“President-Elect Obama”

Apologies for just now getting to everything.  Election day and night wiped me out, and I’ve been asleep most of the morning.

I had a pretty lousy night on the downticket.  My candidate lost in nearly every downticket race, from Lumon May to Claudia Brown-Curry to C. J. Lewis.  I did have a little luck in a few City Council races.

But the election of Barack Obama as the next president of the United States of America more than makes up for it.  I can’t explain how I feel about it.  It is so much work, and so much hope, finally realised.  I cried like a little girl more than once last night.  I’m not ashamed to admit it.  Even though I knew it was coming, when I saw the words on the screen, I was just overcome.

This is the America I want.

On a final note, I will note that in my final presidential predictions I predicted Obama would take 349 electoral votes, which is exactly the number he has at this hour, although he has done so by winning Indiana, which I thought would go to McCain.  At this hour, Missouri and North Carolina remain uncalled; I predict Missouri will go to McCain, and North Carolina (amazingly) will go to Obama, giving Obama a final tally of 364 to McCain’s 174.

P.S.  It’s so beautiful to see Florida blue.

P.P.S.  It was nice to see the old John McCain, the 2000 John McCain, when he conceded last night.  He was very gracious, very honourable.

Links

• Obama’s victory speech (video)
• Obama’s victory speech (transcript)
• McCain’s concession speech (video)