History

From today's keepsake, frame-worthy, Times:

Senator Barack Obama claimed the Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday night, prevailing through an epic battle with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in a primary campaign that inspired millions of voters from every corner of America to demand change in Washington.

“You chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears, but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations,” Mr. Obama told supporters at a rally in St. Paul. “Tonight, we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another — a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Because of you, tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.”

I can understand if you're not impressed with the man's politics, or his vision. I can even understand (sort of) if you want the old, angry, anti-abortion, Haggee-hugger to win in November. But this is a great moment in American history, a moment to celebrate how far we've come. If you lack the capacity to join that celebration, at least for today, I wonder about your humanity and your sense of history.

A side worry: After the Republicans steal this one (and they will, if not via the Supreme Court than via dirty tricks, or appeals to fear) its going to be a million years before another black man gets nominated. The Dems will beat themselves up saying stuff like "what were we *thinking* nominating a black man in this deeply racist country?"