More D.C. Election Night Dispatches
Here's a few more reports by DCist contributors from all over the city last night. Spontaneous celebrations erupted across Washington when Barack Obama was declared the winner of the 2008 presidential election.
- The scene in Chinatown wasn't nearly as crazy as U St. (judging from the pictures, at least), but those who were out were as ecstatic and elated as I could imagine. Cars honked repeatedly as they drove down the street; people poured champagne on the sidewalk; young and old flashed their Obama gear as they high-fived each other. Walking back to my apartment, I heard a young woman yell "happy new year!" -- and that's exactly what it felt like. People took to the streets to celebrate something new and exciting, their cheers echoing throughout Penn Quarter as I laid in bed at 1 a.m. - Martin Locraft
- I was in a cab last night when the radio announced that Obama had carried Ohio. The cab driver, my girlfriend and I all broke out into happy cheers, barely keeping our lane - as if we were suddenly roused by a overwhelming realization that our days ahead would be exciting and full of purpose. As we exited, we thanked the driver, ready to accept that for the first time in our lives, America embodied everything we were taught she could. -Aaron Morrissey
- After enjoying Cincinnati Chili with blue cornbread (made with blue cornmeal from here) with some friends, my barren part of Crystal City (just north of Potomac Yards) erupted in audible celebration between 11:00 and 11:30. The most fun we had while watching the returns was holding out for chocolate chip pecan pie until Obama hit 200 votes, which led to the line of the night: "MSNBC says we can have pie!" The half hour between 10:30 and 11 was excruciating to watch. Everyone knew what the outcome would be, but the filler on all of the news channels was horrible. -Andrew Chriss
- I had taken a break from the Brightest Young Things party at Bohemian Caverns and was eating a half smoke at Ben's Chili Bowl (with a McCain supporter, ironically) when CNN announced that they had projected Obama as the winner. The whole place erupted in cheers and one of the staff cranked up P-Funk's "Chocolate City" on the jukebox (we may not have Ali in the White House, but we will have Obama). I then returned to U & 11th as the street celebrations were just kicking off, and stayed long enough to use up my last roll of film. The last time I can remember seeing anything like this was when the Redskins won their 1st Super Bowl in '83, when the principal of my suburban high school actually canceled classes so that everyone could go downtown to see the parade celebrating the victory. -Chris Chen
- I got crowded out of three bars and eventually ended up in a bar in Dupont with a big TV and a raucous crowd. It was everything you wanted - eruptions of cheers when they called a state for Obama and dead silence when he started speaking. I honestly don't think there was a dry eye in the room when he got done with that speech. Afterward, I walked out into the street in Dupont Circle and everyone was honking and yelling out of the windows of their cars. It felt more like a party celebrating a World Cup victory in a developing country than a presidential election in America. It felt REALLY good. I felt an overwhelming sense of connection to everyone who was out celebrating.
We walked down to the White House and met a huge crowd of people cheering, singing, hugging and celebrating. I got the feeling that everyone there honestly felt he or she won something themselves. The only negativity I saw was people singing the old "Na-na-na-na, Na-na-na-na, hey-hey-hey, Goodbye!" to George Bush. -Steve Goldenberg
- I was at an election get together at a friend's place last night after having spent the day canvassing in Virginia. Once the result was called, with tambourine in hand, I headed out to join the drum circle at 14th and U. Thoughts of the '68 riots kept popping into my head. Forty years ago U Street burned in flames of anger, and last night it exploded with joy, enthusiasm, and hope. I eventually made my way home around 3 a.m.. - Sriram Gopal
- a. I wish I didn't have to work today! b. U Street was off the chain. I spent the evening at a friend's place at 13th and Florida, and when we realized the insanity that was going on on U Street, we all ran down there in between McCain's and Obama's speeches (and after Obama's). People were drinking in the streets, yelling Woos, chanting Obama, honking, high-fiving, taking photos, just general happiness all around. U was blocked off between 13th and 14th, and the crowd at 14th and U was incredible. A police car rolled up and everyone was a little hesitant, wondering if they were going to tell us to go home or something, then the cop rolled down the window and yelled "Obama!" and everyone cheered. c. The overall feeling from my friends was that McCain's speech was very good. Some were slightly disappointed in Obama's speech, because the convention speech was so amazing and brought tears to our eyes. This one was ... good, but not enough for tears. Unless you were my friend Stacy, who balled the entire time and alternated between hugging and kissing everyone, and balling hysterically with her hands over her face. d. I went inside my apartment on U at 1:30 and probably went to bed around 3 (ouch this a.m.). People were still all cheering outside our apartment until I feel asleep. It was mostly a light crawl of folks down the street, but at one point around 2 a.m., a large organized crowd all came down the street cheering. e. Some folks were still cheering on U this morning when I got on the metro at 8 a.m., but mostly it had died down. (Did these people go to bed yet???) -Lynne Venart
- A friend's idea to walk down to the White House was appealing. A unique chance to quietly reflect on the victory at the gates of Obama's newly won residence. The last thing we saw on the news as we left our party was a live shot of the scene on Pennsylvania Avenue. Jubilant masses flooding the house's north gate. We walked down Connecticut Avenue. Euphoria. A cacophony of car horns and cheers. Pickup trucks with 20 screaming people in them. High fives to all passersby. Weaving through traffic to dance in the streets.
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Group hugs. Several chances to sing The Star Spangled Banner. God Bless America. Chanting. Yes We Can! Obama! Yes We Did! No more Bush! Thousands of 20-somethings and college kids. Balloons and buttons. President-elect cutouts. Police and Secret Service letting the crowd do their thing. Kudos to a job well done! Circling up and swaying with strangers (Kumbaya was not sung). A friendly mosh-pit. Jumping up and down. Drums and dancing. 3 a.m. on a school night and as some went home, others were just arriving.
Incessant horn honking audible from 14th and New York Ave. Hundreds had gathered there to create a canyon for cars to drive through. A steady stream of vehicles, at 5mph. Passengers hanging out of car windows and sun roofs. More high fives. News of floods of people dancing across U Street. Wanting to go up there. Wanting to get my car to drive through the human throng and lay on my horn. Wishing I brought my American flag with me to wave around and that I wore more comfortable shoes. Wanting to stay with the crowd with the White House until the sun came up. Waiting to see how the spontaneous celebrations compare to the ones sure to spring up on January 20.-Josh Novikoff
- My fiance and I watched the polls come in at my apartment in Rosslyn (at first alternating between the news and the Caps game), celebrating the occasion with the weird, promotional Patriotic Bourbon that Maker's Mark put out (because red, white AND blue wax is totally necessary). We had unopened pink champagne leftover from our engagement celebration at the ready in case our candidate won. I had trouble not being glued to my laptop during the duration of the evening - I totally was finding out results info via my friends on Twitter much more quickly than I was by watching CNN, which was kind of surreal. My area of Arlington stayed quiet when the results were revealed - I kind of feel left out of the action now that I'm hearing about all the partying in the streets. -Missy Frederick