"Yes, We Can!"

It was November the 4th 2008. The time was approx. 8:00 PM as I was watched TV while texting friends about the election when all of a sudden the election coverage report was interrupted. With the Electoral vote count at 206 to 135 (Obama) a Breaking News update said, “…With projected victories in California, Washington and Oregon, Barack Obama has sealed the victory and is now our Nations newest president!”

My eyes filled up with tears as the announcement reached not only my ears but my mind and heart. I was completely over-joyed to the point of shouting. All of the time, energy, arguments, debates, and money that a regular guy like myself could put into a presidential election had finally paid off. It was history in the making! It’s not only because this man is an African American and thereby won a huge victory for black civil rights and equality, although he did do that. But it was so much more than that! It was a victory for us common people. It was the fruition of a dream fueled by hope, fueled by a desire for change and fueled by the resurrected belief that the vote of your everyday person really did count, that the voice of your regular Main St. American was once again being heard. It was regular people making a change by coming together. It was as if the entire nation had one song and Obama’s Presidential victory was the chorus.

It was a nation standing up together, believing together, Working toward a common goal together, and seeing our goal being reached, TOGETHER! And when we saw President Elect Barack Obama stand up on stage that night, our hearts stopped for a second only to resume when he had spoken his first words.

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”

And our hearts automatically leaped for joy at that statement. As we watched our president give his speech we remembered all of the caucuses and the primaries, the debates and the interviews, The highs and the lows, The e-mails and the calls, The precinct walks and the phone banking, the button making and the political strategy chats, The slanders and smears and yet the humility and strength to rise above it, The long months of endless campaigning and finally the victory attained. This moment was so vivid, so real to all of us and it created one mind set for most of America… Yes, We can!

And as he finished his speech we watched Joe Biden walk onto the stage and it was set in stone, this team has the potential to change not only Washington or the US, but also the world. And on that night, Obama and Biden won the election, America celebrated, history was made, hope was restored to a nation, and the move to change had officially begun.

“...But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you...”



**Please, Pray for our Nations leaders! May God Bless them and guide them through the next four years, which promise to be difficult. **