Only once in the history of the US has the party in power been able to win a third term. So it isn’t quite as historic as it appears to the uninformed like Ophrah.

The real victory was beating Hillary Clinton, as whoever the Dems ran was going to win. That’s why the Clintons fought so hard to win the nomination as they would win the White House.

So give Obama some credit, beating the Clintons was amazing, winning last night was a foregone conclusion. Best of luck to him!

Obama is a committed protectionist. This is very bad news for Ontario and Quebec. He promised to “bring jobs home”. If Ontario and Quebec are now have-not provinces they can be assured that their status will continue. No time for Ontario to celebrate!!

Two things worry me about this election. Firstly, that the US media has become vastly diminished certainly in my eyes and I suspect large numbers of people in the US and elsewhere. Many of the reasons are laid out in a National Post article by Theo Caldwell. An independent objective aggressive press is life and death vital for any continuing democracy.

Secondly you are known by the company you keep. You can denounce them and the past for expediency and you can deny any impact as Obama has done. I know that the intent of those folks for America remains. The tactics have necessarily changed and I fear producing one of their own to the highest level in the land. Hws

I think that expectations have been raised so high, particularly in the black community, that Obama will find it impossible to meet them. On a positive side it will raise pride in the black community, and as Obama has said, they need to stop blaming Whitey for their problems and look inward for solutions.
I dont expect much of a change in U.S./Canada relations. Both leaders have other problems more pressing than re-jigging NAFTA.

If the proposed merger of GM and Chrysler causes 200,000 job lossses, you can bet that the Democrats will try to make them all Canadian job losses. Maybe it’s time to nationalize the auto industry in Canada!!

I have to disagree with your comments about a “weak Republican” campaign. John McCain ran a wonderrful election campaign, and had his leadership not been following the presidency of George W. Bush he would have had a fair shot at the White House. Bush created a desire for change in the United States, and the Democrats were the change people were looking for. Make no mistake, John McCain did not lose this campaign, the Republican brand lost this campaign well before the presidential candidates were every chosen.

Obama has discussed a surge of troops into Afghanistan. The question becomes for Harper - if Obama asks Canada to stay past 2011 and deployes more American troops into Afghanistan - will Canada stay?

Protectionism is never good for Canada. Even with our relative diversification of trade we are still overly dependant on the United States for our trade. However, the struggling economy in the United States may limite their ability to decrease trade and Canada might come out somewhat unscathed.

It will be interesting to see if REAL change will occur, such as a well supported effort to increase world awareness by ‘average’ US citizens.

This could have (I would hope) a significant impact on how they would run their international affairs, deal with trade agreement disputes (like NAFTA), major challenges facing the world like climate change and the economy, and how they might actually encourage the UN to be a more effective international organization.

I wish Obama good luck but I’m cynical enough to believe things won’t change a whole lot for the better, as far as their neighbours are concerned.
The elephant will likely continue to walk where and when he wants to.

Resounding victory? 51% of the popular vote.

WOW - is all I can say. How it pans out is anyone’s guess. BUT, Obama will be steady I think, not quick to change too much too fast. What will our relationship be with the USA now? We will still have the American Bashers and negative comments and such. Glad for the change in the STATES, though. They needed it. Hope Canada rises from its long socialist rule and allows our conservative gov’t to bring change in now in Canada. We need to protect our industries as well and reduce the Made In China label that the Liberals endorsed.

Although the US is our neighbor and largest trading partner we should not take our eyes off the ball in this era of open markets and increased globalization. As a sovereign nation we need to look outward and forward at economic opportunities beyond our shores in China, India, etc. and pay as much if not more attention to Canada and European, Asian and emerging markets relations as these markets will provide greater economic prosperity than the US in the immediate short term. Now that Bushonomics have come to an end we can squarely lay blame with our own leaders that tend to deflect responsibility elsewhere, the jig is up and now its time to deliver smart government. Increasing cabinet size out of the gates in light of current economic realities and forecasts does not look promising for Mr. Harper !

