It was a beautiful night.
I can't articulate how much this night means to me. Of being able to crowd together with the women from Gary, the photographer from Belgium, and the dozens and dozens of Chicagoans of all ages and complexions who we joked and sang with in the line for the metal detectors, and as the crowd massed in the hours between the closing of the polls and the beginning of the event. Of how we cried with joy when the networks called Pennsylvania, effectively ending any drama in the contest. Of how we blew our vocal cords out with when the networks called Florida and Virginia. Of how I lifted Mrs. Industry into the air when Ohio was called, culminating two years of work that may not have resulted in a primary win eight months ago, but every second of which felt worthwhile tonight. Of how moving it felt to say the pledge of allegiance and sing the national anthem with the first
people to take the mike on stage. Of what it meant to see and hear the acceptance speech that will start a new, better, era of American history. One with hard times ahead. But a better era.
Ninety minutes after President-Elect Obama and his family took the stage about 100 yards away from us, we were back in our house. If this team can manage the federal government half as well as they managed this event -- and this campaign -- then we are in good hands.
The weather was amazing, 60 degrees with a mild breeze.
It was a beautiful night.
It would have been a beautiful night had we been in the middle of an ice storm.
And when we got home, we found out Indiana had gone Democratic. More tears. Best ones I've shed in a long, long time.