Obamagasm

Yay!  The campaign nonsense is over.  And the lying incompetent oligarch had his ass handed to him.  And Karl Rove and Fox news imploded.  I managed to go the entire year without a rant against the cruelty and deviousness the GOP has become, although I did defined a few over the support.  Some in real life.  There are those so called close friends in Nashville, some dear to me, that I really can't ever speak to again.  The cognitive dissonance is staggering.  And all seriously essential financial and foreign policy failures aside, it really does come down to this:  You cannot simultaneously be my friend and vote for the Republican platform.  That's like saying "I love my black friends but I'm voting for the Klan."  To be vote Republican this year to to participate in a lynching.  There is no acceptable rationalization for that.

Okay, I almost made it through without a rant.

And considering the national Republican efforts to prevent Democratic-leaning citizens from voting this year, I did my part and voted early.  A friend on Facebook made it a social outing, and Sunday was a beautiful afternoon for it.

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And while early voting in California had been going on for a week, there was still a long line at City Hall late Sunday afternoon.


The line moved quickly, and all poll workers were polite, upbeat, and efficient, and those in line were enthusiastic with a sense of camaraderie.  I think we all felt like we were in it together, which I suppose as San Franciscans and so dominantly Democratic, we really were. Tuesday night leaving work after 6:00, there were still lines of voters waiting at the polling place downstairs.


I joined the Trio to watch the returns at the new Sliders restaurant in the old Bagdad Cafe space at 16th and Market.  They have six large screens, and had four networks' coverage displayed.  It was an exciting crowd, and tasty eats.


And as with the the debate viewing events, it was a two-screen experience.


About half of the bar was following more news and engaging online during the night. Personally, I loved being part of the larger energy via Twitter and Facebook. Although I was happy on the iPhone. Two people there brought laptops.

The crowed went WILD when Ohio was called first for Obama. And as each station followed suit, we would again erupt in cheers (although not as explosive as the first time). Someone was following Fox news online and a cheer of a different flavor erupt when Fox finally conceded. Much excitement all around.


As in 2008, Castro Street was blocked off and a large screen and spotlights erected (bus seriously- who was in charge? Next time display and broadcast the NEWS, not techno. WTF?). The jubilant crowd took to the Streets, and it was full of Friends, San Framily, and most certainly, Community.