holy shit. obama won it.

Matt, that is really lovely. And great to read.

'There's a conservative streak running through our nation that just doesn't exist in yours'
To quabble over definitions, I'd say it's more of a monarchy/royalty streak.
A modern American conservative would argue for the ability of the people to govern as laid out in the constitution.

http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips…

Matt, you're a better journalist (and a better Brit) than Melanie Phillips. That's my full-of-love-for-all admission for the day. Tomorrow I'm back to the curmudging.

Mm I don't think that's fair to be honest. I too am a Brit living here, but am US born, and as a dual national I felt incredibly proud and patriotic, possibly for the first time, for this country yesterday, but your comments regarding Britain are quite harsh!

-I disagree that there's more of a conservative streak in England than here, and at least we don't have Christian extremists thank you. The older generation of conservative republicans haven't disappeared, but this year the youth and 'minority' voters finally got out and got involved; and if we had someone to energize those groups and boost turn out in Britain I'm sure we could do it too.

Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely over the moon for the President Elect, and his achievement, and for the fact that we no longer have to feel kind of embarassed about our leader, and his speech was SO unifying and beautiful. I think it's important to see it as a victory for liberals and intellectuals too, finally a good progressive politician won on issues and not smear tactics. woop.

That was one of the nicest things I've ever read from you Matt. Very nice.

I think we're earnest in a way that a lot of other countries aren't. That earnestness accounts for our humorless, puritan streak that is the envy of no one, but it also accounts for a certain belief and determination that can occasionally make great things happen.

Anyway, this was really nice, Matt.

Dammit. This is really annoying me. I'm glad Brit expats are glad. But really, it's high time the Brits started sorting their own country out before they put all kinds of hope into ours. It's not like GB is a paradise. (I lived near Manchester for 7 years. God I'm happy to be home.)

@toilet joe- No Christian extremists in England? Really? Did you pay any attention to the recent parliamentary debates on abortion? You know, the ones campaigned for by um, Christian extremists in England?

Is "Britisher" really a word?