Signed, sealed, delivered, he’s yours
I’m sitting here at Gate D32 in Washington Dulles International Airport, about to board my flight back to London.
It has been, quite metaphorically, a trip. I feel so utterly privileged to be healthy and wealthy (and wise 
) enough to have been able to make it. I truly fell in love with DC on this visit, and can’t recommend it highly enough as a destination. Even when there isn’t the inauguration of America’s first African-American President going on.
This will be my last post – sob! – for England For Obama. As MK and I agree, the main purpose of this blog was to try to help build momentum for Barack Obama, in order to get him elected. So now that that’s happened… *Drums fingers*.
I only started blogging for this site in August last year, and can’t thank MK enough for setting it up and giving me a medium to combine two passions (writing and interest in BHO. Not knitting and Strictly Come Dancing, or anything).
MK will be writing a post to round all this off, but in the meantime, from me: thank you so much for reading, commenting and/or lurking, and I hope you’ve enjoyed all that we’ve written, or at least found it informative.
In the meantime, I instruct you all to:
- Read the Huffington Post
- Watch The Daily Show
- Watch The Colbert Report
- Watch Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow online on MSNBC
- And keep the faith for the next four years. While also holding the Obama administration accountable.
I’ll leave you with one of my favourite photos from Washington. From the Richard Avedon exhibition I went to today, my final day in DC:
Thank you all for reading the blog. It’s been a blast.
I’ll see you in four years’ time…
January 25th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
It’s been great getting your updates from Washington – especially learning that the crowd didn’t feel let down by the mishap with the oath and that instead it caused some laughter and relief that the new President can’t always ensure that everything will go right.
Thanks so much!
Ros G
January 26th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Genuine tears
January 26th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Andrea–
I found your blog about 2 weeks ago (I don’t recall the source–perhaps Mudflats ?), and I just wanted to thank you for all you’ve done. I’ve gone back through your posts to somewhere around October; I’ve much enjoyed reading them, and though I wish they could continue, the *reason* that they can’t is spectacular.
In February 2006, I happened to read a news article about a heated dispute between a freshman senator I’d never previously heard of (Obama) and–ironically (!)–John McCain. I remember thinking that Obama handled the situation was a sense of grace and dignity that I’d never seen in a politician before. I was quite impressed. A year and a half later, he began to emerge as a serious contender for the Presidency. As I learned more about him, I began to realize that this the guy we’d been waiting for, the politician who actually *IS* what most of us hope politicians could be. I thought he’d finish a strong second, and things would continue as they always had. I’ve seldom been so pleased to be wrong.
As an American with a severe addiction to politics, I’ve been fascinated by how intently this past election was watched by seemingly every major country in the world. Like many supporters, there were a couple days during the campaign where I thought: “This could be the turning point, he might not survive, I can’t believe they got away with that, etc.” But part of what kept us believing was the incredible outpouring of support from our friends in England, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland…it was wonderful. You kept us going and helped us get our country back, and I can’t thank you enough for that.
We’ll have work to do, of course, and we’ll have to work hard to ensure the new Administration does what they’ve promised, but I’m optimistic in a way I’ve never been.
Please be well, and thanks again.
post script: I checked your personal website and you have a very lovely voice !
January 27th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Ros and Wordsmith – thanks so much, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed reading the blog (and W – thanks for the compliment!). you’re so right- the reason the blog won’t be continuing is, truly, such an incredible cause for celebration. I share your optimism, and I think it’s well-founded. Here’s to a new America – or rather: one which was always there, but which was misled, beaten down, and lost to the rest of the world. It’s nice to have it back again.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Oh my God I feel like you died!
Had to remind myself that you’re just down the rd. Well done my darling. You did a fantastic job XXXX
January 27th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
thanks Sarah
February 2nd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Oh, my clever,lovely girl. Can’t believe you’re mine ! See you soon.