Obama Wins

Last night I had what I promise was an absolutely brilliant entry on Barack Obama's win -- and then Blogger lost it.

But let me just state the obvious anyway: I am thrilled.

And for more reasons than because I think the country elected the right man for the presidency.

Last night started a unification process that has been long overdue in this country. Even before Barack Obama took the stage to thank his supporters, John McCain had already started the ball rolling with a magnificent concession speech. When he finished speaking, my husband and I looked at each other and said, "There's the John McCain we thought was running! Where has he been?"

Barack Obama's speech was equally powerful, and clear in its message -- that he understands that the right road is the hard road, and he's ready to take it.

Shortly after the speech, even though it was late, my dad called me and said, "I never thought I would live to see a black man elected president. I'm just glad I was, and I'm glad you were here, too."

That statement, echoed by so many other people of his generation last night and today, is powerful, and sums up what, for me, is the real American dream -- to create a better tomorrow for our children. My dad wants it for me. Whoopi Goldberg's mother wants it for her. I want it for my children.

Barack Obama wants it for his children. All along he has taken the position that it is possible, and now he has the power to try to do something about it.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, whose meltdown I shamefacedly confess I was looking forward to, said this morning that she is happy, and happy to belatedly jump on the Barack Obama bandwagon, because she finally gets his message.

I don't envy him -- he will inherit a tough economic crisis, two wars, and a huge list of expectations from hopeful supporters. Fortunately, he seems unruffled by all that, and instead will plunge in and devise solutions. We may not like them, but we can be sure he will not shy away from solving them in the best way.