Film du Jour: Celebrating Obama's Victory in San Francisco

here's the link

http://leblog.exuberance.com/2008/11/my-entry.html

The Lower Haight was whooping it up but as when I hopped a cab to meet friends in the Mission it had to let me out right before 16th and Guerrero. From Guerrero to at least Valencia the 16th was closed to cars and it was a huge party. From the great vibe at the polling places to the celebrations all over the city to me closing down Delirium on a school night, the whole day was magical, the city at it's best.

The inner sunset was loud and happy for Obama...we got home after obama's speech and were at the Blackthorn, celebrating!

Everyone in North Beach was whooping it up. I was too, until the end of the night when I got cornered by some pompous douchebag who kept trying to sell me on the importance of "preserving traditional marriage." When I pointed out all the various flaws in his argument, I was told I was a victim of the gay agenda.

Seriously, dude? This is how you attempt to make friends in San Francisco?

Other than that, the night was awesome, and I am mighty hoarse today.

I understand celebrating, but what I saw is a bunch of people who were either drunk or on some kind other drug. Apart from normal celebrators it was kind of gross.

And then there's what happened in Dolores Park all night.

Something tells me it's a good thing there is no video of this.

Congratulations to you, Sen. Barack Obama, junior senator from Illinois, on becoming the President-elect of the United States of America.

Congratulations to your supporters, and to the entire United States on this historic occasion.

Mr. President-elect, you have been, and will remain even more frequently, in my prayers.

I pray that you will succeed in bringing America into a post-racial future. In that regard, I pray that you will take to heart the prescription of Chief Justice John Roberts: The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race. You are uniquely positioned to help us achieve that, and I pray that you will find the path to do so.

I pray that you may acquire wisdom — wisdom beyond your tender years, your thin experience, and your inconsequential legislative achievements — wisdom as a public servant in office, rather, that is at least commensurate with the skill you've shown as a campaigner, which has been a genuine marvel.

I pray for your health, because, with due respect, I regard the prospect of your Vice President-elect having to step into your shoes with genuine panic. Let's hope that he can continue to be Crazy Uncle Joe, less of a danger to the nation as Vice President than as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

You have said, at times, that you recognize that your greatest flaw is pride. I pray that your prayers for help in overcoming that flaw will be answered. You are surrounded, unfortunately, with an entourage who share that very flaw. Between now and January, I hope you will find time to read modern American history, and in particular, histories about John F. Kennedy, who you resemble in so many ways. Kennedy's youthful arrogance and ignorance nearly incinerated our planet — a fact of which you seem to be unaware, and that frightens me more than anything else about the prospect of your presidency. Mr. President-elect, you must learn history, so that you can avoid at least its most conspicuous mistakes — like those John Kennedy made in Vienna 1961 when he, as a young and presumably naive president, was tested and found completely wanting.

I pray for your family, that they may continue to give you strength and comfort and perspective. If you will do your best for your own beautiful young daughters, then I have grounds to hope that will also be good for mine.

God bless you and keep you, sir. I have been among your harshest critics, in good faith I hope, and I will continue to speak out when I think you're wrong. I pray for the grace, though, to acknowledge those times when you are right, and for the decency to accord you with the full respect that is due to anyone who holds the office upon which you are about to embark.

You will be my president too, and while I am filled with trepidation, I congratulate you as sincerely as I am able, and I wish the very best for you and our great country.

and .....

WASHINGTON—African-American man Barack Obama, 47, was given the least-desirable job in the entire country Tuesday when he was elected president of the United States of America. In his new high-stress, low-reward position, Obama will be charged with such tasks as completely overhauling the nation's broken-down economy, repairing the crumbling infrastructure, and generally having to please more than 300 million Americans and cater to their every whim on a daily basis. As part of his duties, the black man will have to spend four to eight years cleaning up the messes other people left behind. The job comes with such intense scrutiny and so certain a guarantee of failure that only one other person even bothered applying for it. Said scholar and activist Mark L. Denton, "It just goes to show you that, in this country, a black man still can't catch a break."

After Obama spoke, I headed to The Independent to see my friend perform. At the time there were lots of people celebrating and cars honking to show their support.

By the time I left The Independent, the revelers had taken over the street. I shot some video. Check it out:

Just after Obama's speech:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradlauster/3005356855/

About an hour later:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradlauster/3005424627/

Good times!

I came across the party at 19th + Valencia as well, in time to see the crowd break out into the Star Spangled Banner...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/obeyken/3005541567/

I loved the random acts of patriotism. To my mind, the republicans had it wrong. we know what real america is and what it means, and where it can be found.