Tuesday night was an incredibly emotional evening for many Americans. Knowing you are witnessing history is a deeply profound feeling – especially when it’s such a needed change. I was truly touched to see the joy on people’s faces, as well as the deep displays of emotion.
Several celebs have said how excited and happy they were to watch Obama being declared the next president of the United States. Both Diddy and Beyonce said they cried that night – and I’m sure they’re one of millions.
Mr. Bad Boy himself, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, could not keep it together when Barack Obama was announced President-elect Tuesday night. “I was straight up crying,” he confesses. “I was with my kids. It was a beautiful thing. I just thank God my prayers were answered.” A greater gift? It happened on his 39th birthday.
“I don’t know why God blessed me by having my birthday [on Nov. 4], but we’re here to celebrate 80 percent of Obama being elected and 20 percent my birthday,” Diddy told reporters Wednesday night at a celebration sponsored by Ciroc Vodka at Mansion nightclub in New York.
[Beyonce] Knowles watched the election results at home with friends and family – while wearing a blue suit and tie with matching red, white and blue stilettos. “I’ve never been so patriotic!” she said. And, like Diddy, she was moved to tears. “I fell asleep crying and smiling at the same time … I woke up with mascara running and a smile on my face!”
Should Obama require her services, the singer is game: “Whatever they want – if they need me to volunteer, they need me to sing, I’m there and I’m ready.” But what is most important, Knowles said, is that the newly elected president has provided inspiration for African Americans.
“My nephew, who is 4, when we say, ‘You can do whatever, you can be whatever,’ it’s not cliche,” she explained.
[From People]
I heard a lot of people echoing that sentiment: that it was very powerful to be able to say to their children, “Anyone can grow up to be the president” and it was true. I think I was most moved by Jesse Jackson. He was clearly deeply overcome with emotion and was shown weeping in Grant Park throughout the night.
Tuesday’s election was the second most watched TV event this year – with the Super Bowl being the first. 40 percent of American households tuned in. The general public seemed to be much more involved and passionate in this election than in many others in recent years. The Huffington Post has some great pictures of people’s emotional reactions on Tuesday night.
Thanks to everyone who voted.
i’ve been hearing that obama is really only 6.5% african american with the rest being split between arab (moroccan) and white. if that is true, wouldnt that make him the first arab president since you have to be 12.5% of something before you can claim it?
can someone please clarify this for me?
ps i really dont care what nationality he is, as long as he gets us the f*ck out of the middle east.
i cried! i cried yesterday just thinking about it!
its so amazing.
Barak Obama isn’t just anybody, he’s a Harvard grad, head of law review, constitutional lawyer, Senator who managed to survive and thrive in the rough and tumble world of the Daly political machine. He’s definitely somebody special.
Saying that Diddy and Beyonce are rich idiots, who without the help of a zillion aides and assistants can barely wipe their asses. I wish they would just shut up and sing, or what ever it is doody really does now. Ugh.
Who gives a flying f what Beyonce or that piece of trash Diddy did when Obama won. If anything, they take away from what his being elected is all about. They are a pox among society.
@ jess: Seriously?! you are what you feel not a percentage sorry but I find that crude. Here in New Zealand you can claim Maori heritage if you can prove lineage even if its like 1/16. Most people dont count the figures when deciding their identity – they just feel it.
For example my mother is born in Australia to German/Polish parents. She considers herself German, I personally dont consider myself Australian. I am born in New Zealand and consider myself both of New Zealand and German heritage. I wouldnt have a clue what the figures are.
Also I think that if you look into a lot of african americans their heritage will be mixed – but a lot of them identify as being one social group.
I guess the main point here is that a person of colour has been elected when not so long ago it was an impossible dream. It marks a mile stone in American history no matter what his genetic credentials are.
Of COURSE Diddy cried. He’s a drama queen. It’s cool to see someone with such a big ego say he was more celebrating Barack than his own bday though.
Beyonce, on the other hand only has one emotion: pleased with herself. She doesn’t cry, she leaks saline solution from her optical orbs.
It dissapoints me that black people like Beyonce feel like this is the first time they can be so patriotic [why was she wearing a suit at home?]… but I’m happy that’s all changing now. Hopefully everyone can feel patriotic now.
@ Jess… that is straight up crazy talk. WHo told you you had to be a certain percentage of something to claim it?
You are WHATEVER you identify with. Barack CLEARLY identifies with the black community. Why are people trying to split hairs and do whatever they can to take this milestone away from the African American community?
