The Smorgasbord

Not just for the results of this monumental election, but by the percentage of voters that came out and made their voices heard. In most precincts in this area they were projecting 80-85% turn out levels! Which is about where they should be, but it's been awhile since they've been that high in areas across the board. I'm just excited that so many people realized their voices needed to be heard, found someone they believed in, and got out the vote!!

I was also very impressed with John McCain's concession speech, I believe it finally showed the real side of him. If his campaign had been run with the charisma and charm he has shown the past week or so, I think we would have had a much closer race. I really wanted to take a second to applaud him as well.

Barack Obama's victory speech was nothing less than I expected. Rex and I popped open a bottle of champagne and toasted what is to come and at 1 am finally dragged ourselves to bed. Early numbers looked positive, but we didn't want to get our hopes up. I guess I'm still in shock that it went his way, after 8 years of not having much hope in our political system, it feels like a breath of fresh air. He really ran an amazing campaign and I really believe he will do whatever he can to reunite this country and bring both sides of the aisle together again-

"While the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress," Obama said.

"To those Americans whose support I have yet to earn -- I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president, too," he said.

So, how did I spend my election day you ask...

After voting, I headed to Lansing to help my parents out with the campaign there. I spent 4 hours on the corner (cue joke here) with Obama signs and go vote signs. It was so much fun, it was like being at a sporting event. We got so many honks, waves, victory signs and thumbs up. My voice was pretty much shot by the end of it. The support was overwhelming. I drove back to GR with high hopes for the results to come. Rex let his students out at 8 so they could watch history unfold, and then we snuggled up on the couch with our Jimmy Johns and watched the states change from white to blue/red. One bottle of champagne later, and we passed out for the night. It was a good day to say the very least.