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Post election quick hits

I'll have a longer post later tonight, but here are some quick thoughts:
  • Barack Obama: Congrats to the new President. I hope he governs from the center - I guess we'll see. At any rate, we can all be even more proud today of our country. Obama's first primary victory was in Iowa, which is mostly white. Last night, he won Virginia, which was the cradle of the old confederacy. It's an amazing thought.
  • John McCain: Maybe one of the best concession speeches I've ever heard. It was gracious, warm, and truly heartfelt. And anyone could see that John McCain's deep love for America is no act. He is a true hero, a true patriot, and will be a great asset in the Senate.
  • California's gay marriage ban: Fascinating that the state that voted for Obama by double-digits also voted to ban gay marriage. It shows that the country truly is center-right. I was very happy to see this pass, especially after the vicious anti-Mormon ads the other side ran the day before the election.
  • Norm Coleman/Al Franken: I sometimes will listen to liberal talk radio, to get the perspective of the other side. I hated listening to Franken - he was obnoxious, totally intolerant of dissenters, and full of himself. Hopefully he'll lose to Coleman. And lest we need any more evidence of the importance of each vote, Coleman currently leads by about 600 votes.
  • Gordon Smith/Jeff Merkley: Another one too close to call...but here's hoping Senator Smith can pull it out.
More later...

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