Points to bear in mind:
The Republican brand has been toxic since well before the election. It was an uphill batle from the start.
The American mainstream media is so biased toward the left it may be accurately described as corrupt. This does not bode well for a supposedly vibrant democracy.
Given the perfect storm of adverse events that militated against the Republicans, the Democrats could have ran Mickey Mouse as their candidate and he would have won.
Obama’s peculiar associations, as well as many of his public pronouncements, are eery and creepy in their subversive undertones.
If it was racist to vote against Obame because he’s black, was it not equally racist to vote for him for the same reason?
Now that the media no longer have George W. Bush to kick around, who is going to be their next target? I leave this open-ended and invite comments.

Expect a massive New Deal II .

The One has promised to grow the economy from the bottom up ! Get that? He us going to take from the productive and give that money to the non-productive and that is going to create massive economic growth !

That I`ll wait to see.

Canada rejected the Carbon Tax based on the Big Lie of anthropogenic global warming, the USA voted for it as The One has promised a cap and trade system that in his words will bankrupt coal fired electrical plants.

Russell Kirk was right,

” What really creates discontent in the modern age, as in all ages, is confusion and uncertainty. People turn to radical doctrines…”

It actually is quite amazing that the books aspiring leaders write and publish are not scrutinized more carefully by the media and the electorate. Especially candidates who put their ideas so extensively on paper before entering a race and taking office, have something on their mind they want to share. Those who do could be visionaries with a great sense of purpose or egomaniac (the president-elect probably is more of a visionary, time will tell). In either case, the consequences of such people at the helm could be enormous. I also believe the president-elect to be someone far more of an ideologue than is being realized and therefore one with potentially (for the electorate) unintended consequences.

Although I am not a fan of “tax and spend” policies typically advanced by the political left, I am cautiously optimistic about Obama. An inspired and motivated America can be an awesome thing to behold. Obama is a skilled orator and has obviously inspired a large number of Americans. Regardless of his political leanings, he won’t be given the opportunity to spend America to prosperity…the cupboards are bare! However, by lifting the spirit and pride of Americans, he could have a positive economic impact. The campaign rhetoric about NAFTA?…I’m not concerned. We have a big bargaining chip, OIL.

I am very optimistic about the election of Barak Obama and the opportunity it presents for Canada. In my lifetime I have never seen the US looked upon with such disdain as it is today. I feel that Mr Obama and his administration will be inclusive of Canada, its largest trading partner, as its most friendly source of energy when they set policy goals for energy independence over a 10 year horizon. The economies of Canada and the US are very integrated and are similarly threatened by the greed of our own companies whose short-term profit objectives have led them to outsource which has led to the significant loss of valuable manufacturing jobs. Never has there been such a wholesale transfer of wealth as our generation has experienced. I expect the implication of government into the manufacturing sector on both sides of the border through tax incentives to encourage domestic employment. I also see an evolution of the union movement and the greater involvement of unions in the corporate decision making process. Our government already is very involved in supporting R & D and productivity improvement. Mr. Harper is very aware of the necessity for Canada to become more competitive internationally.

As long as our Conservative federal government tenaciously guards all of Canada’s interests as the US has voted for change, we should be okay.

Americans have elected a black politician, with the black community voting some 96% for Obama, just after the Hispanic/Latino community becomes the single largest identifiable minority in the USA.

Good luck to Obama - he has his work cut out for him - far more so than our re-elected Prime Minister.

Obama raised a mountain in cash through the internet to fight the election and the media on both sides of the border fell all over them selves to back his campaign. Now we will see if he is able to deliver on his promises. The Democrats now have controle of the White House, the Congress and the Senate. I wish Obama well but if he fails to deliver on his promisses, he will have no one to blame but himself.

