you will miss Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert at 10! Live! Together!     Have a good night. sweet dreams, of a restored country. The Bush Nightmare just might be over…

I’m not a bit surprised. Have fun watching the states turn blue on the map. The chatter has been fun. (Oh, and good for Landeaux for taking care of bedtime. Noise and blood pressure down, endorphins going steadily up, I perceive

11:00 PM. It was called. What an amazing moment. It was incredible – especially since I heard it first from  Jon Stewart!  (sigh… I love him)
I didn’t get to sleep until after 1. First came McCain’s concession speech, which was gracious and lacking in the nasty fear mongering his campaign had continually spewed. His crowd, true to their nasty campaign form, was boo-ing Obama, although he did try to tamp that out and looked really annoyed.           But Obama’s speech. Was. Amazing. Some of it was riff on MLK’s “we’ll get to the mountaintop” speech, but it wasn’t so much about the obvious history making first black president thing. It wasn’t a “campaign” speech at all. Maybe because of his grandmother’s death, but Obama was serious and maybe a bit somber. He was not all triumphant and ra-ra. Instead of whipping the crowd into a frenzy, he sort of lowered their tone, which was interesting. He asked us all to think, not to shout. It wasn’t so much about his victory, but he was telling us there is hard work ahead. It was about unity, and above all, it was truly inspiring. Goose-bump moment in my life, and I suspect in many. 
Watch it and tell me what you think.     

Of course the news guys are already saying no one will ever forget where they were when he won, and I guess I will say I was on Facebook, ha ha. 

Not to give short shrift to my hardest-campaigning mother-of-young-children Democrat friend. The Facebook volunteer/agitator par excellence.

Our messages crossed again.          Thanks for your reporting. I’m sorry I missed the goosebump moment, and I’ll pull it up to watch as soon as the kids are on the bus.    

I was hoping that Obama would avoid ra-ra and gloating. And to McCain I say, “Good form!” McCain is, after all, a patriot. Say what you want, but the man loves his country and wants to see the U.S. prosper and be united….

That’s what Obama’s speech was all about. I think he  just might be that guy. Apparently a bunch of other people think he might be as well. The president who can create unity and bring people together. 
Hopeful is a good word. And proud. I am proud of my country for finally realizing color shouldn’t be an issue. And for making the right choice, the choice to change all that was bad about the last 8 years, and more. 

Tell me what Guy has to say. And what Virginia has to say. I’d love to hear it.           

Time to make the PB& Js. In the middle of this extraordinary moment, school lunch must be made!

Our posts crossed again. That’s what his speech was all about refers to Obama, being the guy to reach across the divisions…          And you are right about McCain. And he has a fantastic opportunity to work with Obama now. He will have a certain authority in the Senate – which is now Dem majority. He can “reach across the aisle” and help to make things happen. IF he stops pandering to the far right, and puts that (God, am I using this word?) Maverick, party-bucking attitude back in place. If he can be the pre-Bush McCain, he can do so much and really leave a great legacy for himself.     

I really do feel like the country can be led out of a dark place, a dark time. I’m very excited.

Yes! on the color issue. More healing needed in our nation on that one issue than could ever be quantified. $700 billion could never touch it–only changed hearts and minds.           Quick aside: every time I turn on the DC-area local news, I get a snootful of how many black male suspects were apprehended, all reported to the video shots of slouchy, furtive-looking inner-city black men being led away in handcuffs. I think to myself, “What about all of the well-heeled white men who have, in their greed, stolen people’s pensions, raped hard-working individuals’ 401K’s, and plunged all of our home values into the toilet?” How often do we see their mug shots flashed up on the screen in an attempt to incite fear and loathing?    

Here’s a PB&J meditation for you to celebrate with:

“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.”

Amen, Dr. King.

McCain will step up to the plate, I am almost sure of it. A calculating enough politician to pander, but without a presidential election at stake, I think he will go back to being a maverick in the best, pre-overuse sense of the word.     I’m very excited too. As necessary as disunity is to democracy and the 2-party system, we have been too polarized, fear-driven and fragmented for too long.    So tired of people on different sides of the political fence questioning one another’s patriotism. How I would love to see a leader lead the WHOLE country wisely and well. Even those who did not vote for him. Time to get a shower and get ready to be friendiful.    

Here’s to the red, white, and blue!