Not just a history making moment, last night was one of those times when the history of the moment made us all bigger and better.  I know I was not alone in feeling a great deal of anxiety and angst in anticipation of the outcome of the presidential election.  We've all experienced a political roller coaster of emotions.  Today is a day that all of those who played a part in the election outcome can proudly claim not only were they a part of history but they let history make them into better, productive, engaged and inspired citizens.

Instead of being in the maddening crowds, I decided to stay home and absorb the moment in my solitude.  I flipped from one station to the next trying to gauge the mood of the coverage. I was especially curious about how FOX would cover this event.  It did not escape my notice that two of the most stentorian voices on the FOX line up and the President elect's loudest critics were absent, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly.  Perhaps the executives of FOX read the writing on the wall for McCain and made the decision not to mar the moment by having the joyous huzzah dampened by their resident hate mongers in chief.

All in all, I found the coverage was mostly celebratory, as it should have been.  Of course there were a few rain clouds, Tavis Smiley, still seeing the election through a lens that reflects only on his huge ego and Ralph Nader, "Will he be Uncle Sam or Uncle Tom?"  Fortunately, the massive umbrella of multicultural, racial and generational support shielded the moment.

It's hard to imagine after witnessing the euphoria of the crowds from every corner of the globe that there could be nay sayers but there are.  This morning I chatted with a lawyer I know who asked me if I was "happy this morning."  I replied, "I feel good," and asked him if he was pleased with the outcome.  He was definite when he said, "We lose with both of them."  He went on to explain he was from Canada and he didn't vote.  Later I emailed him what he meant by his statement and he said:

You can put my statement in your blog, but I would rather not have my name in there - I too (as I am sure you can relate) like my privacy and tend to stay out of politics.

As far as elaboration goes, I did not like McCain or Obama politically (not personally, as I am sure they are both fine and upstanding people).  I could elaborate further, but I gather my views steer right of yours. I agree with this quote from JFK and from this quote it should be obvious why I disagree with Obama's tax plan.
 
"It is a paradoxical truth that tax rates are too high and tax revenues are too low and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the rates now ... Cutting taxes now is not to incur a budget deficit, but to achieve the more prosperous, expanding economy which can bring a budget surplus."

- John F. Kennedy, Nov. 20, 1962, president's news conference

Unfortunately, McCain I agree with rarely as well and I believe McCain would not be a great choice for this country either.  We'll just have to enjoy the ride and see where the next four years take us. 

I make it a rule not to mix business and politics and this relationship is no exception.  The only time we remotely discussed politics is when we shared that we were opposed to the bail out.  Moreover, since I knew he was a graduate of Brigham Young University, I surmised he may have been a Romney supporter, who switched his allegiance to John McCain, but like the exit polls and his email indicated, that was not case.  

It's interesting to note that a poll came out his morning asking Republicans who they would like to see as the new leader of their party and Romney was the top of the list with 20% and Palin at the bottom with 12%.

I did email the lawyer back and forwarded an article from Slate magazine which lent some context to the quote he offered.  That quote is often given by conservatives when countering "liberals" on taxes.

Another interesting reaction I received was a bit more startling in its bluntness.  Especially considering that this man owns a large communications firm and many TV stations all over the country.  When I approached him about doing coverage of the election on his station in Los Angeles, he responded:

I really do not think anyone gives a hoot about the two dorks we have running for president.  If I were to do anything, I would air the movie "Dumb and Dumber" as oir (sic) election coverage.


Record ratings for debates, record breaking turnout, coverage from around the globe, spontaneous crowds cheering from coast to coast and he doesn't think anyone gives "a hoot about the two dorks we have running for president."  Mmm?  

I guess when you're one of the top 5% income earners and your TV station falters due to a lack of revenue, you really don't have to care about  who's president, as long as you have a long enough snout to dip into that bail out trough.

For the rest of us, we're content to wallow in the knowledge that right won over the Right wing, and that truly is history making.