Lipstick for the Pit bull

Now that the dust is starting to settle, and President Obama merchandise has hit the shelves, the to-be-expected finger pointing has begun.

But I am amazed (and somewhat delighted) that FOX News is one of the largest finger-pointers. Or, more accurately, that they are providing a platform for the finger-pointers. So much for that "liberal media" critique; it doesn't get more conservative than FOX News.



It honestly scares me that Sarah Palin could have been sworn in to the second highest office in the land. And although President Bush has been mocked for his gaffes, "Bush-isms" and poor pronunciation for the last 8 years, at least he knows that Africa is a continent. At least I think, and hope, that he does.

The President -- and by extension Vice President -- of the United States is very much a figurehead. Don't get me wrong, the buck does stop at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. But the POTUS isn't the only one that takes up residence there on January 20th every four years. One could argue that the Chief of Staff, core group of senior aides and members of the Cabinet influence things as much as the actual Commander in Chief. So that takes care of things here at home.

But what the Chief of Staff cannot do, and what has been SO FREAKIN LACKING FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, has been someone in the role of Chief Diplomatic Officer. The rest of the world has been watching and laughing at us for the last 8 years. And somewhere along the way their jeers and jokes turned to distrust. But that changed some 36 hours ago. Now they are celebrating with and for us. One man, who had a dream, has united so many of us. It gives me goosebumps to see the reaction from all points of the globe. It makes me sad that his grandmother didn't live to see it.

Obama's win is a victory for America. It's a victory for the world. And it's a victory for our children. For my children. When we woke Lily up yesterday morning and gave her the news, she "yahoo-ed" and danced wildly around the house. She was gleeful!

Gerald Ford was President when I was born. But I have no memory of that. Carter, on the hand, was in office during my childhood and I DO remember him; I can even picture him in my minds eye at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. I think I was 4. Maybe 5.

So while Lily may walk around right now, shaking her head and declaring George Bush as "not good...not good at all," when she's older her first real memories of a sitting President will likely be of President Barack Obama. And that gives this "Mama for Obama" goosebumps. Not only is he a brilliant, articulate and charismatic leader, but he is, after all, African American. Or, as Lily would say, he has "pretty chocolate skin."

So my sweet, curious and inquisitive Lily -- a female Jew and, as such, a minority herself -- is going to grow up thinking that there are no limitations on anyone. Anyone can be anything. And that is just awesome. THAT is victory!