| |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
SINGAPORE: Emotions ran high among Americans here when news broke at mid-day that Mr Barack Obama had been elected the first African-American President of the United States.
Applause, the popping of champagne and shrieks of joy were heard in a room at the American Club, where the largely American crowd, comprising mostly Obama supporters, gathered yesterday morning.
As television announced Mr Obama’s win at 12 noon yesterday, African-American Karen Thorburn burst into tears and started hugging her fellow Democrats around her.
“It’s an amazing, amazing day! I had hoped against hope it would happen. It’s something that we have wanted for so many years to have someone who truly represents all of the people in the US. Not just a particular segment,” said the librarian from California who is in her 60s.
Ms Thorburn’s only regret was that her mother and grandmother did not live to share this historic moment with her. “They were the ones who fought the good fight back in the sixties, back in the seventies, who worked so hard to make this day possible,” she explained.
Some 250 participants — including foreign dignitaries like France’s Ambassador to Singapore Pierre Buhler — watched the election results live on television yesterday at the American Club. The event was organised jointly by the Club, the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) and the American Association of Singapore.
Ms Liza M Boffen-Yordanov, who brought her daughter Georgia, 7, along to root for Mr Obama, hadn’t expected him to win. “Obama comes from the heartland, the middle states of America. He understands the issues and problems more than John McCain who has been in the Senate for a long time,” said a tearful Ms Boffen-Yordanov.
Texas Republican Tracy Waldorf, 40, a university programme manager, said she felt a bit of a “loner” as the majority of those present were rooting for Mr Obama.
The Grand Old Party’s losses in battleground states came as a surprise to other Republicans like Mr Christopher Fussner, the global chairman for Republicans Abroad. “Actually it was quite surprising how we lost so heavily in conservative states like Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio,” Mr Fussner, who is based in Singapore, told Today by phone from Washington DC.
It seems that Mr John McCain’s pick of Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate may have cost him votes from moderate Republicans like Mr Charles Du, from Florida.
Mr Du crossed party lines in this election to vote for Mr Obama. “I still think McCain is a good man. If he picked a different vice-presidential candidate, the results would have been different,” said the 28-year old entrepreneur, who has been working in Singapore for over a year. - TODAY/sh
|
