Top Seven Great Things That Happened On Election Night

Election Night was exciting, wasn’t it? I followed Ali’s super amazing open thread on my phone while watching MSNBC and taught a toddler how to spell Obama. We elected President Obama for a second term! We won so many things! Marriage equality did awesome this election, winning all the things! Total assholes Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock are hopefully reevaluating their morals after their losses, but Michele Bachmann still emerged victorious in Minnesota, so we’ve got work to do, people.

But seriously, let’s get to the actually important stuff and talk about the lady with the flag in her hair and Donald Trump’s Twitter tantrum. Here’s my top moments of last night (not in order, so don’t get mad).

7. Todd Akin’s concession speech

I didn’t actually listen to a word of this concession speech, but just the fact that it was happening was enough to make me do a victory lap around my living room. Todd Legitimate-Rape Akin became an icon of the completely insane religious right earlier this summer with his remarks about the magical powers of female anatomy and has been hated ever since by anyone with a logical brain. To see him, and Richard Mourdock for that matter, be forced to accept that the American people won’t stand for this kind of misogyny was delightful. Is it just me or is there something about concession speeches that makes me like a candidate a little bit more than when they were running? They take off their I-Want-To-Be-A-Politician-So-Badly mask and they turn into human beings for a moment. Well, as human as Todd Akin can get.

6. Rachel Maddow’s Colorado messup

Did anyone else see this? This was a really endearing moment to me because you could tell it had been a long day, the MSNBC panelists were getting tired, the adrenaline was wearing off, and we were all waiting for Romney HQ to admit defeat in Ohio. Apparently, when Rachel went to the bathroom, the network called Colorado and announced Obama was the winner. Rachel didn’t notice this and said Colorado was still too close to call (“Too Close To Call” was a really difficult drinking game, just so you know). This wasn’t even a big deal, but when they came back from commercial break, obviously someone told Rachel Colorado had been called and she started yelling at the other panelists because no one told her. This was one of silly moments that made me feel a little less like crying/getting sick/drinking myself all the way to Blackoutville, USA.

5. Donald Trump throws a tantrum on Twitter

I’ve wondered for years why Trump is such an advocate of job creation after he has made a living by literally saying, “You’re fired” to people. Apparently, people still think Trump is relevant in 2012 and these people read his Twitter and then talk about it on the television. Here’s his tweets from last night. Warning: this man is delusional.

#richwhitemanproblems

I can’t even read these tweets without smiling. I’m not even mad, Donald. I mean, I’m a little mad that you are apparently totally unaware of how the “travesty” of the election played into Bush’s election in 200, but mostly I’m just impressed you honestly believe what you are saying. (Spoiler alert: Obama won the popular vote, too, so… awkward….)

4. Two words: Tammy Baldwin

Tammy Baldwin, you guys. Is there anything else to say? There’s a lesbian in the Senate and she’s awesome. She said in an interview with CNN last night, “I didn’t run to make history, I ran to make a difference.” Four for you, Tammy Baldwin.

3. Elizabeth Warren’s Victory Speech

I cried.

2. Historic Number of Female Congresswomen

There are at least 19 female Senators now. This is the highest it’s ever been, can you believe that? Out of 100 seats, the highest number is 19? We still have a long way to go, but this is a huge step forward in equal representation in politics. In similarly awesome news, of the 90 women serving in congress right now, 24 of them are women of color. We also have our first female Asian-American Senator, Mazie Hirono from Hawaii. Also also, New Hampshire elected the first all-woman delegation by voting in Gov. Maggie Hassan, and Congresswomen Carol Shea-Porter and Ann McLane Kuster, who join Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte.

1. Hair Flag Lady

Does she even need an introduction? Hair Flag Lady won the hearts of Americans last night during Obama’s victory speech by standing behind him and moving her head side to side with a flag proudly stuck into her hair. I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud to be an American.

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Hansen

Hansen is the former DIY & Food Editor of Autostraddle.com and likes to spend most days making and cooking and writing. She teaches creative writing at Colorado State University and is pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts in her free time.

Hansen has written 189 articles for us.

36 Comments

  1. Can someone please inform Trump that this is in fact NOT a Democracy. This is a Republic. You know, the Pledge of Allegience “..and to the Republic for which it stands..” It’s why elections aren’t decided by popular vote. Donald Trumo, you are NOT smarter than a fifth grader! Someone, please tell him. But be sure to speak up so as to be heard through that thing on his head.

