Världen mottar resultatet från USA med glädje

Nattens glädjeyra som syntes påtagligt bland de en miljon Demokrater som samlats i Chicago var påtalig. Det var också en glädjeyra som delades av stora delar av övriga världen. De enda två länder där en majoritet föredrog McCain framför Obama var Georgien och Filippinerna. I majoritet av länder firades därför Obamas seger igår.

Kenyas president Mwai Kibaki sa att valet av Obama var "a momentous day not only in the history of the United States of America, but also for us in Kenya. The victory of Senator Obama is our own victory because of his roots here in Kenya. As a country, we are full of pride for his success."

CNN skriver:

In the Japanese town bearing Obama's name, jubilation took a few minutes to translate from the group of American teachers to the local crowd, which also cheered "O-ba-ma!" CNN's Kyung Lah blogged. Blog from Obama, Japan

Obama cakes, chopsticks, T-shirts and kimonos carry an "I (heart) Obama" on them. A band penned a song "Obama is a beautiful world," and a party was about to get under way, Lah said.

Också ledarna i Europa gratulerade som väntat -och som brukligt- den nye presidenten till segern. Än är Obama dock inte president - och nu kommer två intensiva månader att följa där Obama måste sätta ihop sitt kabinett och samarbeta med Bushadministrationen för att få till stånd ett smidigt administrationsbyte framåt slutet av januari.

I motsats till den allmänna glädjeyran som råder - kommer dock ett av de faktiskt mer tänkvärda kommentarer - och ett för Obamas del efter valsegerns förmodligen viktigaste erkännanden efter McCains egen - från Michael Gerson - president Bushs nära vän och långvariga talskrivare - som kommenterar Obamas valseger så här:

Barack Obama's first years may well be dominated by a recession and a swiftly arming Iran. Some conservatives will be tempted to take joy from his inevitable struggles; others to spin conspiracy theories from his background and associations. It will be easy to blame every emerging challenge on the faults and failures of an inexperienced young president. But it will be more difficult for me.

I remember the vivid days of possibility that follow a presidential victory. I happened to be in the Roosevelt Room in January 2001 just as the portrait of Teddy Roosevelt, heroic on horseback, was moved over the fireplace, where it hangs during Republican administrations. And I know that someone, feeling the same hope and burden that I felt, will be watching when Franklin Roosevelt is moved back to the place of honor.

There is a tremendous sense of history and responsibility that comes with serving in the White House. You gain an appreciation for the conflicted choices others have faced -- and for the untamed role of history in frustrating the best of plans. It becomes easier to understand a president's challenges and harder to question his motives. Ultimately, I believe that every president, and the staff he hires, feels the duty to serve a single national interest. And, ultimately, we need our presidents to succeed, not to fail for our own satisfaction or vindication.

...I suspect I will have many substantive criticisms of the new administration, beginning soon enough. Today I have only one message for Barack Obama, who will be our president, my president: Hail to the chief.