the morning after . . .

It was pretty clear by last week that Obama was going to be victorious on election day but I'm thrilled and relieved that he won by so much. It was not a close race in the end. Winning Virginia and Indiana were huge victories and a too-close-to-call margin in North Carolina and Georgia are victories for the Democratic Party in general and Obama specifically. The previous two elections were depressing, especially 2004, and made me disappointed in my fellow Americans. But the tide has turned and I am proud of the American electorate for electing an African American, for yearning for a change from the last eight years, for realizing that their own selfish stakes in a candidate is not what is necessarily best for the country as a whole (Obama won white voters who make more than $200,000 even though they knew their taxes would be raised.). What a fantastic day to be an American.

For a more local and much more personal race that ended yesterday I am sad. My mother lost her bid for re-election to the Vermont House of Representatives. She lost to a member of the school board who served in the National Guard. She lost by about 200 votes. I'm sorry I'm not there with her to cheer her up, but she should know a few things. She should be proud of her good service to the people of my hometown. She should be proud of herself for taking the risk and running in the first place. It is not easy to put yourself out there, meet every one of your constituents, like she did, and allow near strangers to judge you, and then accept the results with grace when you lose. Mom, I'm proud of you. You are a better person for what you've done.