Ardmore Pubs Subdued 90 Mins. After Bin Laden News; State Dept. Issues Travel Warning

The streets of Ardmore were quiet at midnight Sunday, with the majority of local residents clearly hours away from learning the dramatic news delivered by President Obama late Sunday evening.

But a couple of dozen late-night bar patrons were in a celebratory mood as news reports of the death of the world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, blared from TVs.

"I've been waiting for this day," said a customer at McCloskey's Tavern on Cricket Avenue, an Ardmore resident who would identify himself only as Mac. "I'm a little choked up. It's a symbolic takedown for America, sure, but as you can see, it's making a lot of Americans very happy."

"It's very reassuring," said McCloskey's bartender Sean McCafferty, at about 12:30 a.m. "I think it's great for our troops who are over there."

Around the corner at JD McGillicuddy's on County Line Road, the crowd was thicker,  livelier, and decidely younger. The mood was positive but laid-back, as nonsmokers filtered out into the mild morning air to join the smokers at the bar's sidewalk tables.

"I'm glad he's dead," said Mike Brucker, of Broomall, a veteran Air Force enlisted man who was otherwise unfazed at the news. "But, it's been rumored that hes been dead for so long anyway." 

"People were definitely happy," said Alycia D'Abruzzo, of Radnor. "People were chanting when it first went up on the big TVs during the Phillies game."

Speaking of which, chants of "U-S-A! U-S-A!" were heard at Citizens Bank Park during the Phils' game with the Mets, which was still being played in extra innings when the news came. 

"All  can say is that it's about time," D'Abruzzo said.

In the hour since then, the U.S. State Department issued a statement alerting U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad "to the enhanced potential for anti-American violence given recent counter-terrorism activity in Pakistan.

"Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where recent events could cause anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations."

A video of President Obam's speech and the transricpt can be seen here.

What kinds of reactions have you seen to bin Laden's death thus far?