For as bitter as the 2008 Presidential election and overall political atmosphere had become in our country over the past 2 years, I felt a sense of calmness as the electoral vote was tallied last night.
Although my guy didn't win, my country did.
An African-American man has been elected to the most important job in the world. 50 years ago this was unthinkable. It wasn't until the 1965 Voting Rights Act that African-Americans truly (and fully) were included into our Democracy.
What I noticed yesterday was the acceptance our nation had with President-Elect Obama's victory. No riots. No violence. Just acceptance. And this is what makes our country the greatest example to all others--the peaceful transfer of power from one President to the next.
My second observation from this election is that our next President will only be the 44th person to ever hold that position. Forty-fourth. That's it. In 219 years of American presidents, only 43 men have held the title of "Commander in Chief". More people can fit in a Greyhound bus than we've had Presidents of the United States of America.
How will President Obama be as Commander in Chief (CINC)? I don't think we really know. However, as someone who has worked with the White House and seen President Bush up close, the duties of CINC are the most difficult and encompassing of all the presidential duties. Presidents deal with Commander in Chief duties more so than any other task during their day-to-day workings. When the intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, battlefield strategies, clear & present dangers are fully briefed to President Obama, I believe he'll continue the policies of the current Administration with respect to Afghanistan, Iraq, and the war on terrorism.
And he'll have the full support of our military leadership. A peaceful transfer of power. That's what makes our country and Democracy the greatest nation. As it should be.
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