The Boy Who Lived

If you have ever read book one, chapter one of Harry Potter- the feeling was quite reminiscent today. People huddled up around coffee makers and water coolers, Dunkin Donuts lines, cashiers, cafeterias- all weary eyed and yet talking excitedly. Voldermort (or in this case Bush and his republican regime) is at an end. Better times are coming.


And so we hope- as is the new motto of this neo-democratic party- that things will improve. I noticed today that the rest of the world seems as excited about the choice we made as I am. Foreign presidents and dignitaries raved. Barack Obama made the front page of almost every paper all over the GLOBE today. Finally a ray of light in America. America wants change.

If anyone traveled outside the US in the past 8 years (or read a paper) you understand the negative view the rest of the world had on us. We did not lead by example or embrace what a superpower should. Today I heard the heads of state from almost every European nation endorse the president elect. In Kenya- they danced in the streets.

More impressive was the speech last night given to hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Chicago. We passed power over peacefully, with dignity, and got a record number of people not only interested and educated about our election- but to the polls.

This is two orders of business complete and the man is not even sworn in yet. Just in name he has mended a lot of the foreign hurt done by the Bush administration. Other countries are excited about us, looking up to us as a progressive nation again. And he brought millions of people out to the polls- several first time voters- making all of those people invested in their country. And an invested citizen is a better citizen. We are already a stronger nation because of yesterday and the Obama campaigns ability to organize and inspire.

Race did not help him- but more surprisingly it did not hurt him. He is not just a black man- he is a man with good ideas regardless of his race. And unfortunately those who believe he was elected because he is African-American, or think he is still a dangerous secret Muslim terrorist- will never think otherwise- as clearly these people at this point are not open-minded enough to see the good that has been done for us as a Nation in 24 hours, regardless of his politics.

So come January starts his real work. Time will tell how he does. But in the first 24hrs- I still have to say- to me he is the boy who lived.