Isn't it amazing how most of the world seemed to want the same thing when it came to the outcome of the elections in the United States - a win for Barack Obama?

It was like watching a title fight between your champion and a dogged opponent that caused much anxiety because of his tenacity, so you held your breath and hoped that your man could pull it through. And, when he did, there was the worldwide collective sigh of relief when your man scored a knockout, because you kind of expected the fight to go the distance.

World history

A lot of people have praised Obama for the sterling campaign he ran and now hope he can deliver on the promises he made during his campaign. But, for a while there, especially early on, things looked dicey.

In hindsight, though, even though Obama ran an amazing campaign and McCain repeatedly shot himself in the foot, Barack owes a huge debt of gratitude to George Bush.

Reduced to a footnote

If Bush had been a decent president and not turned the world upside down in eight years, culminating with this huge world financial crisis, things might have been very different, and Obama might have been reduced to being a footnote in American and world history, as the black man who came closest to entering the White House as president.

I am glad he won and for reasons that have nothing to do with his ability to make things right, well, mostly nothing.

One of the main reasons I am happy is that many black Americans, who used to think it cool to blame the system on their failures and accept defeat even before they begin to try, now have reason to believe that if they work at it, there are really no barriers to achieving success.

Deadbeat

Many deadbeat black men in this hemisphere will now see that it is cool to be a father to their children instead of just being sperm donors. They will also see that they don't need to worship fancy cars and jewellery when they can be the ones worshipped as they rule their respective 'worlds'.

Another thing is that once the US manages to recover from this financial mess, places like Darfur can begin to get some real attention and something will finally be done to stop the genocide.

LIFT EMBARGO ON CUBA

I also hope that some common sense prevails and this unjust trade embargo on Cuba is finally lifted. If there is no embargo on China, there should not be one on Cuba.

I also hope that Barack Obama will lead in such a manner as to set an example for Caribbean leaders of government to show them how to work together and to get things done instead of the never-ending rhetoric that seems to be the only thing they are really good at.

When he finds some time, maybe during the start of a second term, he should call them to a sit-down and explain to them how this thing of governance is done, but I guess he has to first get it done himself because, as they say, if the US catches a cold we, here in the Caribbean, get pneumonia.

I really dreaded

With all that being said, though, one of the reasons I am happy that he won is that I really dreaded the thought that Sarah Palin would have literally been a heartbeat from being president of the most powerful country on this planet.

You would have to be blind, deaf and stupid not to understand that this woman has no place near the White House. People say she is bright. To me, her brilliance is as significant as a candle under floodlights. She needs to stay as far from Washington as she can get and, while Alaska is far away, it may not be far enough.

Not a bad president

John McCain, I think, would not have been a bad president. I mean, after Bush, the only way is up, but McCain is 72 and the presidency wears on people. Clinton, a young man when he first entered the White House, looked 100 years older at the end of his term, so it is not inconceivable to believe that McCain could have wilted under the pressure, considering the challenges that lay ahead.

And, while many conservatives felt that Palin was ready to take his place, I thank God that we never have to find out.

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