It's over.
The longest — and most expensive — presidential race in American history is over. And last night showed us the best our democracy has to offer.
Sen. John McCain gave one of the best speeches of his long career — which included a firm dismissal of a few obviously disappointed supporters in the crowd assembled at the Biltmore in Phoenix. McCain showed more class and presidential composure than Hillary Clinton ever did.
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President-elect Barack Obama, meanwhile, offered up one of the more somber acceptance speeches my admittedly short memory can recall. His speech, clearly muted by the death of his grandmother only a day before, also revealed his own dawning realization of the job he'd just won. (I certainly wouldn't want it: wars on two fronts, a crumbling economy and "Slow" Joe Biden as my second in command.)
The funny thing, though, is that this was the easy part. While the transition undoubtedly starts today — with a new chief of staff expected as early as this week — the economy (or the world) will hardly wait around. Winning is one thing; governing is something else altogether.
The rest of us, meanwhile, can finally leave the heated discussions and raw political feelings aside and get back to work. Because this shaky economy isn't going to wait around for us, either.
Stay tuned.
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