blog - gObama 2008
Graceful defeat in New Hampshire
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
(Hudson, New Hampshire - 12 a.m. local time)
The art of defeat separates a winner from a loser. In his primary night speech Obama was able to galvanize the crowd and focus on the future by reminding us that “Yes, we can” and he congratulated Hilary graciously on her victory in New Hampshire’s primary elections.
I spoke to a volunteer staff at 7 p.m. who told me Obama is leading with 10 points and was shocked when I saw the first results around 8 p.m. Hilary 33%, Obama 27%. How could the polls be so completely wrong?
I felt what most people in the gymnasium must have felt until 10.30 p.m. - its only a temporary defeat like the one in Iowa. There within two hours Obama surged to 39 % and Hilary stagnated with 30%.
But New Hampshire is not Iowa and as Chris, a buddy and local resident, told me, people here take no risks on hoping. Their motto is pragmatic and written on their license plates: “live free or die”.
Since people are familiar with the Clintons, they want to go back of where they were in the early nineties. Hilary is supported by older women who came out in big numbers.
I think Obama still has great momentum and the race is getting more and more interesting now that both of them are so close.
My journey stalls here and I have run out of funds to continue my trip further. It was a great journey and I got splendid footage both from the people and Obama in action.
I hope I can come back in February to cover Super Duper Tuesday in NYC. I am thankful to all the people who supported me morally, financially and spiritually on my travel. Without their generosity and support this film would be impossible to do. I hope I will see them again and again in a follow up through the coming years when Obama is the first African-American President. Ready to lead the world into a better future by taking care and listening to the needs of all citizens on the planet.
If he can get the support the people on the streets and has friends in the White House, then the world could see a transformation of consciousness. Yes, he can!
Here is what the Obama campaign said:
There is something happening in America.
A week ago we were 14 points behind, and no one imagined that we'd accomplish what we did in New Hampshire last night.
There is something happening when Americans who have never participated in politics turn out in numbers we've never seen before.
There is something happening when people vote not just for the party they belong to but the hopes they hold in common.
Change is what's happening in America.
We are ready to take this country in a fundamentally new direction, but we need your help to make it happen.
We are about to enter the most decisive period of the campaign. We need to act immediately to build up our organization to compete in Nevada, South Carolina, and the 22 states that will hold their contests on February 5th.
We can lead this nation out of a long political darkness.
We can overcome the division and distraction that have clouded Washington.
Because when we challenge ourselves to reach for something better, there's no problem we can't solve -- no destiny we cannot fulfill.
Thank you,
Barack