  3. “There are at least 19 female Senators now. This is the highest it’s ever been, can you believe that? Out of 100 seats, the highest number is 19?”

    this seems like an important thing to mention when people say the battle for gender equality is over

  5. What a lovely day. I woke up to an Obama victory, several gay-related victories, AND I finally found ‘Flowered Up’ while walking around Primrose Hill.

  7. I caught a bit of Akin’s speech while I was getting some food, and had no idea what the hell he was talking about it was just a bunch of random god stuff that didn’t really make any sense

  9. Congratulations on four more Obama years!

    Trump is an idiot. The world isn’t laughing at America, the world has political leader envy… I mean a female prime minister is obviously cool but Obama… he’s just awesome. (Sorry Julia).

  10. I believe Bachman only won by a couple hundred votes, and that there will probably be a recount (via my very upset Minnesotan friend). Huge congrats to Elizabeth Warren and for all the wonderful things that we won last night! Also, major props to Tammy Baldwin, Smith class of ’84 represent! I am so incredibly proud to be a Smithie!

    • I hate it, but it was by a bit over four thousand. They just announced that her opponent isn’t gonna insist on a recount. Darn!

      But I think we can all agree to celebrate defeating the MN Anti-Marriage Amendment! I know I was dancing around my kitchen this morning when I saw the final numbers were on our side.

    • I can’t say I’m disappointed that I’m going to be still writing and laughing about her crapola and comparing her to Death Eaters for another couple of years. As Bill Maher put it, “can’t get rid of all of [our] jokes in one night!”

      • “I can’t say I’m THAT disappointed” is what I meant. I mean, obviously, I’d prefer if nobody like her was in office at all. But as long as they are, well, she’s a fairly entertaining one! And one whose star is rapidly falling and influence diminishing.

  13. So many queermos elected, too!

    Baldwin in Wisconsin, and we elected an openly gay man to replace her seat in Congress (a first).

    Kyrsten Sinema, first openly bisexual woman elected to Congress (from Arizona).

    Sean Patrick Maloney, first openly gay man elected to Congress in New York.

    Mark Takano, first openly gay person of color elected to Congress, period, from California.

    Simone Bell, first openly lesbian African American woman elected to the Georgia House of Reps.

    SO MUCH AWESOME.

    • And David Cicilline was re-elected in Rhode Island’s 1st congressional district.

      As mayor of Providence he was the first openly gay mayor of a state capitol, so that’s pretty cool!

  15. Watching Elizabeth Warren’s speech made me cry all over again. Across the board, last night was a victory for rationality, for equality, and for progress. I’m so proud to be an American.

  18. oh trump…yeah, your nation is totally divided! let’s fix it by letting the other half decide things! seriously, if we’re laughing at anything, it’s you and your kind.

    in other news, i am now seriously considering going to seattle for my year abroad! that, or canada. but the US is looking HOT right now.

  19. It’s actually really funny seeing Republicans crow about how divided our nation is when it’s their party’s obstructionism that has done more to divide us recently than anything…

    My favorite whiny Republican status update is the person saying “Maybe now Obama can ACTUALLY HELP people in NY rather than campaigning.” She really thinks what he was doing in NY and NJ was CAMPAIGNING? You know, because those two states are such hardcore swing states! Meanwhile, what was Mitt Romney doing during the hurricane? Oh right, he was in swing states nowhere near the damage, putting a fake-ass “relief” signifier over his events but overall not giving a damn?

    I mean, do we even live in the same universe? I’m starting to wonder.

    • Some of my favorite images from the hurricane (because really, how can you like images of total destruction) are the ones of Obama and Chris Christie, NJ’s Republican governor, visiting the hardest hit areas of NJ together. No political BS, just two leaders trying to help and reassure people who need all the help and hope they can get right now. I’m not saying Obama or Christie are perfect, but they’re able to set aside their differences to help their fellow Americans. Meanwhile, Romney was busy giving people canned goods to donate back to him for the Red Cross, which the Red Cross didn’t want anyway. Oh, and he wants to get rid of FEMA (which is not perfect either, but some things just cannot be left to individual states to deal with).

  22. Not a single mention of Tammy Duckworth, the first woman combat vet and (AFAIK) the first visibly disabled woman in congress? I am disappoint.

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