President Barak Hussein Obama!

Yesterday morning at 6am, before leaving to knock doors around noon, I was assigned to train volunteers in groups of 6 and send them into rental mini vans to go knocking doors. At the beginning of each training- I probably did nearly 10 myself and there were 4 others doing the same, along with 8 trainers for people using their own cars- I asked people their name, where they were from, and whether they'd ever canvassed before.

Nearly 1/2 of the people who knocked doors in Milwaukee for Obama had never done anything for a campaign before... and about 1/4 said they'd never even voted before.

What is it that could take someone from apathy to a high enough level of commitment to get in their car, drive 3-4 hours round-trip from Milwaukee to a location they're not sure how to find, take the day off work, and knock on the doors of complete strangers?

Yesterday we didn't just win an election. We somehow convinced the American people - apathetic, excluded, or nay-sayers- that something could change and they could make it happen. This is fantastic but dangerous. We might have just reshaped politics in our country and taken it away from the wealthy, elderly, suburban voters to hand it to a new generation of working people with real problems that need help. But if we fail to deliver on what our new voters need, we will be worse off than ever.

This victory should mean healthcare for every American passes within the first 100 days of the Obama administration, along with an expanded right to join a union and have a voice at work, a reshaped tax system that doesn't tax working Americans to give out corporate pork, the end of the war in Iraq and a new role and new respect in the world, and public works and infrastructure projects that put our people to work and jump start our ailing economy. This cannot be just business as usual.

So, that's my hangover. I'm excited but terrified. The victory party in Milwaukee last night had far more of a New Year's Eve feel to it. We knew once PA was called that Obama would win the minute CA polls closed. We counted down. Then, we cried. Hugged strangers, shouted alot, started conga lines, and even drank just a bit... but I'm sure it was nothing compared to Grant Park - this prose by Kevin Connolly of the BBC bottled the night fantastically well.

Today, driving home to Chicago. Back to life, looking forward to Ben and Molly and friends and good times. Friday, it's off to Toronto for more UCI action. More bikes. I promise. I'm going abroad proud of my nation for the first time in 8 years.