I want to add my story to the glorious cacophony of the last 24 hours. It's not unique, and I'm glad.
I was positively honored last night to be in the city of Chicago, spending the evening (and wee hours of the morning) on Michigan Ave, in Grant Park, and inside the Chicago Hilton (all three of which could be called "ground zero for the party.")
I called my father (election guru in front of the TV and Kos) one minute before we all knew that CNN would project a winner. I was walking with my friends near the outside of the park, 20 feet away from the mile-long line for ticketholders.
I then had the great privilege of moving the phone away from my head and screaming to hundreds of people, "CNN JUST CALLED IT! IT'S ALL OVER! WE WIN!" to what can only be described as a joyous, and gradually all-consuming and overwhelming cheer. I watched the 200,000 in the park and on the street as people picked up their phones and got the news - and couldn't help but thinking I would remember the night for the rest of my life.
For hours we were literally dancing in the streets; the air was filled with the blaring elation of car horns, saturated with the almost disbelieving tears of old women and men, smattered with the chants of thousands of first time voters and the music of Stevie Wonder. A close friend of mine had the wisdom to instruct me to slowly turn 360 degrees and soak in the joy (I can't help but keep using that word).
We kept repeating three words:
"President
Barack
Obama"
And yet - through all the chants of "Yes We Did" - I couldn't help but consider the immense challenges we face, the challenges we haven't even begun to address yet. I realized that the real test of this nation and this incredible man had not even started. I realized that we, as a country, might just be royally screwed. For one moment, I felt a little scared.
And then I looked around me.
And to use the now tired old cliche, I felt one thing.
Hope.