"Signed, Sealed, Delivered"

"Here I am baby--signed, sealed, delivered--I'm yours." That was the song that the crowd at Malone's broke out singing as Barack Obama was declared the winner of the presidential election.

Wow, what a morning it was. Nichole and I had our choice of going to Malone's (our favorite breakfast spot) for an election results watch party that began at 7:30 a.m. on this Wednesday morning (5:30 p.m. CT Tuesday) with live CNN coverage or going to another watch party at the Hilton Hotel. The one at the Hilton was sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce with support from the American Consulate Community and the American Women's Club in Shanghai. Malone's won.

What an experience this was. I cannot even begin to tell you what it was like to be in a place with three floors of expats watching a moment in American history unfold. Outside those walls, the Chinese people were going about their everyday lives, unaware of the emotional bond that tied us all together inside. Love of our country abounded and hope for its future was evident. The crowd cheered with an Obama projected win of a state, but you could hear a pin drop when both McCain and Obama gave their eloquent speeches. All hung on every word.

A photographer was there possibly taking pictures for a local paper; I'll see what appears in the Shanghai Daily tomorrow. One of the local organizers also took photos to be sent to Obama headquarters; maybe they will surface somewhere.

It has been interesting to see how the campaigning and election have been covered in China. Last evening on the news, only a few minutes were spent on local news and then coverage shifted to the election. Chinese political analysts gave their viewpoints, there were profiles of both candidates, clips from their campaigns,...but after watching for an hour, I knew I my early rising in the morning had to be addressed since it would take an hour to get to Malone's via cab and the Metro. I don't know how long the coverage continued after that. Even before last evening, the coverage was a staple each night. Coverage of the candidates' respective views on relations with China, trade, and security; the early voting in some of the states; and how the election of each would affect the global financial markets were some of the noted segments.

Tonight I know where I will be, watching more of the aftermath and its diagnosis from a different cultural viewpoint. But for six hours today, I was with my fellow Americans.