Obama wins, Los Angeles parties

Yeah, Barack Obama is the president-elect.

But Times editor Steve Padilla didn't need CNN to tell him that. He was strolling around Silver Lake reservoir when the election was called. "Up and down the street, you could hear people hollering, screaming and whooping inside their houses." The cheers kept going as Padilla continued his walk.

More dispatches from around Southern California:

COSTA MESA — At Triangle Square, about 2,000 Orange County Democrats celebrated at Sutra’s nightclub, listening to Bruce Springsteen’s music and recordings of Obama’s speeches. Later in the evening, Kindell Castle, 45, of Costa Mesa watched Obama’s presidential acceptance speech on one of the club’s wide-screen television sets, her arms wrapped around her 15-year-old daughter, Serise. Both mother and daughter wore Obama T-shirts. "I'm feeling so full of hope," said Castle, who is black. "There’s a sense of rebirth. I’ve always told my daughter, 'You can do anything you want, be anything you want.' But you reach a certain age and you start to doubt that. Now when I tell her you can be anything you want, it’s true." When Obama finished speaking, jubilant Democrats raised their margaritas and wine glasses and shouted, "Yes, we can!"  "We’re going to party all night!" said Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove). —Paloma Esquivel

CENTURY CITY — An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 people flowed into the streets outside the Century Plaza Hotel, where Democrats were celebrating. Los Angeles police closed off several streets. —Rong-Gong Lin II

CRENSHAW DISTRICT — Along a packed Crenshaw Boulevard at West 30th Street, drivers honked while passengers cheered, raised fists and threw thumbs up. On the sidewalks, onlookers waved Obama signs and cheered. Willie Harris, 46, stood by, waving an Obama sign bearing the word "Hope." When Obama’s win was announced, he grabbed the poster from his window and headed for the street. His girlfriend, Jonetta Johnson, 48, joined him. "This is a history-making moment," said Harris, who wore a black shirt showing Obama, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, along with the words, "Dream come true." "You can sit back and watch it happen or you can be a part of it." The couple planned to savor the victory along the busy strip until midnight. —Raja Abdulrahim

MID-WILSHIRE — Soon after Obama was declared president about 8:20 p.m., several motorists began honking their car horns in victory as they drove down Wilshire Boulevard. Some yelled out their windows, "Obama! Obama!" —Carlos Lozano

NEWPORT BEACH — At Sharkeez bar, the bartenders were serving red, white and blue Jell-O shots and pitchers of Budweiser's new American Ale. Just before 8 p.m., the bartenders played a funeral bagpipe dirge on the loudspeaker. Some patrons seemed ready to cry in their beer. "I am completely depressed," said Keith Daniels, 49, of Newport Beach.  He said he already was working out in his mind the effect that higher taxes will have on the forensics consulting business he runs. —Paloma Esquivel

BURBANK — Shortly after 9 p.m., about 50 people arriving on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle gathered around a wide-screen television in the lobby at Bob Hope Airport to watch Obama’s speech. When the president-elect finished, one man started clapping and the room erupted in applause. —Richard Kipling

DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH — The tally was followed by fireworks on the beach. "As soon as the networks started calling it, I could hear a lot of cheering and shouting from the apartment," said Times reporter Kimi Yoshino. "There were firecrackers going off at the beach. I could see flashes of light."

KOREATOWN — At the HMS Bounty, a popular bar at the historic Gaylord Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard, televisions were tuned to President-elect Obama’s speech. As he strode to the stage, the crowd broke out clapping and cheering.  Then it quieted as people waited to hear what he would say.

