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Even at 5 am, it was a speech worth waiting for. Few of us who stayed awake through the small hours will ever forget Barack Obama's stirring words in Grant Park, Chicago, as he told his delirious, weeping supporters that "change has come". Even thousands of miles away, bleary-eyed in a foggy London dawn, it was impossible not to shiver with emotion - and to wonder if it could ever happen here.
For Obama's triumph is an overdue reminder of the American virtues that faded from view during the nightmare of the Bush presidency - a sense of optimism, a respect for ambition, a belief in opportunity, all summed up in the catchy slogan, "Yes, we can". Though they are easily mocked, these are virtues that continue to inspire millions of people around the world - as evidenced by the scenes of joy everywhere from Kentish Town to Kenya as his victory was confirmed.
Deep down, of course, we all recognise that horrendous challenges lie ahead, from the quagmire in Iraq to the cesspit of the world economy. No doubt there will be disappointments along the way, as President Obama's high principles are gradually tarnished by the inevitable compromises of office.
But this should not obscure the fact that this election has reminded us why the United States of America, despite all its flaws, is still an example to the world. The election has not just been a testament to Obama's extraordinary self-control and rhetorical ability, it has been a tribute to those perennial American attributes, optimism and idealism. It has been the story not of one man but of millions, and it offers a striking rebuke to the cynical jeering of British politics.
For those of us who have lived and worked across the Atlantic, the meaning of Obama's triumph is hard to explain to British observers, who are often peddled a false impression of Americans as gun-toting, gas-guzzling barbarians. It is a stereotype that bears about as much relation to the truth as the American impression that all Brits wear bowler hats and drink tea all day.
And it utterly fails to capture what seduced me when I first visited as a penniless, excited student 15 years ago - the giddy, bewildering, wonderful diversity of a land where one day I could eat clam chowder with a Boston Irishman, and the next share a few beers with a Mexican who had crossed the Texas border only months before.
This is, after all, a country of 300 million people and almost four million square miles, a vast continental expanse in which, as dusk falls in New York City, the midday sun still beats down on the beaches of California. It is a land of staggering diversity.
On holiday in Miami, surrounded by Spanish-speaking Cubans in blazing heat, you might easily think yourself in a completely different country from that inhabited by the Ukrainian miners of eastern Pennsylvania, the Indian cab drivers of New York City or the permatanned valley girls of southern California.
Yet what binds all these places together, and what gives Barack Obama's oratory its extraordinary resonance, is a shared sense of faith in the future. And what connects the revellers in Chicago to the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth Rock is a slender thread of unbreakable optimism, a fibre not even George W Bush could snap.
To British observers, steeped in the jaded scepticism of a class-bound society, the sheer buoyancy of American life can come as a shock. Ten years ago, visiting a South Carolina high school on an exchange visit from the school where I taught in the south of France, I was stunned by the boundless enthusiasm of the local pupils - not just for their visitors, their teachers, and their lessons but also for themselves and their country.
At first, as they recited the Pledge of Allegiance every morning with heartfelt pride, the cynic in me could barely watch for fear of laughing out loud. And yet, after a few days, my scorn turned into respect for a society in which national pride smooths so many differences, and in which enthusiasm, earnestness and effort are things to be prized, not mocked and derided as they would be here.
When I lived in the snows of St Paul, Minnesota, a few years later, I could hardly credit the hospitality with which my American neighbours welcomed their new British friend. From strangers who offered to give me a lift home from the supermarket to shop assistants who seemed genuinely interested in a Brit's opinion of their country, it was a world away from the crude stereotypes of anti-American propaganda.
Theirs is a society that has succeeded masterfully at absorbing wave upon wave of immigrants, from the Germans and Irish of the 1850s to the Italians and Jews of the 1890s, from the Cubans and Vietnamese of the 1970s to the Afghans and Somalis of the 2000s. Like the heroes of Horatio Alger's rags-to-riches boys' stories, or like Jay Gatsby, the central character of F Scott Fitzgerald's classic, they have dreamed of casting off the shackles of history and class, and making themselves anew.
And however cynical one might be about the hard realities of American capitalism, it is difficult when you're there for any length of time not to become infected with the same sense of possibility.
For millions of Americans, in other words, the words of Obama's slogan are more than empty rhetoric. "Yes, we can" was the spirit of the first settlers, the pioneers who charted the great rivers, the abolitionists who stood up against slavery, the civil rights activists who marched for racial justice. It remains the guiding spirit for Americans today.
And if Obama's words would sound risible coming from Gordon Brown or David Cameron, that should tell us something about the dull, depressing cynicism that has infected British politics.
Yet we too live in a great country, and our capital is one of the world's most diverse and exciting cities. We should not be afraid to learn from American idealism, instead of merely sneering at it."Yes, we can" may not be the spirit of prank phone calls and Punch and Judy politics. But Barack Obama's words should not merely be a marvellous reassertion of American optimism. They should serve as a rallying cry to the idealism that has been buried in British hearts for far too long.
Reader views (10)
Thanks for a well-balanced and reflective article, Mr. Sandbrook. Even as a lifelong Republican, I'm pleased with the forthcoming change--an intensely needed one. I was beginning to wonder how much longer we could hold on over here. However, I am concerned that many Americans (and we're known for over-reacting) are elevating President-elect Obama to the status of Messiah or Savior. Idols usually prove themselves eventually to have clay feet, and I personally prefer Jesus in the Messiah position. I am enjoying this human idol's oratorical powers, though. After listening to a certain Chief Executive's bumbling efforts for most of a decade, Obama's thoughtful, powerfully delivered speeches are a godsend, even if he's not my Messiah.
