Thoughs about Election

To be completely honest I feel like i do not fallow enough about politics going on in the United States as much as I should to have a full and complete response to the elections. But instead of using that as an excuse, I do have some thoughts about things that I have heard and seen about the elections and peoples thoughts even way before the elections. First off, I was surprised at peoples reactions and how involved people were in this years elections compared to the last elections between Bush v. Gore. I found myself knowing more facts and more curious about this years elections than any other in my life. This brings up thoughts in my mind of why?
Ive heard all this hope of change and hope just because of our new president being Obama. It makes me wonder if he is acutally going to fallow through to his plans that everyone has been talking about. While discussions in class do bring up thoughts in my mind of the fact that since we have a president who is prodominatly seen as "black" rather then "mixed", would it really give hope and cause the majority of those who are African American to raise from the stereotype of being in poverty or just make it lower? I do not personal have an opinon but my reactions to the elections mainly bring up questions and curiousity.
One thing that makes me curious is of those who were strongly voting republicans. For example is the people ive seen in this videos a while before the elections took place:

This video makes me think of how will those who were strongly against having a "African American President" react now that Obama is the president. Will they in a way suck it up and try to work around the fact that hes black. It makes me wonder why is it that it bothers them more about what he looks like rather then what he wants to give towards the country. I would think that what a person has to offer is more important thatn what they look like would more likely effect the Unite States. The people in the video dont investigate him and learn what he offers because they had their answer when they heard his name being "Barak Obama". They went along with a prejudice and now are too far along to turn back since it is offical that he is our president.