Not as Much Politics

Over the past three weeks or so it seems like I have been almost nothing but an election blogger and political junkie. Which is probably true. Yesterday was the first day without an election-related post since Nov. 1.

I have spent a lot of time watching TV, blogging about the politics and just generally in awe of what has happened. I have been reading a number of different blogs- some have been critical of President-elect Obama, some have been gushing with praise for him. But most have had the same kind of reactions I have had. This is nothing short of an historic moment that we are glad to have witnessed in our lifetimes.

It is an affirmation of the basic principle behind the United States that we are all created equal and that anyone can grow up to be president.

It is an expression of the a deep desire to clear the wreckage of the past 8 years as even stalwart Republicans have dared the wrath to support Obama. (And yes Lieberman did support McCain.)

It is perhaps a sign that the so-called control that the fundamentalist religious right has seemed to have is not as strong as it appeared.

But beneath it all it is a sign that our system does work. We may disagree with who gets elected but we know that it was done in the good old American way. (And yes that includes the negative campaigning. Just look at Adams v. Jefferson 200 years ago for another good example.)

Everywhere I go over the past week there was a constant buzz about what happened. It is slowing down now, of course. It will stay as headline news since we are also in a crisis of historic proportions which we will not soon find an easy way out of. We will look to the new President as we have done to every new President to lead us in new ways that can inspire and challenge and give us direction.

We wait and see. But no matter what happens there has been a shift in American political and cultural life. May we never even try to go back.