+1. To say so I think is to trivialize what has been accomplished already. I think people continue to underestimate Obama, perhaps because they aren't used to an executive politician that writes so much of their own material. The man sold ideas, McCain sold jingo. Jingo ain't selling, so Obama wins... but those speeches had depth, his proposals were developed, and he has a history of getting things done. Race isn't even in the top ten of Obama's battle as far as I'm concerned, and I only recall hearing the man himself speak about it (eloquently) that once.

Obama isn't just black. He's all kinds of things. A genealogical melting pot. And now, he is America. I like that face to the world a whole lot better than the last. I'm convinced Obama's victory is about so much more than cosmetics.

And I also agree that THE KIDS GET IT, which is about as much more as you can get.

+1. To say so I think is to trivialize what has been accomplished already. I think people continue to underestimate Obama, perhaps because they aren't used to an executive politician that writes so much of their own material. The man sold ideas, McCain sold jingo. Jingo ain't selling, so Obama wins... but those speeches had depth, his proposals were developed, and he has a history of getting things done. Race isn't even in the top ten of Obama's battle as far as I'm concerned, and I only recall hearing the man himself speak about it (eloquently) that once.

Obama isn't just black. He's all kinds of things. A genealogical melting pot. And now, he is America. I like that face to the world a whole lot better than the last, but I'm convinced Obama's victory is about so much more than cosmetics.

And I agree that THE KIDS GET IT.

A joke. I have strong principles. Still, I'm all for waterboarding Dick Cheney.

I live in the most Mormon district of Utah, just north of Salt Lake City. I don't want to shed any rain on the parade, but my hangover was aggravated by a few reminders of the trolls in the glen.

Yesterday, the local boy scouts put flags in front yards like they do for every national holiday. Usually there's one in my yard, but with the Obama/Biden sign already out I was conspicuously skipped this time. My Obama sign was stolen sometime overnight; my house got egged on election night 2004. During lunch, a co-worker expressed her depression at the presumed disaster of Obama's victory; at the moment the results were declared she instructed her husband to go buy a gun (?!?). She hand one last vestige of hope: Proposition 8.

I spent a lot of time last night looking at the battleground state maps to see how districts voted. There was just so much red. Obviously, urban areas make up a lot of the Democratic vote so those blue districts weighed heavier. Yet the fact is a majority of our national territory is dominated by people who would not or could not vote for our candidate. Having closely watched the campaigns it's hard for me to see how *anybody* could vote for McCain/Palin. I'm trying to bask in the watershed moment, but I relate to the anger described in the initial post...

Why does it take *so* much time, money, effort, emotion, charisma, and (of course) smear-debunking from so many dedicated people to elect a decent person to lead our country?

It does, and in that light Obama feels like a miracle.

I'll venture this: it looks to my untrained eye like the youth vote came out tonight. Given demographics, that had the chance to make the difference for the first time in decades.

Thoughts?

I hope the energy lasts.

Besides, isn't much of TPM's campaign content the relaying of negative and distorted advertising. I think the correct thing to do was to voice your objection to the ad's content, in the context of your political reporting. Thank you.

Here's hoping Prop 8 bites the dust.

I hope she died as proud of the fruits of her life as she has a right to. Can anyone disagree her grandson is now tested? I don't just hope, I believe that Senator Obama will face tomorrow with courage. I really don't know how, but I couldn't respect a man more.