I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. No sorrow here, just overwhelming joy! But I am not alone in this joy. I saw Jessie Jackson and countless of other Americans cry tonight.

Obama represents all that we hope for- the change that we need. How wonderful that he is willing to accept such a terrible burden, not just in the here and now, but with a sense of destiny and attention paid to the legacy his administration will leave behind. He is a man of integrity and foresight. Why do I hold this opinion? Because of all of the legislation he has supported in the Senate. So much of it dealt with honesty in government, or with doing the right thing. (He even co-sponsored a Bill with McCain dealing with accountability and transparency in Federal spending. I don't recall either of them mentioning that while they were on the campaign trail.)

Change will not be without its discomforts. "All growth occurs within a context of pain." We use the quaint term "growing pains." What is important is that in the end, we will be proud and strong again, and hopefully, more honest too.