial barrier, many remained concerned about the policies that will result from an Obama presidency, especially with the heavily Democratic majorities in Congress.
"When 'hippie politics' run the country, nothing good ever comes out of that," said Tony, a junior who did not disclose his last name. "The country is headed on a dangerous turn to the left and needs to get back on the 'right' track."
A month before the campaign wrapped up, then-candidate Obama told Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher that "when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." In the last two weeks of the campaign, a tape released of an interview with a Chicago radio station revealed then-State Sen. Obama discussing the notion of "redistribution of wealth" and "redistributive change" not through the courts, but legislatively and administratively (through the executive branch).
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