YESSSS!

I am thrilled, I am proud, I am excited.

I am also nervous and not convinced the world's now perfect. There is a tremendous if not unmanagable need for Obama (would have been the same for McCain) to perform, lead, at such a high level, in such a time of unrest, concerns, fears and yes, I guess, crisis, in our country.

I believe he is up for the task, truly. But I know he can't "fix it all." And who can imagine in today's world of terrorism and economic turbalence, how the next 4 months, much less 4 years, will really unfold? What his administration will have to respond to? How they will really juggle all those balls at once, as he famously told McCain during the campaign suspension? How he can really live up to all those campaign promises? (Side note to Pres Elect: At least focus on healthcare and education, and I'll let ya off the hook on taxes and clean energy for a while...)

But regardless. Regardless. Something amazing ... truly, amazing and historic as historic GETS ... has occurred. Juan Williams said on FOX, this isn't just FOR the history books, it might be the COVER of the history books. He may be right. (By the way, his comments after the announcement were very emotional, sincere and touching. Glad I've braved FOX lately to catch them.)

Like many, it brought tears to my eyes. It made me truly joyous and optimistic. And, most powerfully, it previewed how different the world will look when my kids can vote. What will and won't be "normal" for them is so vastly different than what our parents and even we have grown up with, I am hoping they almost will not believe us when we tell them about it.

We've crossed a line that I believe we will never go back over. (Next up: the ladies!!!) It wasn't the reason for my vote. But it is the reason my vote meant so much. And the reason for which I was so proud to have my 10 week old daughter with me, in her Daddy's arms, as we was able to vote for someone we both feel very good about. Who also is black.

Side note: I was also very proud that I brought her home from the hospital on the day the second woman in history was nominated for VP. No matter how violently I did not support her as a candidate, I respect that Sarah Palin too will go down in history for this election - and who knows what others to come. And, that she stepped boldly up to the plate, took the hits, and worked her ass off to take another step forward on behalf of not just women but our country.

Congratulations, President Obama. God bless you and keep you and yours safe. And please do the kick ass job that I think you will.

Here We Got Again

I am excited for tonight's third election 2008 debate, although I don't know why. I've decided when any of these 4 open their mouths, it means hours of work for me to fact check any damn thing they say.

On a REALLY GOOD day I might spend one. And that's ONLY because I'm on maternity leave and have access to my laptop every few hours when I'm stuck on the couch for an hour feeding baby Rachel. During my "normal" life, if I spent an hour or two a week tackling this stuff, it's a good week.

So here's why this post is labeled "annoying": Why can't politicians not vacillate between talking in empty hyperbole, and then borderline (or in some cases flat out) lying? Can't they talk straight, in specifics, without bending the truth?

The American people just don't have time for this. People are busy raising the kids that the healthcare debate's out, and working the jobs that the economic debate's about. It sucks that we can't just tune in and listen and know who our preferred candidates based on our meshing with their politics.

Not who's whipped up the most inspirational speech or worse, the biggest tall tales.

And everyone, one last request. Please let's drop the affected accents when you're talking to us "regular folks." Obama's got his and I know for damn sure Palin's got hers. Maybe Biden should debate McCain because at least I could focus on their words not whether they're dropping their g's.