KennedysOnline

What a great day. Really. Even though I’ve waited my entire political life (wow, can it have been 17 years since I earned the right to vote?) to cast a vote for one of my favorite statesmen of all time (Sen John McCain), I am SO proud to be an American tonight. What a much overdo step forward for our great nation – the nomination of Sen Barak Obama is indeed cause to celebrate. While I do not agree with many of his policy positions, I am reveling in the glow of this historic moment.

Living in a country that rules by the will of a few, without the benefit of an involved or politically educated electorate, my appreciation for the democratic processes of the American system has grown exponentially. The Democratic party’s contest between the first woman and the first African American nominees was hard fought and substantive. It can only benefit our democracy to throw open the doors of opportunity to any qualified person, regardless of gender or race.

As a former campaign staffer, I saw first hand the ravages of state wide campaigns. National campaigns exact an unimaginable toll on the candidate and his or her loved ones. Sen Clinton and Sen Obama both deserve our gratitude for the risks they took and the sacrifices they made.

Every February, we read to our children from Martin Luther King Jr’s speeches. The day he dreamed about, the one I teach our children to work for – when no person will be judged by their outside appearance, but rather by the content of their character – I can’t say for sure that day has come, but we seem to be a lot closer tonight. Congratulations, America. The light from the “shining city on the hill” looks beautiful from here.