- Stephen, Kansas City, 10/11/2008 03:09
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A lovely article. Over here, we are optimistic the countless mistakes and deceptions of the W years can be overcome by a man who connects with the best parts of our nature. We're thrilled at the coming departure of Bush-Cheney and at the opportunity to reclaim the country you describe so well in your essay.
- Charlie, Springfield, IL USA, 09/11/2008 15:55
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America has always said 'Yes we can', nothing new there.
But Obama - big mouth, no brains. You people are as gullible as the 51% of Americans who voted for him. You can have him when the novelty is gone.
- Kenny L, Phila. USA, 09/11/2008 08:16
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A nice article, but the writer needn't insult W as he did when he writes "And what connects the revellers in Chicago to the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth Rock is a slender thread of unbreakable optimism, a fibre not even George W Bush could snap." President Bush won his first election with many of the same themes as Obama, and miraculously stuck with them. He was a president true to his principles, and to the essential vision of the US as a country where freedom is more important than bureaucracy, a lesson Britain has, sadly, not learned to this day. Watch the transition: Bush will be as gracious and constructive as president Obama will hopefully be when he yields the presidency back to a Republican in four years' time.
- Marco, London UK, 08/11/2008 21:15
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It is really about ACCEPTANCE & Britain has yet to fully accept its Blacks.:We have fake equal rights laws which are short circuited in the courts[section 19 C race relations amendment act 2000] which the ministry of Justice by the way in 2006 acknowledged that the law does allow Judges to discriminate in a court of Law! [that is why we get blacks under compensated in employment Tribunals etc and given longer sentences in criminal courts we have all heard the news over the past months].It is of course not helping Britain having a duplicity of the Law.
Lastly it is great that the British Youth are inspired to work hard by the Obama election this we have always advocated : the carrot rather than the stick being a much better deterrent to the gun and knife crime. Mayor Johnson in an interview that I had with him himself said that he was shocked to learn about Great achievements of Blacks during the slave era yet he is slow [now that he is in a position] to do something about it .
Black kids need to know that they are loved and valued and had a good history as well as a great future like all of GODS CREATIONS.
The Truth is Britain is greatly loved by its Blacks and Asian communities and it simply wishes that sentiment to be returned - thats all.
- Elizabeth Obisanya, London England, 08/11/2008 13:06
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What a brilliant piece Dominic.
I have been glued to the TV and internet watching this presidential race unfold from the primaries. We stayed up all night to hear Barack Obama announced as the president elect and I cried. In that moment I wished with all my heart that I was American.
Institutional Racism continues in this country because Brits cling to their history, whereas the USA cling to hope for a new day and a new way.
There is a huge multi-cultural community here in Britain but we have such a small voice and little hope.
My grandparents and great-grandparents came here from the Caribbean in the 40's and 50's and today in the 2000's we have made little progress in this country, held back by institutional racism and our own unwillingness to unite as an African-Caribbean community and strive for equality. Where is our China town and Little Italy?
I have always admired the USA, friends who have moved there have excelled in their careers and encouraged me to move there too.
There is no equivalent to 'The American dream' here.
I hope this country wakes up and smells the coffee.
*It is important to note that Obama is not any politician, he is special and it would take a unique individual like Obama to run for Prime Minister.*
- Hiedi, London, 08/11/2008 11:48
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What a terrific, insightful and intelligent piece.
- Erika, London, 08/11/2008 10:02
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Often, the best observations are made from afar. Such is the case of Mr. Sandbrook. I have also travelled all over the U.S. and have really come to embrace the unity and diversity that is uniquely America.
I don't know if I can speak for all Americans (after all there are a lot of us), but I have felt that for, at least, the last 4 years, we have been going down the wrong path. Although I am a Republican and voted for George W. I have been very disappointed with the decisions that were made. Americans want to take pride in their ideals and we have not had anything to take pride in. It seemed that every decision the administration made, America sank more and more into a pit of ideology based actions.
We now have the opportunity for real change. I voted for John McCain but I know the American people made the right choice. I look forward to a new day, with new ideas and a new direction.
To the citizens of the UK: Thank you for your support. We need it.
- Orlando W Foss, Merritt Island, FL, USA, 08/11/2008 01:02
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It's been very interesting seeing America through the eyes of others and great to share the joy many of us feel with so many outside of the USA. I for one have grown tired of the ideologue professing to know everything and accomplishing little more than division and hostility. I have longed for the humble leader who has vision and the skill to help focus America and the world upon what joins us...not what separates us. We are moving to a planetary consciousness where we can celebrate our differences while pursuing the common good. Warm wishes for the readers of the Evening Standard from Sunny Southern California.
- Tom Habib, Carlsbad, California, USA, 07/11/2008 23:50
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As an American, I am so, so glad that Obama is our president elect. Thanks for the words of support, and as a frequent visitor to the UK, I love Britain, there's so much our countries can share and I look forward to better relations between the US and the rest of the world for many years to come!
- Oz, Portland, Oregon USA, 07/11/2008 23:40
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