Shock

Did it really happen? Am I going to wake up and realize that the last 24 hours have all been a crazy wonderful dream? Did I really see history happen before my eyes?

Could Barack Obama really have been elected?

I'm just going to assume that this is reality. The chance that this is a dream is too horrible to contemplate.

America has just elected the first African-American leader in its history. Not only that, but this is the first time a Western country has elected a black person to lead it. Not only that, but it is someone I believe will become one of the great presidents this country has ever had. I have been able to vote in three presidential elections. The first one, in 2000, I voted Libertarian, as I was not impressed with Bush, and still had enough conservative ideals to make me not vote for Gore. In 2004, with my assimilation over to the dark side of liberalism complete, I cast my vote for John Kerry. He lost. Now, I cast a vote for Barack Obama, and he won. For the first time since 1988 (I was 7, and liked George H.W. Bush) this country is going to have a president that I want to be in office.

I think my friend from Missouri summed it all up rather nicely in a text message she sent me about 5 minutes after Obama was declared the winner:

"Holy shit!"