Also, I’m dissapointed to read Jaybird was most moved by Jesse Jackson.
Jesse Jackson is a creep. He wasn’t crying because he was watching a black president become elected, he was crying because it wasn’t him. He was crying because his career as the token black commentator is coming to an end. He resents Barack and is lying when he says he didn’t mean what he said about wanting to cut Barack’s nuts off on FOX News.
thanks for clearing that up guys.
@sam…if you notice what i said, it was out of sheer curiousity, not slamming obama, so please dont call me crude. i am actually a very educated person, and i wanted clarification on something. i ASKED about it rather than assuming. i think i deserve some credit for that. i thought it was weird too. thats why i ASKED.
and also i’ve been told that in the USA you have to be 12.5% of something to claim it. probably because of things like college applications and such.
I think they are just proud and happy 🙂
Agree with Elisha about JJ, he might be a wee bit jealous.
I cried, too, but not from happiness. BTW: Jesse Jackson is nothing but a thug and surely showed his true nature with his famous comments about cutting Obamas’ nuts off.
Fasten your seat belts: This is gonna be a bumpy ride.
I cried too. 🙄
you guys, Jesse Jackson was there the day Mlk got shot and was one of the last people to talk to him on that fateful day. He was in Dr. Kings circle and he saw people get hosed and beaten by police because they refused to drink from seperate fountains and get treated like 2nd class citizens. Yes he whispered that he wanted to cut obamas nuts off because of what he said about men taking responsibility for their families. Jackson has illegitimate children and he took it personal. That doesn’t make this moment less special to him.
I am commenting from my iPod which is why I have to add another comment. Study the civil rights movement – just go to YouTube and view some videos. It was just over 40 years ago. The fact that we now have a black president in the lifetime of people was fought hard for their basic rights is significant. Yes Obama is exceptional and the best person for the job. His ethnicity shouldn’t matter. In a way it didn’t matter and that is the most heartening of all. That was part of the reason so many people were moved to tears.
I cried, too, since I was hoping John McCain would be our next president!
in his famous “i have a dream” speech, dr. martin luther king said “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” clearly the usa is finally in a place to vote this man president because of the content of his character. it’s a beautiful thing that america has come so far, and it is a happy day for the democratic community as well as the black community. i hope plenty of americans were moved to tears!
Not to beat the Jesse Jackson thing to death but honestly, the man has ridden the coattails of MLK’s assassination since 1968.
He has lived off honorariums and donations to his “Rainbow Coalition”, (donated by poor blacks, those least likely to afford it) never had a real job except sticking his nose into foreign affairs. Ever see the picture of him hamming it up with Chavez in Venezuela? He isn’t even a “Reverend” which he likes to pull out whenever some pious spirit is required. He felt entitled to public office, never could make himself attractive to the American public and proved he can’t keep his pants zipped to boot. Overall he is NOT in the same league as Obama. So he may have cried tears of joy, but also tears of jealousy. That’s how I see it and I am sticking to it! lol
Have a great day.
CB – Thanks for saying what you did at 11:40 about JJ. If anyone had the right to be openly emotional about Obama’s win, it’s Jesse Jackson.
To describe him, as others have done here, as jealous and resentful is just low.
My comment was not meant to offend and had nothing to do with JJ’s race period. Only his Chicago politics, which I grew up on.
Well said – Jinxy and Devilgirl – I agree with you 100%
@truthbetold: I cried, too, since I was hoping John McCain would be our next president!
The GOP has had a free ride for 8 years now. Time to pay your fare and step off the train.
I thought it was so beautiful! I cried at the bar, because I was so shocked. History has been made!
Ok, can I get an opinion here? Yesterday I walk into my office which I share with a b*tch and she says she is not looking forward to the next four years of pure hell (her words) and before I could get out anything, she comes out with “and at least I didn’t vote for that ni**er”.
I cut her off immediately, but that really pissed me off. I was fuming all day, and still am!
I have no problem with JJ shedding some tears at all. I don’t like his politics however the fact that he was able to witness an African American elected to the highest office in the world is significant. More than any white person could ever understand.
That’s the whole thing about race relations people. It’s not about the color of the skin but rather the community you identify with. As an example, as an American citizen I identify with the US olympians and am joyful when they do well.
The sooner people can see that fact the better off we’ll be in this world.
Barack Obama’s father was from Kenya. His mother was white and she was raised in Kansas. (His step-father was Indonesian.)
He’s “bi-racial.”
