Black To The Future

CLEVELAND - Barack Obama carved out an enormous section for himself in the annals of American history last night.

He is the 44th president of the United States.

Obama's historic defeat of Republican John McCain earned him the distinction of becoming the nation's first black Commander-in-Chief. In a grueling, sometimes acrimonious campaign that stretched over twenty-one months, Obama consistently defied the odds and broke through in stirring and miraculous fashion.

Not to mention the fact that he ran a campaign for the ages.

In the face of racial division, attacks on his associations and beliefs, acquaintances and experience, Obama always exuded a backbone of steel and a nonpareil resolve that few people anywhere could ever replicate.

In the hotly contested campaign with McCain, the young Illinois senator breezed through the all-important battleground states to curtail any shot of a Republican victory. When all was made official at 11PM EST, supporters from all over the world cheered wildly. Many wept.

President-elect Obama took the stage at a huge celebration in Chicago's Grant Park an hour later and gave a remarkable acceptance speech, noting that "the road ahead will be long, and the climb will be steep" but reassured the hundreds of thousands in attendance and millions watching all over the world that "we will get there as a people."

Amazing.

Speaking with a deft confidence and a commanding tone, Obama spoke to people of every class, gender, creed and party. He recounted a moving story about a 106-year old Atlanta woman that voted for him after a century of living in a country that seemed unlikely to ever elect an African-American to its highest office. "She was born just a generation past slavery...when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin."

He continuously ended his stanzas with, "Yes we can" to enormous cheering. As moving as his speech was, I was just as impressed with McCain's concession speech in Phoenix. McCain noted the incredible significance of Obama's victory and was extremely gracious in offering his support to his former rival during his upcoming presidency. As his supporters booed, McCain took full responsibility for the failure of his own campaign and expressed no regrets at the experience he just had.

That was the classy McCain.

Overcome with emotion, many moments during this grand evening brought me to tears. Obama is truly a man that should inspire all people to dare to dream. If people get over their political beliefs as well as racial, they would see the country for what it is: a land of unlimited opportunity.

Yes we can.