Now that it's calmed down a bit

Six days post election craziness and things are starting to calm down a bit, until Barack visits the White House this week. Imagine THAT awkward meeting of Bush and Obama.

Things that have imbedded themselves in my head from the night of November 4th, 2008:

• Barack is going to be the 44th President. I'm not one that's huge into numerology, but 4-4 is the day MLK was shot, but 44 is also Hank Aaron's number who was the first man of color to break Babe Ruth's Home Run record.
• The looks on the McCain supporters faces at the Biltmore in Phoenix when every news agency declared Obama the winner at 10:00pm CST. It's admirable to support your candidate and feel down that they have lost, but some of those people had such a look of disbelief that I have to wonder what campaign season they were watching.
• McCain delivered a classy concession speech, but as with all politicians, I have to wonder how sincere it was given the day before, he was still talking crap about Obama. I guess Hilary did the same thing. I know it's part of the game, but these guys should think about how it all sounds given what they said during the election.
• Who really gives a crap WHO Oprah was leaning on in Grant Park? Sure, I was curious too, but I didn't go on a national search for that liver-lipped guy. One thing for sure, it wasn't Steadman who was looming large behind her and Gayle.
• Jesse Jackson crying. I'm not a big fan of his, but given he was with MLK when he was shot and that Jesse was at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement, the waves of emotions that had to be running through him are unmatched by just about everyone in America. I do wonder though, what the relationship is like between he and his son. Given Jesse's slamming of Barack when he thought he was off-mic and Jesse Jr.'s reaction, I'm sure there's some hurt feelings. Also Jesse Jr's wife was a huge Hilary supporter. Man, talk about a house divided.
• The view of Grant Park. I remember walking Wrigley right before Barack came out for his acceptance speech. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and I could see hundreds of stars. Even with the city lights, the skyline with the hundreds of thousands of people, under the stars, on the lakefront had to be a magical place and moment, and the world's press was there to show it and record it for history. For Mayor Daley and his family it had to almost be a sort of exorcism as just 40 years prior, Grant Park was the scene of the riots during the Democratic convention.

It sure is going to be an interesting next 4 years. I do fear that the expectations are SO high, that neither Obama nor McCain could probably live up to them. We're a country in deep financial trouble and in a war that seems to extend across two countries (Iraq and Afghanistan), so I have no idea how anyone rights that ship in less than 4 years. But for some small glimmering moment, the world has smiled on us, and we're off on a new adventure to try to fix the giant mess we are in.

I do believe that Obama will continue to be the person that got him here. If he's honest with the people and pushes every single person who will work in his administration to make each and every day their best, I think we will be in a much better place in 4 years time.