An extraordinary new era begins today, November 4th, 2008. By about 8 or 9pm EDT, when the returns from Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina start flowing in, followed soon thereafter by Ohio and Indiana, we should know that Barack Obama has been elected the 44th President of the United States. If the polls hold and Obama wins comfortable victories in 3 or more of those states, Election Day will not be the late night that we’ve grown accustomed to in recent years.
Before you accuse me of over-confidence, let me head you off at the pass: if, in the middle of an economic meltdown, you are touting Joe the Plumber as your top economic advisor, your chances for victory are just a tad north of nil.
With that reality in mind (and praying that I’m not somehow jinxing the outcome), I find myself thinking beyond the campaign battle, to the profound message of change that the election of Barack Obama sends to the world.
As people across the globe wake up to the news of a President-elect Obama, the effects on the geopolitical landscape will be immediate and significant. Eight long years of cowboy unilateralism and isolation from allies will be over; beliefs in America as a beacon of freedom and a force for good will be renewed. A cold, dark world will brighten, if only just for a time.
Of course, in every great victory, there’s a loser. But don’t worry about John McCain – he will come out of this just fine. It shouldn’t take long for him to come to terms with defeat; after all, the outcome hasn’t really been in doubt for quite some time, at least since the economic crisis began. And as for the McCain brand, it is instructive to remember that although campaigns are long and divisive, memories are short and hearts are forgiving. In addition, the history books will note the poison environment that George W. Bush left the Republicans in.
I bet that, sooner rather than later, McCain will revert to the more“maverick-y” past version of himself and make a living on self-deprecating humor – you know, the old guy who lost big to the new political phenom, the transformational figure, the FDR of our time. Indeed, I can already see the “straight-talker” playing the good-sport and lampooning his losing campaign on Saturday Night Live… Wait a second, I already did see that.
As for getting ahead of ourselves, let’s stop here. The Bush administration has left this country in such a shambles, both at home and abroad, that the job facing the newly-elected President Obama is enormous and daunting… That said, let’s not burden ourselves quite yet with all that needs to be done in the coming years. Instead, before the 6-hour news cycles start firing again, let us all take time to reflect upon this monumental and historic moment in time. Let us all bask in the bright glow of hope.
Let us celebrate all day long and savior the victory of how we got here before we dwell in the land of the impossible task Obama has on his hands. I say we rejoice for at least a few days, not that the news talking heads will allow us that much. No sooner than he win they will be on the trail of what he needs to do to get it done. Not that they listen to me, but he did not need them to get this far, I’m quite sure he will not need them to know how to get his job done.
BUT FOR NOW, LET’S START SMILING.