Amazing Grace

A clean sweep.

It is official: Barack "and roll" Obama "lama-ding-dong", also known as 'Barry', is the next president of the United States of America.

His victory speech, given in front of a massive crowd in Chicago's Grant Park (which also happens to be the best park in the world), brought people together: Mothers cried for sons who fell in the dust of Iraq, families cried for an end to eight years of struggle, Jesse Jackson cried because Barry finally succeeded at the very task at which he failed, and a nation rejoiced in restored faith in a dying ideal.

The end is the beginning.

In his victory speech, Barry asks if anyone out there still doubts the system. It is a valid question. It is valid because up until yesterday, everyone had their doubts. What kind of normal person would not have had doubts, given what happened back in 2000? America was waiting for the next Katherine Harris to come along and steal the election for the Republicans.

We shan't be blaming them for doubting. But we shall be thanking them for coming out and voting - nobody expected this kind of a turnout, so it is safe to say that the spark has been lit.

Red vs blue.

They came out and they voted. Nobody is suprised that the South voted McCain, and that New England voted Obama. Alaska, Hawaii, West Coast - according to plan. But because of states like Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, the Republicans lost key electoral votes and the Democrats managed to sweep the Great Lakes/Big Ten area. Florida, notorious for the aforementioned clusterfuck back in 2000, proved momentarily contentious.

A statement was made, loudly and proudly. But, although the campaign has ended, the fight is just beginning. If the whole election was a hurdle for Barry Obama, then the next four years will be the remainder of the marathon. It certainly won't be getting any easier.