The Worldwide Celebration About the Election Gave me Chills

I was thrilled with the election of Barack Obama to the White House this week. For 8 years, I feel we've been living under the specter of fear, hatred, false religion, and a lot of deception. I've watched the U.S. become alienated from the rest of the world. On Wednesday, Nov. 5, when the world learned of Obama's election, there were celebrations everywhere. In all my 46 years, I have NEVER seen this kind of celebration for electing a U.S. President (Four years ago I recall that it was just the opposite with Europeans protesting).
For all the Republicans who voted for John McCain, I have faith that this much younger man (than McCain) really does want to bring people an parties together and cast aside the divisive politics of the GOP.
Here are snippets from an article about the worldwide celebrations. This really is historic. If historians out there can tell me when the world celebrated another U.S. President-Elect, I'd be interested to hear who the celebration was for.
Celebrations cross planet
Historic moment in United States prompts parties in countries around the globe
By Shelley Emling
Cox International Correspondent
Thursday, November 06, 2008
London —- People around the world celebrated the election of Barack Obama as if he were their own and held exceedingly high expectations for his presidency.
Obama’s election as America’s first black president and his promise to build collaborative international relations immediately boosted the U.S. image abroad. “The American dream has been restored in the eyes of the world,” said Adam Smith, an expert on foreign affairs at University College London.
Spontaneous celebrations erupted in Europe, Asia and Africa, including in Indonesia, where Obama lived as a child, and Kenya, home to Obama’s late father.
Jubilation swept the Caribbean, which viewed the election of a black president as historic.
In Latin America, Venezuela’s bombastic President Hugo Chavez was conciliatory in remarks before Obama’s victory. “I am willing to sit down and converse on an equal footing and with respect,” he said.
Obama’s victory also was greeted with cheers in Mexico. Former foreign minister Jorge Castaneda wrote in the Reforma newspaper that “Obama’s win … opens to Mexico an extraordinary opportunity to re-position itself in the world because it will be infinitely easier to be a neighbor, ally and friend of the United States with Obama.”
Chinese President Hu Jintao congratulated Obama and said in a statement that he looked forward to working with him to “continuously strengthen dialogue and exchanges between our two countries and enhance our mutual trust and cooperation.”
Americans living abroad, too, basked in the glow of a victory hoped for by most of the world.