Yes we can. Yes we can.

The United States of America has defied the expectations of many, defied many of its own imperfections, and while it has hardly exorcized its centuries of racial-based demons, it did become the first First World country to elect a man of color to its highest office, as Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States, in a resounding electoral victory. Spontaneous celebrations are afoot here in Brooklyn, as well as the organized celebration in Grant Park, where three weeks ago, I began and finished the Chicago Marathon.
I learned much of the happy news while driving back from serving as an election monitor in a precinct in Darby Township, PA. (I was regarded as almost a Tibetan holy man after advising the locals that I was a college classmate of the Chosen One). Familia TD saw the final returns roll in at our esteemed neighbor Scott Lemieux’s. I should note that the precinct I monitored had nearly total turnout… a testament to the community organizer that the Republicans chose to mock rather than try to actually out-organize. For the record, Pennsylvania’s polls closed at 20 00 EST, and was called for Obama at roughly 20 01 EST. Ground game, baby.
Democrats also picked up Senate and House seats, and my fair state’s State Senate is now in Democratic hands, uniting all sections of New York’s government under Democrats for the first time since 1935.
Heady times.
Notice the amazingly classy concession speech by John McCain… the smug prick of the campaign (and who we are told selected Sarah Palin) nowhere in sight… fascinating. McCain noting that President Obama needs all of our support, even his, and that McCain’s proudest association is that of being an American. Heady times, indeed.
While this nation has done much in the last seven years under our current regime to make all of us rightly ashamed of so many things for which our nation is responsible, I will say this: I, for one, have never before been so proud of this country.
Yes. Yes we can. We can overcome the many challenges ahead of us. And yes we will. Maybe all isn’t lost, after all. This is so our day.