Obamaha, my old home town

From Daily Kos:

One could make a pretty compelling argument that the biggest upset of 2008 at the presidential level, bigger than even the Obama victory in Indiana, was the fact that Barack Obama stole an electoral vote from John McCain in, of all places, Nebraska.

I'm pretty proud of my peeps. And now there's more:

Tuesday night, the Democratic Party, and the voters of Omaha, made it clear that Obama's surprise single electoral vote in Nebraska was not an isolated incident.

Democrat Jim Suttle, a city councilman, scored the narrow win over former Republican mayor Hal Daub. Suttle won 50.7% of the vote, to Daub's 48.7% of the vote.

...In the same election, voters elected a city council that will, for the first time in two decades, have a Democratic majority. Four of the city's seven council seats went to Democrats.

Back in the dark ages (my high school years, the 60's), Omaha was a Democratic stronghold, albeit of the Prendergast variety. Irish catholic mayors (vote Quimby!), Italian catholic council members, career bureaucrats, police, etc. The spirit of Jack and Bobby was strong.

We picketed the hell out of George Wallace, demanded an end to war, protested the pants off Nixon, cheered like crazy for Gene McCarthy and gave the '68 primary to Bobby.

And then all hell broke loose, Nixon scared the crap out of the suburbs and Omaha went over to the Dark Side.

Well, as has been said, and this, too, shall pass. Congratulations, Obamaha, you've made a native son very proud.

Catch you later.....

(P.S. I'll be sure to congratulate them when I'm 'back home' next month to see the College World Series, be with my father on Father's Day, visit a couple of favorite eateries, and see my sister in the title role of Gypsy at the Omaha Community Playhouse. Way to go, Judy!)