A friend of mine just wrote

that the shock and awe of Obama winning and the reality of finally having some hope we can turn this mess of a country around again was akin to actually seeing Charlie Brown kick the football. Hoorah. You are right, Dawn. This is an amazing feeling and - both because I tallied votes for the news til 3 a.m. Wednesday, while still covering a murder trial during the day - this is still just sinking in and I'm trying to absorb the implications.

For me, this is as much about balance and integrity as anything else. I heard a newscaster say some time over the past week that just 200 years ago, the U.S. had 41 million slaves. FORTY ONE MILLION. And today, a black man is my president. MY president. That's what I mean by balance. This election and presidency are not about color but we are ignorant not to recognize the historical significance of Obama's election.

I am hoping again.

But, since I am such a down in the dirt realist, I am also terrified that this will be taken away by a hollow point bullet. There is such hatred and greed and bigotry out there that I'm sure an attempt on his life will be made and could very likely be successful. I can only hope that I am terribly, terribly wrong. But today I am pushing aside those fears and I'm celebrating: celebrating for my fellow country men and women who had the wisdom and common sense to elect him; celebrating for his wisdom and strength that will lead us out of this chasm of chaos; and celebrating just because he his smart and young and cute and a good father and a representative of all that I believe in. Today, I have a president whom I can believe in, respect and follow. It's about time. O happy day.