Well, there you have it. The people have spoken, and now the whole world sees that Americans want real change. I only hope that this message is heard loud and clear around the world, and that it helps to improve world opinion of the U.S., as it shows the world that we, as a nation, do not believe as George W. does. I do have to give him credit for doing one good thing for America — ruining it for the Republicans. Way to go, Dub'ya!


Americans United

Barack Obama has won, and so has America. He has promised to unify our country, and we should take him at his word. There is an imperative for hope and no reason to withhold support to the man, given the challenges ahead.

I urge the 48 percent of us who voted for John McCain to put aside our concerns and every American to let go of the divisiveness that has prevented progress. It is Obama's turn, and he will soon show us what he can do. We owe him that chance and the opportunity he has earned.


Sees all sides

We celebrate Barack Obama's victory and remember: He won because he is black and white, a mix of two races, not just one. A totally black man would never have won the primary in 2008. This mix is a wonderful metaphor that warms my heart.

Barack knows and understands both sides in whatever issue is brought forth to our country and the world. We'll see a triumph of justice as lies are exposed and truths revealed. Cover-ups perpetuated on the human race for centuries will come into the light. We will no longer live in the dark and controlled by a few. We may even get to know our true, cosmic heritage. Deep down, we know: We are far greater than who and what we think we are. Deep down, we give profound thanks for this historic change in our country, our lives.


Walking tall

I am proud and grateful that there were enough of us banding together to champion and support Barack Obama, a truly exceptional man — the young, along with the old, who identified with this youthfully spirited messenger; citizens of long-standing different persuasions who swallowed hard and allowed themselves to join in, stepping onto an old but less-worn and tried path.

We all bonded with a rare example of leadership, a candidate for president with unfailing dignity, setting an example of resolve, asking for our participation in searching out and exercising a more ennobling vision of social responsibility toward one another.

As a result, Americans can walk taller both here and abroad as citizens of the world, preparing with renewed hope for the opportunity of sharing the responsibility for the good health of this precious little blue marble and its inhabitants, our home in the universe.


Reunited States of America

We've chosen a true leader and healer, someone who has touched our hearts and the powers within us. Our votes transcended politics, for we have truly chosen a leader of the people. The power that elected Barack Obama is much greater than he himself, as he acknowledged in his first speech as president-elect. It is the power of change and a profound choice for freedom that we made for ourselves and for our country. The unity and the oneness of community we are feeling, the courage to realize our mistakes and transgressions, and to change our character in the midst of difficult times — this is what should propel our hearts into this bright open future.

There is a Barack Obama inside each of us; this is how he became elected. Our vote represents this recognition. And what we recognize, we can become. Let's use this power of unity, this shared common purpose and take the hope and love that we have for the future and celebrate it here and now.


Not celebrating

While many here are drunk with joy over Obama, I'll be thinking of the children soon destined to die in the womb as a result of Barack Obama's intent to radically liberalize this nation's abortion laws. This society can never find peace as long as children are killed so wantonly.


Bush'll be busy

To nobody's surprise, the voters have chosen Barack Obama. It will be so nice to have a thoughtful, intelligent and articulate president. Our president for the past eight years, George W. Bush, has none of these qualities.

For the next two-and-a-half months, the Bush administration will undoubtedly be very busy. They have a lot of e-mails to delete, many, many memos to shred, and an uncountable number of files to destroy. They will also have to decide which of their former accomplices to pardon. The two that immediately come to mind are Scooter Libby and Jack Abramoff. After accomplishing these large tasks, Bush can trot back to Crawford and Cheney can slither back under his rock, if he is not there already.


Got the blues

How sweet it is to wake up in a blue state. My husband and I recently relocated to Santa Fe from a northern suburb of Atlanta, where McCain-Palin signs proliferated and where political talk, if you weren't a party-line Republican, was frowned upon as a taboo topic of discourse.

Whether Republicans will be receptive to this momentous change in direction — embodied in the choice of Barack Obama as our next president — remains an open question, for they will have to abandon their slash-and-burn approach to partisan governance. (I cannot help remembering the endless waste of time and treasure expended to impeach a Democratic president for private sins while George W. Bush has escaped any censure for his vastly more reprehensible public crimes and misdemeanors.)

One can only muster the audacious hope that the grave challenges we face will usher in a bipartisan willingness to live out the full meaning of John McCain's campaign slogan, "Country First" as we hold fast to "Yes, we can!"


GOP RIP

I'm not sure if this is an editorial comment or an obituary for Karl Rove, architect of the basement in which the Republicans now dwell. May his dreams of a permanent Republican majority and his brand of dirty politics forever rest in peace.


Alone at last

I guess after Tuesday my "good friends" Udall, Pearce, Richardson, Obama, McCain and others will forget about me and stop calling. I've been wondering how they broke through the "do not call" list to begin with.