Obama Watches McCain's Concession Speech and Other Photos

[Ichingcarpenter]

Democratic Presidential Nominee, Barack Obama and his family on election night in Chicago, IL



Democratic Presidential Nominee, Barack Obama and his family on election night in Chicago






















More than 82 more photos here: http://flickr.com/photos/barackobamadotcom/3009095088/in/set-72157608716313371/

[Bicoastal]

1. I was going to say "Why all the long faces? You guys WON!"...

..but then it struck me this must be a highly emotional moment for all involved.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Because McCain had lied and maligned Obama so much......

until the warmed over "he's the first Black" accolates in the concession speech didn't provide any proof to the Obamas that McCain had any regrets on the low road that McCain traveled in order to lose.

[grace0418]

14. Yeah, and McCain gets accolades for being "gracious" in his speech. Fuck that.

He should've had some class throughout the whole campaign. One good speech doesn't make up for the hate he incited against Obama all along. That must've been hard for him to swallow.

[deek]

24. Few people caught that

McCain was very subtle in his alluding Obama won because he was black.

[FrenchieCat]

30. Certainly, that's what it amounted to.......

[Schema Thing]

35. It certainly wasn't lost on me

[Delphinus]

40. Me either.

I think I responded to someone in another thread on DU about this very thing. I made a point of it with the friends I was with that night and bring it up anytime someone talks about McCain's concession speech.

[mcg]

66. nor on me, there was some sliminess in McCain's concession speech,

I and some others at the party I was at applauded some to be politically correct, since it could have been worse. But could have been way better. It did seem that he was implying that Obama won because he's black. That's slimy, he implied it rather than coming out and saying it. This has been a tactic of the new racism for some time now.

Michael Steele, a republican black man, ran in Maryland.
There are many black voters in Maryland.
A high percentage of black voters vote Democratic.
Steele lost. It wasn't even close.

Me, I'm white, I didn't vote for Obama because he's black. I didn't care.

When he talked about Palin there were boos.

[ecstatic]

54. My SO caught it. I didn't--I just wondered why he kept bringing up race

but my SO said it was a dog whistle concession.

[mcg]

68. Good analogy, more dog-whistle politics: Bush saying "go enjoy yourself".

I hadn't heard of the term 'dog whistle' before. It's a good analogy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog-whistle_politics

... The term originated in Australian politics in the mid 1990s. One notable example was its use to describe the Howard Government's policy to crack down on illegal immigration. The Australian Government took a strong stand against illegal immigration, which was highly popular amongst a segment of voters on both sides of the usual political divide, and which contributed to the winning of the 2001 Australian Federal Election. In response to this political success, some commentators have argued that the stand was playing to racist segments of the community, despite the Government's avoidance of overtly racist terminology. The Howard Government has used dog whistling as a technique to send a message of support to voters with racist leanings while avoiding criticism from those opposed to prejudice. The key to its use is to maintain the option of "plausible deniability". An example is the publicity of the citizenship test in 2007. It has been argued that the test may appear reasonable at face value, but is really intended to appeal to those opposing immigration from some regions.

It is a special case of attacking, insulting, or accusing by implication, which I think most of us have been subject to.

I found Bush saying "go enjoy yourself" to be quite odd, it sounded like he wanted to say "go #@$% yourself" but couldn't. More on what Bush said in his call to Obama ...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcb_election2008/20081105/wl_mcb_election2008/bushtoobamagoenjoyyourself

"Mr. President-elect, congratulations to you. What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters. Laura and I called to congratulate you and your good bride."

"I promise to make this a smooth transition. You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself."

"your good bride"? "You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life."?
Strange and inappropriate wording. It sounds similar to someone talking to someone who just got married or graduated from college.

[ecstatic]

69. Great catch on the "go enjoy yourself" LOL

I had never heard of the term "dog whistle" until the primaries...

And yes, Bush's statement to Obama was VERY very odd. :wtf:

[northofdenali]

72. OF COURSE it sounded strange and inappropriate.

It came out of the mouth of the Shrubster, remember?

I'm sure every word and nuance in his call to President Obama was pre-scripted by someone else. Shrub would have (and nearly did) put his foot in it.

[Drunken Irishman]

7. Good thing these weren't released early on election night.

Or DU would be freaking out.

"OBAMA LOOKS LIKE HE KNOWS HE WILL LOSE!!!!"

[Uzybone]

10. They release these pictures for a reason

I'm sure the high fiving and hugs were already over with and it had begun to sink it. Its an awesome responsibility. Obama is a serious man, and the right man for these times.

[Ichingcarpenter]

12. Updated the joy photos

[jazzjunkysue]

20. They know the way it will go a week or two ahead of time.

But exactly what your opponent says about you at that point really says alot about you and how the opposition will respond in the future.

What Gramps said matters alot to the new admin.

[ThatsMyBarack]

27. In the 3rd photo....

Obama's shoes are wearing out! ;)

[here_is_to_hope]

32. Its all that damn dancing! LMAO!

[Cha]

47. Obama is a serious man with

a killer sense of humor when the times are right! It's going to be so Cool! Oh, and it IS!

[underpants]

42. class and exhaustion

plus they knew this before the 3rd debate. So did McCain's staff-they just didn't tell him.

[Tallison]

57. It's probably the heaviest moment imaginable

From Obama the candidate, he's watching his own transformation into the most powerful person on the planet and processing the last moment everything still seemed the same, because it will never be again.

[Lifelong Protester]

63. That is exactly the feeling I had, he looks like "Wow, I'm

really in for it now!" Like Harry Truman said when he found out he had succeeded FDR. He said he felt like a load of hay had fallen on him.

