Victory and Defeat

It happened quickly, considering how long the whole process had gone on.

By election night at 11:00 EST, someone had won, and someone had lost.

Barack Obama's victory speech, as elegant as it was, paled against the reactions of an expectant and moved crowd, from small children, college students, and young adults, to veterans of many political and social battles, like Jesse Jackson.

"Yes, we can," became the coda as the curtain came down on the Obama campaign, and the curtain went up on the Obama Administration.

John McCain was gracious in defeat, calling for unity and solidarity with the majority's choice.

What do we take away from all that we have witnessed over the past couple of years?

Dismissing someone as only an "orator" or "talker" isn't necessarily an effective campaign tool.

Neither is utilizing those labels as if they negate and compromise capacity for action.

Words matter.

Let's consider this in the posts and polls and passions ahead.

Stay tuned.