ON November 5, 2008, the whole world shed tears. In recent times there was only one such occasion and that was when the beautiful Princess Diana died in an automobile accident. But on November 5 it was universal shedding of tears of joy.

In America the young - blacks, whites, Latinos and all coloured people - shrieked in joy. To older citizens it was a joyous but sombre moment - the realisation that it was a moment of extreme significance for humanity. Tears welled in the eyes of hard-bitten civil rights activists such as Jesse Jackson.

'Historic' was the word used by commentators to describe the event. We would call it 'revolutionary' or even more - 'evolutionary.' It was a mutation in the evolutionary process of humanity.

Perhaps we are being carried away by the event. Time will tell whether this was the moment when humanity commenced accepting the equality of all races. European Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution had placed the Caucasian races ahead of others like the Chinese and Indians and Africans. Was this the point in time of levelling?

Triumph for humanity

It was not a triumph of black over white. Barack Obama himself was a denial of that. His father was a Kenyan and his mother, a white American. It was a triumph for humanity. Forty five percent of white Americans had voted for Obama. Blacks, whites, Latinos, indigenous Americans, Asian Americans all revelled in his victory in celebrations throughout the United States.

So it was in other regions of the Western Hemisphere, Europe, across Asia to Australia and New Zealand while in Africa bush telegraphy sent out the message to remote villages that a son of Africa had been elected as president of the most powerful country in the world, setting the entire continent rocking to the throb of drum beats.

In Sri Lanka, the Obama victory was greeted in silence but with tears of joy. We were at a Colombo club where cynical old men had gathered to view the event on TV. We noticed many misty and moist eyes as Obama delivered his magnificent victory oration before a crowd of 275,000 cheering Chicago fans.

All credit to this charismatic intellectual genius who set his eyes on the White House two years ago with no political reputation, money or political supporters. He built an invincible political juggernaut that defeated the most powerful political forces in America - the Democratic Party forces standing by the Clintons and the neo-conservatives of the ruling Republican clique.

His eloquence was spellbinding - the most impressive of which was when he rebutted the allegations made against him by his former pastor. He overcame the crippling handicap of his father being a Muslim and his middle name being Hussein.

Right man

Astrologers would probably tell that Obama had all the stars lined up in his favour. He was the right man in the right place at the right time. America was a comparatively popular country with a very strong economy that President Bill Clinton left behind. But President George W. Bush ruined it all. Global surveys conducted have indicated that it is by far the least liked country.

A survey conducted by The Economist showed that of 22 countries only two - Georgia and Macedonia - which needed US support right now were favourable to America. Even conservative Republicans had turned against Republicans and the sins of George Bush weighed heavily on John McCain.

Barack Obama was fortunate in that his arrival in politics timed well with the maturation of an enthusiastic young generation of Americans much different in their outlook to older generations. His army of thousands of young volunteers carried him on their soldiers. This was a generation of internet addicts who conducted the presidential campaign basically on the internet.

Seventy three-year-old John McCain appeared to be pre-historic when compared to this generation. Some reports had it that he did not even know how to send a SMS message. Thus the presidential battle became a battle between the old and new America, some commentators noted.

Bush follies

The disastrous invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and the Global War Against Terrorism went against George Bush which McCain came to be identified with, however much he tried to disassociate himself

Finally the roof came down on John McCain with the financial crisis which buried him forever. It was manna from heaven for Obama - but now in power, it is the greatest challenge before him.

First priority

In an interview prior to the election by Wolf Blitzer of CNN, Obama was given a list and asked to choose his priority if he became president - health, education, energy, etc. Obama said that none would be his first priority and that it is the resolution of the financial crisis.

Indeed, pulling the country out of this crisis should be his first priority because all his other proposals need colossal investments. The Obama magic would not last long if this crisis continues for sometime.

While his seemingly insurmountable obstacles are many America and the world would hope for success of this extraordinary man who has brought America together and has the potential of doing so to the world.

Barack Obama is today looked on as a kind of messiah and a prophet. Our greatest fear about him is the threats that he would face like many prophets before him and were victims to. Our thoughts go back to Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, Anwar Sadat and Yitzhak Rabin.

Days prior to the presidential election, two 'white supremacists' planning the massacre of a black school and ending up with Barack Obama were arrested by the Federal authorities.