[roguevalley]

65. Gosh, Michelle is so pretty. She gets it from her Mama. I hope her

mom moves in with them. :-D

[ej510]

2. Those are great pics.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. This might be my favorite.

[Ichingcarpenter]

8. There so many great ones at that site ...

I tried to get the few up and missed that one.

[stillcool]

36. that is adorable..

[vanboggie]

70. That is cool

Isn't it awesome how the Obama and Biden families seem to genuinely like and enjoy each other (compared to the Gigolo/Beer Heiress and Caribou & Toad)?

That photo makes me smile. :)

[PretzelWarrior]

4. it's sinking in to them. HOLY COW. we won....now we've got a country

to run.

[polichick]

6. K&R - Wow, I love these!

[monmouth]

9. I love the one with his MIL. What a grand family...n/t

[Borgnine]

11. Mmm. Fiji Water.

[DrToast]

29. That's like $8 a bottle in a hotel. Is that what my donations paid for, Obama?!?!?

:D

[Cha]

48. Hey, it's Victory

water:toast: :D

[DrToast]

55. I guess it's not as bad as $150K on clothes!

[ecstatic]

53. LOL. nt

[astonamous]

62. And no coasters on under those bottles...the shame of it all!

:sarcasm:

[damonm]

13. by the end of his first term,

He'd better have 2 Secret Service agents on Malia - that kid's GORGEOUS, and the boys WILL be noticing. My oldest son's her age, and even HE's noticed.

[lunatica]

23. I think I read that Obama said that's why he ran for President

So he could have Secret Service watch his daughters.

LOL! A true Dad that!

[nc4bo]

15. Incredible photos but you should have warned me to get another Kleenex. nt

[Ichingcarpenter]

16. Go to the site I left the link in my OP with

a box of Kleenex too!!

[Roxy66]

17. Wow....love those pics. What a wonderful group of people!!!

[bigwillq]

18. Awesome pics!

:bounce: I love insider view pics!

[nichomachus]

19. He no sooner gets elected then

he's kissing white women. The Palin crowd warned us about that. Them blacks just want our women.

[RobertSeattle]

21. Best Presidential Campaign Team Evah.

[JuniperLea]

22. I'm just not used to this!

They seem so... normal! So... human! Is this trustworthiness I'm sensing? I don't know! It's been so long since I've felt that way about a president!

Real people in the White House... what is this world coming to?

:rofl:

[Cha]

49. It's our reality now!

And, ever vigilant we shall be:patriot::party::kick::patriot:

[Lifelong Protester]

64. And no gloating or smirking...

[JuniperLea]

71. Oh, of course not.

Not me... no chance... snicker snicker... see new sig line;)

[TTUBatfan2008]

25. Great pics...

Axelrod is the fuckin' man. He is our version of Karl Rove, except for the fact that he doesn't believe in personal destruction like Rove does in order to win an election.

[Left Is Write]

26. I was just saying something similar to my husband this morning.

People won't be saying things like "Axeldrodian tactics" to refer to smears and underhandedness.

[TTUBatfan2008]

34. Axelrodian and Plouffeian tactics...

LOL, I can see them using it. They are delusional after all. Somehow fundraising and attracting record volunteers is an underhanded tactic! :rofl:

[Cha]

50. Matt Taibbi, in Rolling Stone this issue, had a killer quote

in "Campaign Memories" on that vein.

"Obama isn't interested in jacking up anybody's bloodlust--a new thing in modern American politics"

[Hieronymus]

28. Michelle is absolutely elegant. Great photos.

[Born_A_Truman]

31. Our beautiful first families!!

I'm crying again.

[Epiales]

33. He's clearly a much better man than I...

There was a bunch of sophomoric behavior going on at our house during this speech, involving much gesturing, primitive utterances, and prancing about.

[Ichingcarpenter]

37. Daddy's Girl Another Photo

[davepc]

38. Can anybody tell what network they were watching?

[Jackeens]

39. I hate that the girls heard the boos for their Dad during the McCain speech, but...

...I suppose they can't be sheltered from it forever. Depressing, though.

[stillcool]

43. look how intent they are..

watching. I love this family. And I love that there are so many pictures taken through this campaign season to remind me when people try to trash and bash him that he is what I see. A man. A decent, intelligent, gifted man with a beautiful family who is working on a dream.

[ecstatic]

52. Good point. I didn't even think about that. Not sure if Sasha

is old enough to understand, but I know Malia did.

[Raine]

41. Love these pictures

THANKS for posting them! :thumbsup:

[gatorboy]

44. It's has to hurt to see all that booing from idiots you're trying to help.

[yeswecanandwedid]

45. Awesome find, thanks for sharing. nt

[Cha]

46. My god I love these people so much!

Thanks, IChing!

[Waiting For Everyman]

51. That pic of him with his feet up beside Michelle is fascinating

beyond words. Their expressions are riveting. I don't remember ever seeing pics of winning candidates watching the results, but I'd bet anything they were nothing like that.

[loudsue]

67. He really wanted a cigarette.

Been there, done that.

On edit: Well not done THAT! I mean like wanted a cigarette because I'd just been elected President of the U.S.A. That I have not done.

I meant "done that" like wanted a cigarette and couldn't smoke one right then.

[Swamp Rat]

56. Thanks for posting these photos

:hi:

[trayfoot]

58. Who is the black lady in the second pic with Obama on the sofa?

[gblady]

61. Michelle's mom....

the new First Grannie!

[stuntcat]

59. wow GREAT pictures

thanks for that link too!! :headbang:

[democracy1st]

60. K & R

[PatriotGames]

73. Great set of photos. Thanks!

[progressoid]

74. K/R1!!1!

?v=0

[northofdenali]

75. Great shots. Thanks for the link.

This entire group is awe-inspiring. One of my favorites (I called it the Three Eves):