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Enter Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States

Watching the concession speech of Senator McCain and Barack Obama's victory speech, it amazes me that despite the tensions in American society, the 238 year old way of American democracy still works.

Barack Obama now enters the stage where all his actions count. He got 338 electoral votes.Only 270 are needed to win.

Now the post-mortems have begun. There are the party pooper pundits, who throw cold water by emphasizing the difficulties that Obama will face and very little will be resolved in his first term. Obama to his credit realizes that. He knows that some of his fans will be disappointed.

Also the soon to be First Family is being sized up. Obama's kids know that their lives won't be the same again.

For the first time in US history, gays were mentioned in a presidential speech. This shows the inclusive direction Obama is going to take. How the Bush-Obama transition period will work out is of interest now. There is growing impatience with Bush.

For a Pinoy like me, the crowds in front of the White House, Chicago's Grant Park and on Times Square reminds me of our own people power. But this is workable people power, the one that the US constitution prescribes. We can learn heaps from this.

Perhaps the most poignant interview is with the president of Martin Luther King's alma mater. He retold the story of America's blacks from slavery to the presidency.

Obama's ascent to the presidency is a revolution within the democracy prescribed by the US constitution. The whole idea that this could happen affirms our faith in constitutional government. Even Russia applauds.

For the women candidates, Sarah Palin's future is being discussed. I haven't heard a peep about Hillary the wannabe prez' future. She can still make a run for it.

Some people also get chills with references to Abe Lincoln and JFK. The pundits should shut up on this for once. These presidents were shot!

Anyway my congratulations to Mr Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America. Change has indeed come to America.
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