**VOTE**

__Reaction to the Emancipation Proclamation__
The greatest moments in history aren’t usually made great by the moment itself, but by the reaction of the people to that moment. This is the case with the Emancipation Proclamation, as stated in a short diary excerpt from Reverend Henry M. Turner, //"Men squealed, women fainted, dogs barked, white and colored people shook hands, songs were sung."// //When the press released the Emancipation Proclamation everyone was ecstatic. People young and old, white and colored rejoiced and celebrated this act which in reality didn’t guarantee anything, but it gave hope to the colored people that for the first time in their lives, the first sentence of the second paragraph in the Declaration of Independence was about to come true.// //Some of the major themes in this diary are hope, happiness, and equality. After almost 250 years of slavery, suffering and degrading// //“one document of only 713 words”// (Allen Guelzo) gave what the slaves and their ancestors lacked, hope. By making such a colossal statement, it showed that the North was in control of the war and that sooner or later all enslaved people are //“thenceforward and forever free”.// Another important theme is happiness. Slaves were now going to be able to practice civil rights granted by the Bill of Rights. They were simple civil rights that most citizens took for granted but to the newly freed slave //"It was indeed a time of times, and nothing like it will ever be seen again in this life."// //The last important theme, but certainly not the least, is equality. The Emancipation Proclamation made the slaves truly believe that “All men are created equal”// //wasn’t just a phrase, but a reality. They were one step closer to being seen as a person and not just as property or even more degrading, an animal. Lincoln’s Proclamation wasn’t just a victory for the North or for the slaves. It was more than that. The victory was a moral victory that changed the course of a nation.//

http://www.historynow.org/12_2005/historian.html

__President Bush's Speech after first democratic voting in Iraq__ "Iraqis of every background are recognizing that democracy is the future of the country they love" - President Bush Sunday, December 18, 2005; Posted: 11:23 p.m. EST (04:23 GMT)

Good evening. Three days ago, in large numbers, Iraqis went to the polls to choose their own leaders -- a landmark day in the history of liberty. In coming weeks, the ballots will be counted, a new government formed and a people who suffered in tyranny for so long will become full members of the free world. This election will not mean the end of violence. But it is the beginning of something new: constitutional democracy at the heart of the Middle East. And this vote -- 6,000 miles away, in a vital region of the world -- means that America has an ally of growing strength in the fight against terror. All who had a part in this achievement -- Iraqis, Americans, and coalition partners -- can be proud. Yet our work is not done. There is more testing and sacrifice before us. I know many Americans have questions about the cost and direction of this war. So tonight I want to talk to you about how far we have come in Iraq, and the path that lies ahead. http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/18/bush.transcript/

2005 Iraq Election Candidates