<f Tuesday, November 4, will go down as one of the most historic nights in the relatively short lives of Carleton students. Barack Obama was elected president of the United States of America, projected the winner by most major news networks around 10:00 p.m. central time.
First, and foremost, America elected its first-ever African-American president. The significance of this fact should not be discounted. It is an incredible accomplishment, and it shows that America continues to make progress. But more importantly, the election represents a turning point in American politics. The Obama-Biden campaign revolutionized the way that political campaigns are waged with the use of text-messaging and e-mail to reach potential voters. For this reason, and also because of the heavy toll that the economy and the wars were taking on the minds of voters, America saw record turnouts and long lines across the country on Tuesday.
While Obama supporters celebrate the progress made, it is important to recognize that the next few years will not be easy. President-elect Obama will have many challenges facing him, and only time will tell if he will be able to fulfill the promises he made during his campaigns. But regardless, America begins today on a new path. In the last eight years, America experienced pessimism, cynicism, and fear. Today we look ahead to the next four years with optimism and hope.