Some seemed frozen in place,  their hands clutching their beer bottles. The bartender even stopped to watch. The room was quiet as people strained to hear TVs that were turned up as high as they would go. There were cries of “That’s right!” and “You know it!”  during the speech.  But mostly it was quiet, and the crowd shushed those few who dared to make noise. --Corina Knoll

CRENSHAW DISTRICT — At the FAME church, the celebrating was passionate. T. Larry Kirkland, the new presiding bishop of the 5th Episcopal district of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, shed tears of joy when Obama was declared winner of the presidential election. A native of Birmingham, Ala., Kirkland said he witnessed Klu Klux Klansmen burning crosses on his church lawn. He saw young black men jailed simply for looking at a white woman and was pastoring in Mississippi when one of them was beaten and killed for doing so. He was there, too, when Medgar Evers was shot down "like a dog." He remembers his mother moving him off the sidewalk when whites walked by and being bused across town to attend a black school even though a white one was just half a mile away. "I saw all this with my own eyes," he said. "Now to see a black man become president of the United States not because he's black but because he's brilliant ... I just cried. The new generation of Americans is refusing to be racist." --Teresa Watanabe

Comments

[Ismael Burgara]

America is back....

[George Holt]

Our great democracy has spoken. Hail to the Chief!

[Peter Smith]

Jews should be afraid -- very afraid. Muslims are sure to gain new courage as they plan for a weak response from the US when they attack Israel.

[Ugh]

I'm a Jew. Voted for Obama without a second thought. First off, not all muslims are gunning for people. Second - Israel is more than capable of opening a can of whoopass on anyone that tries.

The whole Republican 9/11 Fear Machine is *dead*.

[hrob27]

Let us thank God for this historical moment. We have proven in this election by choosing Barack Obama that we are a country that believes in opportunity for all. Now we have a lot of hard work to do. May God Bless us and show us the way. America, welcome back. Mr. President, Air Force One is ready.

[Jasmine Marshall Armstrong]

One of the greatest nights in my 31 years. The torch is passed to my generation.

[Chris]

"Ding, dong! The witch is dead!" The dark days of the evil Bush-Cheney are numbered. Today is the NEW Independence Day! Perhaps the Republican party should just save everyone the trouble and disband.

[monsieur pierre]

" bravo! for Barack Obama!!.....

[Stop Smoking]

History is being made tonight! And it's so inspiring to see hope in people's eyes everywhere...

[jojo]

I am overjoyed for America! A new chapter has started and it has nothing to do with us vs. them. It has everything to do with the people that we all are and what we all want for ourselves and each other. People may one day learn how to live on the land without harming each other. That is the next dream we must work for.

We must hold Obama to his promises and we must clean up our country!

OBAMA! OBAMA! OBAMA!

[Abiy E]

What a historic night. I never thought I would live to see this day. One of the happiest nights of my life for sure. YES WE CAN.GO OBAMA GO!!!!!.

[enhager]

For video and photos of the celebration on Crenshaw Boulevard in Leimert Park (the soul of Los Angeles), visit www.leimertparkbeat.com

[happy echo park chick]

I can hear the hooing and honking of happy Echo Parqueros as we celebrate this election. Earlier at Taix the mood was exuberant, and it has moved to Alvarado and Sunset. It is a good moment, after much bitterness: relief. Hopefully we'll even restore the Constitution to its place of supremacy in this country.

[Dr. Christopher Eaton]

Don't forget about Silverlake, Long Beach and West Hollywood. The Gay Bars were packed with Queers and Friends who celebrated as Barack acknowledged us for the first time publicly and legitimately EVER in the history of the Presidency!!!!!! Yes on H8 idiots, laugh now, cry later, because your idiocy and hatred will be overturned by the Supreme Court. Barack gets the next appointment. Your idiotic, hateful beliefs won't be foisted on us for much longer anymore. Gooooooooooooooooooooooooo Barack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[coty southern]

I have dreamed of a day our generation would make our stand and today is the day . Bless you all and now we controll the government.

[bob]

Has LA started to burn yet?

[Gary Grove]

Now I know how Winston Churchill must have felt upon Chamberlain's declaration of "peace in our time"! McCain or Obama, our nation will live to regret our lack of choices on this historic day.

[saul]

are the elections tonight or tomorrow? can i vote from home?

[fredobama@yahoo.cm]

obama loved his mama

[Xian Oronoz]

Yay for Obama. Its good to see the country is ready for a change.

[Harold]

This is one of the greatest days in American History!

America is now stronger then ever before, fear has been defeated.

[taqiuddin]

The historic election of USA and win of Barak Obama is the real Democratic success of the Democrates. The USA and the whole world waits for the real change.