I'M STILL GETTING TEARY-EYED

Going to see APPALOOSA helped distract me from the emotional impact of these historic few days, but it didn't stop the eyes getting moist almost everytime I think about this giant change in our country's history.

Of course the rightwing mouthpieces seem to still be frothing, unfortunately. But their vitriol seems less effective now that it's been proven that a majority of us—of all shades and backgrounds and affiliations etc.—have joined to repudiate thier snarkiness (Rush called Obama a "Chicago thug" on his latest show! Can you imagine what the rightwing would be screaming if anyone in the media anywhere referred to any Republican figure, let alone the president as a "thug"?!).

But Obama's first press conference as "President-elect" today put to shame the presidential press conferences of the past few decades as far as I'm concerned.

He was clear, he was concise, he was honest, he was witty (referring to himself as a "mutt" when answering a questionj about the "puppy" issue) he was forecful and full of gravitas on the challenges we face as a nation and equally hopeful about the capacity we have to meet them.

And he made it clear, as his campaign did, that the economy will be the priority, creating jobs and giving most of us a tax cut, and that small businesses will be getting a capital gains tax cut as well as tax credits etc. putting the lie to the rightwing promoted stirring of fear these past two days among some small business owners.

I mean come on, when was the last time we had a president who was as smart, articulate AND COOL as Obama?

If the world was high school, he'd be the guy who not only is a basketball star, but also the most brilliant student and most popular, proven by his being elected student president, as well as the most dependable in a crisis, personal or otherwise.

And did you notice that economic team of advisors he's attracted? As mixed in terms of race, gender and political affiliation as any I've seen before. God bless our President-elect.