Does that clear it up?
(Or we could go by DNA and none of this surface stuff would matter much at all…)
@Jess: Just as you think I mis-understood you I think you mis-undrestood me.
I meant it as sorry but i think the IDEA is crude. Not you personally. I dont know you so I didnt intentially mean to sound that harsh. Sorry you read it that way.
lol @ all the right wing douche bags who read celebitchy. Who would have known?
the l.a. times wrote that he will be the first bi racial president.
i’m not sure why most media and others are calling him the first black president.
if his mom and/or grandparents were alive i think they would be very sad to read/hear him being called only black.
I cried too, not because he is the first black president, but because he resurrected the American dream which has been hujacked for years now. It was also beautiful to see the American flag raised around the world without people burning it up. I never knew it bothered me so much. Now we can move on. I fully understand what it means for the black race. I will not begrudge their moment of happiness because they went through a lot.
Looking past someone’s race to see te good in them has raised Americas profile around the world.
Above all things, he has shown that that any one can do anything. I sent my two little girls to school this morning and that is the last thing I told them before they left. That if they tried, they could do anything.
I am white but this win means so much to me that I still get goose bumps whenever I think about it. I am so glad it happened in my life time.
As a European I am very happy with the election results. Not just because I think Obama will open the door toward better international relations, but also because his election says very clearly that the majority of Americans wants things different, wants away from the Bush style arrogance.
Just to educate some you, I believe Presdient elect Obama identifies himself as being an African American and really at this point, who cares what color he is. As far as I am concerned he’s an American citizen.
Now to all of you Republican supporters, this country has endured 8 long years of HELL from the Bush administration!!! I think we can put up with Obama for atleast four years, so suck it up and get over it!!!
@rottenkitty:He’s “bi-racial.”Does that clear it up?
That you come across as someone who splits hairs about race because the idea of a 100% black man being in the White House gets your knickers in a knot- yes, that’s quite clear.
Actually if you want to down down to it he’s Black, European white, Asian and a touch Hispanic- which makes him 100% all American.
I pretty much stand by what I said about Jesse Jackson. He’s not even in the same LEAGUE as MLK and our Commander-in-Chief elect Barack Obama. Jackson has been exaggerating his MLK claims since the day after MLK’s assasination when he senstionally, disrepspectfully, and disgustingly wore his shirt stained with MLK’s blood on TV. That doesn’t make any points other than “look at me!” Jackson may’ve done some great things, but I’m not aware of any of them. His need for attention overshadows any progress he might’ve made.
Also, Vince Vaughn looks like a white Jesse Jackson. He totally does!!
YES WE DIDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He’s also got some Irish in him, how cool is that! 🙂
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0315/obamab.html
“Research by the genealogy website ancestry.co.uk reveals that Mr Obama’s great great great grandfather was born in Ireland, although it is not yet known where.”
@ jess: i have no idea what you are talking about with the 12.5% whatever. whoever told you that was either completely ignorant or just pulling your leg. there is no such law or requirement here, not since slavery was abolished. or maybe the person was thinking of native american geneology – there is something called “head rights” in the native american community which is about claiming your tribe but i do not know enough about it to say anything more as i don;t want to spread misinformation. maybe if there is a native american poster they could clear that up.
<<vdantev said:
That you come across as someone who splits hairs about race because the idea of a 100% black man being in the White House gets your knickers in a knot- yes, that’s quite clear.<<
I voted for Obama. Gave money to his campaign. Served as an Obama county delegate in Texas.
Your inability to comprehend my previous comment is pathetic.
And on a genetic level — hence my remark about DNA — we are virtually alike, so the whole race thing should be moot. Sorry you have such inadequate reading and comprehension skills.
I voted for Obama. Gave money to his campaign. Served as an Obama county delegate in Texas.
Your inability to comprehend my previous comment is pathetic. Sorry you have such inadequate reading and comprehension skills.
Wow, defensive over-reaction, much ? That’s the same as saying, “Some of my best friends are Black.” Actually I have wonderful reading skills, your writing is just a pitiful muddled garble of pseudo-intellectual chaff that strives to sound well-informed.
Hay stella – that article is quite old. A local historian tracked Fulmouth Kearney to Moneygall, Co. Offaly. The news covered a mad election party there on Tuesday. No matter how tenuous a link, you can be sure the Irish will claim it 🙄
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/1105/breaking1.htm
(and the song mentioned is as woeful as you’re imagining)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9GPU3g7VSM
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