President Obama

Nov. 4, 2008, was the most moving night of my neophyte political junkie career.

A black man elected president? I never thought I'd see it in my lifetime, and certainly not with a majority of the popular vote.

I knew he would win before the race was called for him. Once we won Ohio and the networks had him at over 190 electoral votes, I knew he was our President-elect. There were 83 West Coast electoral votes in his backpocket long before the polls closed. I even called my mother and my sister!

My reaction when they actually called the race after the polls in California and Washington closed shocked me. I cried. In the middle of giant election party, I cried. Like a little girl.

Never in a million years did I think I'd get to see this so early in my life.

When he came out with family to give his acceptance speech, I got chills up my spine and started crying again.

My decision to leave newspapers so I can become more involved in grassroots political activities was confirmed as the right idea. I felt a passion over the course of the campaign that I have never felt in newspapers, and that I've come to realize I never will.

Obama, and to a lesser extent Larry LaRocco, have opened my eyes to what my passion really is.

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Obama's acceptance speech, part 1. The rest of it is linked to from the first part.