I didn't know...

First off - what a classy speech from John McCain. His campaign took on some scary tones, but he started to turn that around last night with the classiest move of anyone in the campaign - his concession speech. He took the high road, regained my respect, and had the good sense to step out of the way of the history unfolding before him.

I started to get an inkling of that unfolding history when Chris Matthews on MSNBC started to blather after it became clear Obama would win. At first, he was making all kinds of comment about race and populations in his typically insulting way. But about 10:45, he stopped the broadcast and rendered both Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow speechless (no small feat), and started talking about what the night really meant, the incredible moment in history we were witnessing and the PRIDE, the absolute pride in America he felt that we were able to do this like nowhere else in the world. I stopped. And I said, "Holy shit. He's right."

By the time 11:00 rolled around and Keith called it for Obama, I started to comprehend the signficance - I had voted for a black man for president. The wonder wasn't that though, the wonder was that the true relevance of what I had done did not hit me until then. When I pressed the button in the booth, I voted for who I thought was the best man, for so many reasons. Until 11pm that day, I gave no thought to his race. As I watched cheering crowds from across the nation, I felt like this country began to heal. Really heal its divisions.

Then the clincher - whoever thought to jam that camera in Jesse Jackson's face, a face in the sea of humanity at that park in Chicago and to see him have such an incredible reaction, awestruck with the moment, tear on his cheek, finger over his mouth in quiet contemplation. That is an image that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

The final realization hit me later even. And this was even more powerful. That my son will grow up until he is five, hopefully nine, only knowing... ONLY knowing a black man as president.

-- I have to pause here - and really stop this post... There is nothing left to say. --