Michael Barrs, a teacher at the American School, rang in President Barack Obama's reelection with a Captain America costume. "In between classes, I was checking, I was so excited," he said of seeing the news about Obama's victory. "My students were excited, too."( Photo: Lien Hoang )

With U.S. President Barack Obama’s reelection, of course, liberal supporters came out in full force in Ho Chi Minh City (and nabbed a few appetizers).

The victory party at Xu restaurant saw one of the largest turnouts at an event by Dems Abroad, who personalized their chapter of the international partisan group with shirts proclaiming, “Obama ơi!” Plenty of partygoers sported the liberal attire, which features the president donning a conical hat.

One Democrat went so far as to deck out in a Captain America costume. Michael Barrs, 39 and a teacher, said he wore the same outfit for an embassy party in the Dominican Republic in 2008.

Midway through the night, chants of “Four more years!” burst from the center of the restaurant.

In addition to Democrats bar hopping in Hanoi, the festivities at Xu followed a morning of uneasy anticipation. At roughly 11:30 a.m. local time Wednesday, Democrats across Vietnam collectively erupted in rhapsody -- and perhaps relief, upon seeing that the man at the top of their party’s ticket had clinched a second term. Leading up to Obama’s triumph over GOP challenger Mitt Romney, especially in the final days, liberal Americans living here talked of wracked nerves and cautious optimism.

They assembled at Lucca restaurant downtown to watch election returns, while others met at a U.S. consular event in Phu Nhuan District. Though American state department representatives are professionally required to be nonpartisan, crowds at both the consular and Dems Abroad gatherings cheered when CNN projected a blue state, compared with quiet when a red state appeared onscreen.

The consulate had invited both Vietnamese and Americans, regardless of party. And like U.S. embassies and consulates around the world, the Ho Chi Minh City division trotted out kitschy, life-size cut-outs of Obama and Romney at its watch party, where guests were quick to pose and snap photos with both of the now-former candidates.

Source:Tuoitrenews