Obama-mania hard to avoid

CHICAGO – Giao Nguyen has tried his best to escape Obama-mania.

Since Wednesday morning, Nguyen, who voted for John McCain, has managed to avoid newspapers and TV newscasts proclaiming the painful truth: Barack Obama will be the nation’s next president.

But on the streets of Chicago, he has found nowhere to hide. Walking downtown, he noticed the banners congratulating Obama outside City Hall. Sitting on the bus, he witnessed a man wearing an Obama cap, an Obama watch and his ticket to the Obama rally pinned to his sweat shirt.

“Where can I find a place that is Obama-free for just a short period of time?” wondered Nguyen, a Vietnam native. “I fully appreciate the fact that he won and there deserves to be some degree of celebration, but there is such a thing as too much.”

It might be hard to tell amid the euphoria that followed Tuesday’s election of the country’s first black president, but there’s still a sizable portion of America – about 46 percent – that isn’t sharing the love for Obama.

For disappointed McCain supporters, there has been little refuge from the revelry. It’s been a particularly bitter pill to swallow in Chicago, Obama’s hometown, where one McCain supporter and die-hard Cubs fan compared the painful spectacle to when the White Sox won the 2005 World Series.

“There’s only so much I can deal with, especially being from Chicago,” said Jonathan Hirsch, 34, of Barrington. “It’s a nonstop Obama love fest.”

By moving to McCain’s home state of Arizona, Isak Goldman, 22, thought he would escape the jubilation over Obama’s victory. But on Election Night, the former Lincolnwood resident was forced to close his windows to dull the sounds of honking horns and screaming Obama supporters on the streets of Phoenix.

“I don’t really listen to the news as much anymore because that’s all there’s been lately,” said Goldman, a Southern Illinois University graduate who voted for McCain. “I’m just trying to get over this one and hope there is a next election.”

Even before the election, McCain supporters had grown accustomed to what they consider the media’s obsession with Obama. But since Tuesday night, they say, it has spiraled out of control.

“You can’t turn on the TV without it being in your face all the time,” said Paul Kijak, 44, a truck company owner from Island Lake.

A few McCain supporters say they are just burned out on politics in general. Nursing his beer at the Gilmer Road House near Mundelein, construction worker Scott Gillman, 24, said he found some solace in the fact that campaign ads are finally over.

“At least we’re back to the Viagra and car ads,” he said.

Others are trying to come to terms with an Obama administration. Hirsch said he contemplated moving to Canada, but decided against it. His advice to the 52.5 percent of Americans who voted for Obama?

“He’s president. Great,” Hirsch said. “Let’s get over it and get on with our lives.”