Wow.

You know, I used to be a Republican. In my first Presidential election, in 1992, I voted for the first George Bush. I voted for him because I trusted him and didn't trust Bill Clinton. I voted for him despite the fact that he had a Vice President who couldn't spell potato (you remember this, right? Trying to project a studious and mature demeanor, he was lassoed into running a spelling bee for 6'th graders. When one of the kids was given his word, potato, he wrote it onto the chalkboard. Quayle, not checking the card he was reading the word from, said something like "you're so close....but you forgot the "E" at the end").

Sixteen years and a switched party affiliation later, I have voted for Barack Obama. Not because I dislike John McCain, but because I dislike what John McCain believes. Not because I don't trust John McCain, because he seems like one of the most honest, integrity-filled people in politics today. I simply don't trust that his beliefs are right for the nation. I rooted against John McCain in this election, but I am still surprised he lost. Not to mention the manner in which he lost, by virtue of what every channel has deemed a "landslide". Surprised that unlike what happened to John Kerry in 2004, the support Obama had garnered manifested itself all through Election Day and did not waver.

McCain needed that wobble, and he did not get it. He needed the people disenfranchised with politics to stay away, as they had done so many times before. This time, those disenfranchised people swamped polling places and led to lines reported as long as 90 minutes. 90 minutes!! And unless you lived in the middle of the country, those disenfranchised people voted Obama, and that made the difference.

Congratulations, President-elect Obama...! The hopes and dreams of a nation are riding on your shoulders now. Be honest with the people, as you pledged throughout your campaign, and again in your victory speech tonight. Reach across party lines and build on the goodwill that you will see from a Congress eager to make a good impression on a new President. Make friends....actually, I should say get our old friends BACK. We have alienated many with GW Bush's independent act-alone policies and we need them to make this world a better, safer, more environmentally-conscious and friendly place.

History was made today. Savor it and hope no wacko does anything stupid to ruin it.