Yes We Can!

Tonight, I am overjoyed.

When the EV count jumped past 270, I jumped onto my chair and screamed, with tears pouring down my cheeks. Within seconds, people throughout my apartment building were doing the same thing - applauding, cheering, setting off fireworks in honor of our new President-Elect, Barack Obama.

I, like many of you, have been following this election with great fervor and anticipation, watching every video and reading every article I could get my hands on. It has been the most intriguing and often downright gut-wrenching campaign in, at the very least, my lifetime. Between the historic Hillary/Barack primary struggle, the introduction and subsequent dissection of Sarah Palin, ruthless pundits, sexism and race baiting accusations, taxes, health care, roe v. wade, gay rights, Joe Six Pack, Joe the Plumber, hockey moms, pitbulls with lipstick, mavericks, Ashley Todd and Tina Fey... there was always something to talk about.

And now, the race is over. Barack Obama is our new President, with Joe Biden at his side. The Democrats have control of Senate and House, Kay Hagan is reaping the benefits of Elizabeth Dole's hateful "Godless" accusations and people all over the world are cheering us on in this historic moment . Unfortunately (in my opinion), it looks like Proposition 8/Amendment 2 have passed and somehow, Michele Bachmann has retained her seat in the House (I'm baffled). But that doesn't alter the magnitude of this election for America, as a whole.

Regardless of whom you voted for, we should all be proud of our country's voting turnout. We are so lucky to have this right and it's about time more people started exercising it. With our country at war and in an economic crisis that has us all biting our nails, it's no surprise that this election invoked passion across the board. It's also no surprise that the end of this race brought two of the finest speeches from both McCain and Obama, whose respective patriotism evoked our own.

I was pleasantly surprised and quite moved by McCain's concession speech, tonight. While I have dissenting views with most of the Republican platform - politics aside, I felt for him and his supporters. It is difficult to admit defeat, especially when it's something you have put your whole heart into. I had this same struggle with the past two elections and it was a horrible feeling. With McCain's age, he is well aware that this was his last shot at the Presidency; you could read it on his face, hear it in his voice. I felt it was the best speech he has ever given. On occasion in the past couple of weeks, we have seen a more vulnerable, human side of McCain that probably would have done him a lot of good, earlier on. Despite his loss, I think he and his supporters should be proud that he ended on such a graceful and humble note.

Then came Barack Obama, and my sympathy was replaced with immense bliss . I'm sad that I wasn't in Chicago to see it in person, and even more so that his grandma "Toot" wasn't around to see her grandson in his finest moment. His speech, like so many of his previous speeches, was profoundly inspirational and made me so very proud to call him My President. This is someone I can believe in; this is someone the world can believe in.

So tonight, I'm overjoyed. I am truly, utterly excited for change and proud to be an American under President Obama's guidance. While it won't happen overnight, he brings us what we have all been waiting for - Hope.

Yes We Can.

-Keiko Lynn