After the 2008 election

It's hard to put my feelings into words after the 2008 election. Elated, relieved, delighted, amazed. Verklempt. With renewed hope for the future.

I spent some time this morning catching up on election news coverage, and kept finding my eyes welling up as I realized what an amazing outcome this is -- for Democrats; for those who value diversity; for those who practice the politics of caring and unity instead of the politics of divisiveness and intolerance; for those who despaired of America ever being viewed positively again by the rest of the world; for those who believe in the power of positive thinking. I cared far more that Obama was a strong leader, with positive ideas and the willingness to listen, than that he was an African-American. But now that he's been elected, I'm just in awe of the incredible power and symbolism of an African-American, Hawaiian, Kenyan, Indonesian-raised, child of a single mother, "up from poverty," self-made, family-centered, post-Boomer, devoted husband and father of young children, 44th President of the United States.

I realize that no President can solve all of our problems, least of all after eight years of partisanship, executive overreaching, unilateralism, deregulation, overspending, anti-family policies[*], suppression of individual liberties, favoring big business and the wealthy at the expense of working- and middle-class families... But I fervently believe that the intelligence, bipartisanship, pragmatic liberalism, and respect for diversity that the Obama administration represents will make an enormous difference to our country, and to our ability to stand proud together as Americans.

GObama!