Socialism has landed in the U.S.A. The cost of living will increase in the U.S.A. and with the raising of taxes (not lowering as Obama has stated) you will see the recession will be extended. Universal health care will produce even more job losses. Shutting down electricity producing coal plants will push electricity costs through the roof and loose coal producer jobs. Watch for Obama’s attack on the U.S. Constitution with respect to the 1st amendment (freedom of speech). Not only are the unborn at risk but also live births.
For us in Canada watch for protectionism and therefore a loss of jobs in Canada.
The best thing I can say about Obama’s win is that the media will no longer be able to blame Bush if the price of bread goes up a nickle or my kid gets a C- instead of a B

Obama’s election to the Presidency is a magnificent example of how Americans are able self-correct. Granted, racial discrimination has existed for years, but when you look at the fact that in 1965 only 1% of American blacks in the Deep South were registered to vote but now an American black has been elected to the most powerful position in the world. Also, look at the number of black mayors, governors, chiefs of police, and other officials in the US, even in the Deep South.

The last 43 years have shown us that the USA is a world leader in correcting as much as possible the evils of racial bias. Maybe Canada and its obsession with multi-culturalism could learn from the success of the USA.

Let’s hope that Obama opens the NAFTA agreement & that Harper has the stones to advise the U.S. that Canada wants OUT of this agreement, or if we decide to stay in it that we want the same deal that MEXICO has. That is the right to set a two price system for our materials; a domestic price for things such as petroleum products, lumber, minerals, etc. and are able to set our own export prices, separate and different from our domestic prices. It is time that we tell GENERAL BULLMOOSE that we control CANADA and not him!!!!!

The US electorate has decided for a major change in direction with the President-elect, House and Senate all being from the Democratic Party. It will be very interesting to see how things turn out. I feel Mr. Obama will find that getting what you really want is much more difficult than he realizes. All democratic governments are surrounded by partisanship, power struggles and special interest groups which severely effect and dilute good legislation.

As for President Bush, he has had a very difficult eight years. After 9/11 everything changed and almost all of his time was spent on foreign poicy. I think if the Democrats were in power during this time they would have done very little differently. No matter what the US does they are constantly criticized and second guessed, but at least as a nation that have the fortitude to take action. Not always the right action, but you must take a stand. Many of the nations who criticize the US do almost nothing to make the lives of people in other countries better. The US has done more than any other country in the last hundred years to help other nations and to get rid of tyrants. I hope Mr. Obama continues this type of leadership and action whether certain countries like it or not.

What do we know about Barack Hussein Obama? Very little. There is much more we do not know than what we do know. When Sarah Palin became the V.P. nominee for the Republicans, the media immediately started to go through her past with a fine-tooth comb. They even insinuated that she was baby Trig’s grandma!

But the media accepted Obama without questions, and created a mirage, with lots of money, much of it unexplained, some from questionable sources such as ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, a far-left radical activist group) about which a number of scandals were widely reported. I googled it.

Why did the Los Angelos Times never show that video clip of Obama with a radical Palestinian? And why did Obama not tell us about it? Why was Obama supported by the terrorist organization Hamas?

Barack Obama has a cozy relationship with Raila Odinga, an avowed Marxist politician, now Kenya’s prime minister, who was trained in communist ideology in Europe and holds Marxist views. He even named his son Fidel Castro.
Obama made taxpayer-funded visits to Kenya in 2004, 2005 and 2006, campaigned for Odinga in 2006. Odinga has promised to enact Sharia law in “Muslim declared regions” of Kenya. And he has stated that he hoped that Obama would win the White House.

We do know that Obama went to a church where “Reverent” Jeremiah Wright preached hate and changed “God Bless” America to “God Damn” America.

We also know that Obama was a “Community Activist.” What does that mean? Why does that remind me of news clips of a Toronto rebel rouser with a British accent, John Clark of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty?

I think we know very little about the real Obama. He has a way with words, and as the saying goes: “could sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo.”

We don’t know what the future holds. But we do know this: there will be a lot more bureaucracy and rising taxes. Not the way to go in a recession, Bob Rae proved that in Ontario in the early nineties.

