Suddenly, it’s cool to be an American again

Jason Navarrette is a contributing author

My girlfriend is visiting relatives in Nepal. She wasn’t able to contact me before election day because she was traveling. Finally she called the morning after the election. She told me that Nepal had held three days of national prayers for Obama’s win. That’s when I realized the profound effect this election has on the rest of the world.

I voted for Obama because of the passion I felt towards his vision. Not that it was a hard choice. Sarah Palin didn’t know Africa was a continent. But my vote apparently had a much bigger effect around the world.

The second Ohio was announced in Obama’s favor, Spain’s President José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero called his American friend, a CNN correspondent, and asked if he had heard the good news.

French President Sarkozy was so enthused that he sent Obama a congratulatory note at 5am Paris time. Other Frenchmen share his enthusiasm: “The America that we love is back.”

Blogs from abroad are sprouting up saying things like “Weird how it feels like that, like the he’s the Planetary President Elect, isn’t it? I imagine it’s because the reign of George W. had such a profound effect at an international level…”

Another blog from an American traveler in Africa: “I walked down the street in Africa today waving a small American flag. Everyone stopped to shake my hand. I have never been prouder to be an American.”

Austria: “She was a stranger, and she kissed me. Just for being an American.” This expatriate goes on to say:

It happened on the bus on my way to work Wednesday morning, a few hours after compatriots clamoring for change swept Barack Obama to his historic victory. I was on the phone, and the 20-something Austrian woman seated in front of me overheard me speaking English. Without a word, she turned, pecked me on the cheek and stepped off at the next stop. Nothing was said, but the message was clear: Today, we are all Americans.

For a longtime U.S. expatriates like me — someone far more accustomed to being targeted over unpopular policies, for having my very Americanness publicly assailed — it feels like an extraordinary turnabout.

Like a long journey over a very bumpy road has abruptly come to an end.

While I was on the phone with my girlfriend, her father requested he speak to me. This was a big deal because he literally hates me. But today, he spoke with me enthusiasticly with me for about ten minutes. His daughter had told him I voted for Obama.

My point is, suddenly, it’s cool to be an American again.