I suspect that by the time that you're reading this, you've heard the word historic used more times than you can count.
I'd like to use it once more, but perhaps not for the reason that you might think.
The election of Barack Obama as our 44th president was not just historic for reasons of race, voter turnout, or even for the overwhelming and indisputable rejection of a conservative ideology that for eight long years has led America down a path of fiscal recklessness, social division, and increasing instability both at home and abroad.
The election was, of course, all of those things; but, to me, Barack Obama's win was historic for an entirely different reason.
Last night, Americans rejected the politics of cheap rhetoric, distracting attacks, and exclusionary patriotism in favor of honest discussion, clear priorities, and a dedication to finding real solutions.
That is truly historic.