• Obama won the election. America won the election.


• Phone calls from around the world.


• Guest: Mark Thomson, Sirius Radio.


• Guest: Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont.


• Results of some important races and measures.

Topics, guests, upcoming events, quotes, links to articles, audio clips, books & bumper music.

Wednesday 05 November '08 show

• Bumper Music: Happy Days Are Here Again, Barbara Streisand.
  
• Obama won the election. America won the election.
  
• Thom had an email from his travel agent in Peru. He wanted to hear reactions from around the world. He got calls from various nationalities in Canada (3); Switzerland; England (3); Kenya (where a national holiday has been declared); Germany (3 stations carried the elections live all night, the difference between the lockdown for Bush and the welcome for Obama); Honduras; Puerto Rico; Dublin, Ireland; Paris, France; Mexico; Brussels, Belgium (where there was more American elections on TV than Belgian elections); Armenia; US Virgin Islands; Copenhagen, Denmark. One American said her relatives in Slovenia were all happy about Obama's win.
  
  There are young people who have only known Bush's kind of America.
  
• Bumper Music: It's All Good, Montgomery Gentry.
  
• Guest: Mark Thomson, Sirius Radio. Thom's story about his father leading his neighbor's daughter down the aisle 30 years ago when her father would not because it was a mixed marriage. Mark Thomson's story about taking his young son to vote for the first black African president. The need to liberate others. It is the beginning of a new era.
  
• Bumper Music: Running down a Dream, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
  
• Clip:
  "We have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and always will be, the United States of America."
  Obama Victory Speech, 4 November 2008.
  
• Bumper Music: We Deal in Dreams, Live.
  
• Clip:
  "As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
  
  And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too."
  Obama Victory Speech, 4 November 2008.
  
• Guest: Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont. The board is slammed with foreign calls. Overcome racial stigma. Young people can understand that they can do anything. All of us, what can we not do? Don't lose sight of the fact that he ran one of best campaigns ever. Right thing, right way, so he understood about grass roots activism. Obama rose above it. The job is not over. The people who oppose us are very powerful. Change won't come easily. Fantastic day. End of the right wing war on the middle class? Unequal wealth distribution. Forget the polls, 2012, talk about problems and solutions. Will Susan Collins, George Voinovich, Olympia Snowe not participate in filibusters? They may. Participate, grass roots.
  
• Bumper Music: How 'bout you, Eric Church (video).
  
• Clip:
  "Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there."
  Obama Victory Speech, 4 November 2008.
  
• Bumper Music: You can leave your hat on, Randy Newman.
  
• Article: Hackers and Spending Sprees.
  
• Bumper Music: Logical Song, Supertramp.
  
• Thom read headlines from the foreign press, including the Guardian, Der Speigel, Italy, Japan.
  
• Article: A change for the better.
  "Only Satan would have been worse than the Bush regime. Therefore it could be argued that the new administration in the USA could never be worse than the one which divorced the hearts and minds of Americans from their brothers in the international community, which appalled the rest of the world with shock and awe tactics that included concentration camps, torture, mass murder and utter disrespect for international law. Yet in choosing Obama, the people of America have opted to come back into the international fold. Welcome back, friends!"
  
• We are all projecting our hopes onto Obama.
  
• Articles of Impeachment, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH).
  
• Bumper Music: Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), Eurythmics (video).
  
• Victoria Jones of Talk Radio News at the DC office. Word from within the Obama campaign is that John Kerry is being considered as Secretary of State. The Newark Star Ledger is suggesting Corzine for treasurer, but also people are saying he is looking for someone currently involved in fixing the situation. Corzine is also ex Goldman Sachs. Rahm Emanuel is expected to be chief of staff - he'd be good for that particular job. People expect Obama to move quickly with his cabinet. Richard Lugar, Republican, for Defense? State? Robert Gates is likely to stay. He'll be filling jobs in the West Wing fast, will use people who know Washington, like Tom Daschle. Podesta has also been mentioned. Economic advisors. There are two factions in the Democrats, Obama's advisors. Some like Robert Rubin, Chicago school, Clinton, Reagan, Thatcher kinds. There are also Keynsians. She's not heard anything. Thom's one man campaign for Hillary for leader of the Senate instead of Harry Reid. It would surprise Victoria. Clinton, McCain future? Back to legislating. Her future is bright. He will pretend it never happened, the nasty calls.
  
• Minnesota recount, Al Franken versus Norm Coleman.
  
• Gordon Smith likely lost in Oregon.
  
• In North Carolina Kay Hagan won.
  
• In New Hampshire Shaheen beat Sununu.
  
• "We have already picked up five more seats in the United States Senate, and there are more to come. The days of obstruction are over." Sen. Charles Schumer, (D-N.Y.). Democrats have not quite reached 60 Senate seats, but with a few moderate Republicans it could be enough to weaken the threat of filibusters.
  
• California prop 2 which protects animal rights passed.
  
• Prop 8, which strips rights from gays, looks likely to pass. Some Mormons have poured a lot of money into California in support of it.
  
• Various right to choose efforts.
  
• Montana yes to health insurance for more kids.
  
• Arkansas gay adoptions banned.
  
• Massachusetts decriminalization of small amounts of pot.
  
• Michigan medical use of pot.
  
• Michigan stem cell measure passed.
  
• Brian Baird told Thom that Michelle Bachman probably won because money got to her opponent too late.
  
• Bumper Music: Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival.
  
• The only thing that binds us together is our government. Obama believes in government and constitution.
  
• Bumper Music: The High Road, Jojo.
  
• Bumper Music: Crazy, Gnarls Barkley.
  
• Article: Nudists won't get own polling site.
  
• Bumper Music: Where Is The Love, Black Eyed Peas.
  
• Bumper Music: Dizzy, Tommy Roe.
  
• Article: Rooster arrested in Benton, Ill.
  
• Some vote counts are lower than expected.