What the election means to me...

The election of Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden represent a sea change in US politics. I think this a transformational election, like the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan or the 1960 election of John Kennedy, or the 1932 election of Franklin Roosevelt. No matter what else happens, good or bad, the election of a President Obama means that America has taken a step toward truly becoming a more multiethnic democracy, and a more perfect union.

That is not to say the election of a President Obama has somehow eradicated racism in one vote. The American original sin of racism and white privilege will not be erased at the ballot box. Racism and white privilege took a major hit, and its power has been reduced, but it is naive to believe that prejudice is somehow powerless in America tonight. And with all due respect, it is necessary to also acknowledge that President Bush deserves some credit as well. His willingness to name two African-American people to be the primary diplomat of the American government for the past eight years has made us a bit more comfortable with leaders who aren't white visibly representing our nation. Agree or disagree with Secretaries Powell and Rice, it was a powerful statement to have two African-American Secretaries of State back to back. And the election of President-Elect Obama is quantum leap over those two appointments, because the election of Barack Obama represents the choice of 64,629, 649 citizens from all 50 states. Clearly something new happened.

The new President and vice-President have a huge and terrible agenda ahead of them. Concluding two wars, facing difficult global allies and even more restive adversaries, restoring economic sanity and the opportunity for prosperity, finding answers to the vexing challenges of reducing global warming, ending energy dependence, finding affordable health care, and insuring quality education for all, are challenges that will press an Obama Administration to exert every ounce of creativity and political skill they have...and then some. Barack Obama got my vote and will enjoy my support as he tackles these challenges even though I thought he wasn't always espousing the best ideas during the campaign (although, truth be told, he more often than not was the only one on the campaign with ideas -- Senator McCain was not served well by his campaign team). What draws me to Barack Obama is his temperament. Unflappable. Listening. Thoughtful. What draws me to Barack Obama is his lack of drama in dramatic times. What draws me to Barack Obama is his ability so far to organize people to work together for their common purposes (BTW, memo to Sarah Palin and Rudolph Giuliani: that's what community organizers do. Mayors make speeches at people in order to persuade people to things on behalf of the Mayor. Community organizers organize people to work together for their common interest).

This election means I am proud (in a humble, Anabaptist-sort of way) again to be an American, where all of us are a bit more free today. This election means that my friends in other nations have a renewed respect for our system of government. This election means that we don't needed to "dumb it down" or demonize those with whom we disagree. This election means we don't have to be red states or blue states, but the United States of America.

Is Barack Obama the Messiah? Of course not. He will fail on occasion - perhaps he will fail often. His administration will screw up sometimes - perhaps many times. But - and this is important - the era of "cynicism central" being based at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue end in 75 days.

What does this election mean to me? It means I hope again. Dashed by Assassinations, Vietnam, Watergate, Hostage Crisis, Iran-Contra, Willie Horton ads and Culture Wars, Contracts with America and Monicagate, Rigged Intelligence, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, "Signing Statements", etc..., hope returns, ever tentatively, ever carefully, built on just one sentence, shouted from the rooftop, and quietly uttered with grit...

"Yes, we can!"