I am not sure if others have mentioned this, but last night I saw Karl Rove interviewed as to what Obama had used of his techniques to win - interesting how Karl Rove is brought up by the left as indication that anyone who uses his techiniques is a Bush Clone; yet Obama used it; successfully, it seems; and I have yet to hear a negative word about it.

Just some food for thought on the view being different if one looks from the left rather than from the right.

I think Obama, despite his professed socialist viewpoints and dreams, is a common sense realist. He has inherited a host of problems that are going to take more than one term to change. He will move slowly but decisively. Clearly, the USA is not the only country that must worry about NAFTA and other trade agreements. Both of our countries need to find ways to keep manufacturing, service, and corporate jobs within our own countries as much as possible. China and India, and their massive populations, are the biggest threat to our collective economies. Canada has more to fear from Indio-Asian corridor than it does from the US.

There is no doubt that the Americans have chosen a man with both a brain and a determination. His speech was the speech of a President, composed and in full control of both himself and the audience.
A not so good thing is that he will, together with the Democratic party, shift the USA into a more socialistic one. A good thing is that he made it very clear that his government, was not going to do it all. The future is in YOUR hands.

Obama’s victory means Canada will be able to work more closely with the U.S. to our advantage I think.

One of the most significant election outcomes which doesn’t appear to have received much attention, is that the Republicans managed to retain a majority in the Senate. If that hadn’t happened, Obama would have had carte blanche to enact almost any radical changes he wishes and thereby “change the U.S and change the World” as he promised but never really defined in his speaches.
As a Canadian, I find Obama very reminiscent of Trudeau - a highly charismatic socialist who has an undisclosed agenda that will be revealed over time and who is not afraid to act on that agenda. Ironically, after all this, it is the post-Trudeau Liberals who are pre-occupied with accusing the Conservatives of having a “hidden agenda”.

For some time now Canada has been edging into a socialistic type of government and it was heartfelt to see the US resisting this state. With Obama election I’m afraid that socialism will surely take hold in America and thus bring greater pressure for the same here.

If our Conservative Government seeks a majority in the next election, they will have to move closer to the center of the political spectrum, if they do so, that would align Canada closer to the U.S. democratic government, thus the Obama victory should auger well for Canada.

Very historic. Obama and his wife don’t come from old money or new money for that matter. In fact they both finished paying off their student loans just a few short years ago. So he’s definitely “of the people”. Historic also in another sense. Now, instead of a white guy in the White House with black servants, there will be a black man in the White House with white servants…very significant!

I am going to take a different tack. After reading Howard Galganov’s latest editorial which you may access in the Archives at www.galganov.com I get a very strong feelling that the odds of Obama being assassinated are very high–the highest ever for an American president.

Maybe some of our politicians can learn to run a campaign with out name calling or derogitory remarks or adds about opposing candidates. Stick to th facts and keep their promises. Maybe then we can have another Obama in Canada

Is this going to be known as OBAMA-NATION?????????

I liked the enthusiasm during there campaign . I wish we Canadians had a little more umph for the love of Canada. Americans love their country and show it, we allow imigrants to not let go of theirs and don’t really feel Canadian.

.

I wonder what part of the election campaign Barbara watched? The Liberal media is still after Sarah Palin’s blood. Why? Because it was ‘hinted’ that she ‘may’ take a run at the Republican nomination.

God help us if Obama actually follows through on all of the “change” he promised. That will mean massive business tax increases, large increases in the deficit, and leaving Iraq when everything has so dramatically improved and turned around there.
Most people who were so happy he won have no idea of the destructive socialist policy changes this man is advocating.

Like most but not all of your current rep;ies,it will take luck and careful management not to get caught in the end result of such a promise- full election. It is easy to be a good orator but harder to deliver within the current economic climate. Lets hope that this undercritised winner doesn’t follow thru to appease our two countries left wing media. Heaven protect us if he tries. It seems ro me that both Canadians and Americans are prone to believe in the tooth fairy which was Obama’s principal theme,