It sent chills down my spine to watch Obama's speech. You could see and feel the pride in every person there no matter the color of their skin.Two of the best thoughts I have read come from a sports gambling forum (go figure eh?) of which I am a member.

"I have a lot of opinions about many of the off-the-cuff remarks and grossly overstated hyperbolic stereotypes expressed in this thread, but I'll not try to fight the intolerant views expressed here that really have nothing to do with the election.

I will simply state that I disagree with toebaber's statement that this was a "black and white election." Simple math alone renders this argument more than a little ridiculous. Only 14% of the population in the United States (year 2000 census) is African-American. Even if every man woman and child in the African-American community voted for Obama, they wouldn't stand a chance electing a black man if the white majority was voting purely based on race.

My county, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - a very urban banking capital which is dominated by whites, voted Obama 66% to 34% McCain.

It was not a black-white election. It was a Democrat-Republican election. It was a voting out of the party who had abandoned their own conservative mandate.

It was a vote for change, it was an overwhelming landslide, and it was done by everyone, white, black, latino and otherwise. Your own state voted Obama toe. Did white people suddenly become a minority in Ohio?

As for the rest of the nonsense spewed in this thread . . . let's move on to bigger and better things. And anyone who can't handle a black man being leader of this great country, where every man is equal - please do move to another country - pick a direction: north, south, east or west. In one place or another you will find your money taxed more heavily, your freedom's restricted at every turn, your religious beliefs questioned, or banned, your sons and daughters required to go into the military, and/or not allowed to pursue higher education, or perhaps your request for the priviledge of having a child denied outright, and where your economic opportunities willl undoubtedly be sorely lacking. No one is forcing you to stay."

AND

"G...you beat me to it, but I will share some about the other side of the state...

Wake County, which includes Raleigh, is made up largely of college educated white families...the county went to Bush +3% in 2004...last night - it went to Obama +14%

to say this was an election based on race is just so far from reality...I suspect when all the numbers are totaled, Obama will be the highest tracking Democrat among white, college educated voters in a long, long time.

I am not going to get into my personal political views, suffice it to say that I generally am a centrist...maybe a Reagan Democrat or a Clinton Republican, though I have very little use for labels.

As some of you have figured from my recent posts, I have a great affinity for politics and love watching the game unfold. As I watched last night, I was definitely sure how it would turn out; I was unsure how I would feel...back to that in a second..

To think that we are somehow a weaker country because Obama was elected is just absurd. I suspect Gates will remain at Defense; Petraeus certainly will stay on at CENTCOM. If there is one thing we know about Obama is that he listens and asks wise questions. Our policy towards terror will not change in any perceptible manner, other than it may be more effective in the chase to get Bin Laden. To think that al Qaeda is somehow happy with an Obama victory is just crazy. Obama will have a tremendous opportunity to return the US to its position as a beacon on the hill across the world. Should he succeed here (which I think he will to at least some extent, as many doors are going to be open to him that would not have been to a Republican due to the Bush record), terror recruiting is going to become a much tougher sell in many corners of the globe.

I suspect Obama will surround himself with sharp, serious people in the Cabinet. I suspect this will be a bipartisan cabinet that could include the likes of a *** Luger or someone of that vein. One thing that is certain is that we have a much greater chance of having professionals in the Cabinet spots, as opposed to the wretched partisan hacks of the past 8 years.

So back to last night....
As the crowds grew in Grant Park, I was watching with my daughter (having just received a text from my brother saying that he was on his way to Grant Park). Now my brother is about as apolitical as anyone I know. (For him to be headed over to GP told me something was definitely up in our country last night.) At 11:00, when the election was called for Obama, I was moved by the excitement of my fellow citizens and by the look of awe on the face of my daughter. This was not about the policies of a theoretical Obama administration or about the failings of a past Bush administration. This was about a reignition of the American spirit, and it was Barak Obama who brought it back out of us. I found myself watching my daughter watch the scene as much as I was watching the tv myself, and I realized what a truly profound night this was for our American experiment. My daughter was excited about a political event, about the possibilities for our country, about tomorrow in a way that could only manifest itself through an event like last night. So what if I do not agree with all of the policies that may come down the road, isn't it worth it to see a new generation of Americans take to the streets in pure joy and pure support of this American experiment? I sure think so.

So for those of you who are locked in a box on the right, give yourself the opportunity to climb out of the box. Give this guy a chance. For those of you on the left thinking that your ideology has carried the day, do not be disappointed when you see a more centrist leadership come from the Obama administration. Do not try to pull him further left, just give this guy a chance to be himself and see where he takes us.

Sorry for the long post, but I saw our great country take a nearly unimaginable step forward last night, and I watched it through the eyes of my daughter. When Barry says "they" said it couldn't be done, he was referring to the cynics across the world not believing the American experiment would rise once again to remind the rest of the world that this is the country of ultimate opportunity and equality. We were the beacon of light last night; we are turning our country over to an extraordinary generation. They will lead us, and they will lead us well. To parrot another tranformative leader, albeit from the other side of the aisle, 11:00pm last night was Morning in America."