President Obama. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? And vice president Joe Biden.

Yesterday I went to the Chicago rally for Obama with my brother. I didn't have a ticket, but there were plenty of people who didn't. We were watching the election results from CNN on a big screen. Every time Obama won a state, there were cheers. Boos for McCain, though. I'm actually really surprised that Obama won Virginia and North Carolina. And freaking Florida! When the next projection (with California, Ohio, and a few others) was coming in, we were counting down from 60 seconds...then 10, 9, 8...3, 2, 1, then "Barack Obama elected President." Thousands of cheers erupted. Fists of victory flew into the air, and everyone was jumping up and down, shouting themselves hoarse, chanting "O-BA-MA!" and "YES WE CAN!" It was amazing.
As I watched his speech yesterday (props to McCain too, that was a respectful concession speech), I realized that we were all watching history right there. What he said was truly inspiring. Even though there's a lot I don't agree on with Obama, I believe, I can see, that he is a man who really wants to change the world. Even as we were celebrating, he wanted to start the change right now - and change IS happening now. It's not just America that's rejoicing, but people in countries around the world as well. This message of hope and change that the campaign was built on has proven true. I've never been so proud of America as now. And not just that, but he is the first African American president. The racial barrier has been broken!

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."
-Barack Obama

But of course, it's only just beginning. Like Obama outlined yesterday, there are many problems ahead which we will all have to face and work to overcome. Can we mend tense foreign relations? Can we rescue our down-spiraling economy and make it flourish instead? Can we reduce global warming so that it won't become a worldwide disaster? Can we solve these issues and re-introduce prosperity and peace? Can we still do this and remain one nation as we did yesterday, the United States of America?

Yes. We can.

Heh...I will be both a biologist and physicist. And a bit of a mathematician, I hope.

Naperville Central Class of 2008 =)