[*Higher Power]
Last night at eleven o'clock, Jon Stewart, covering the election on his live unique show, had been clowning with his pals, but they were actually reporting electoral votes as they came in. After a 13-hour day of pollwatching at Precinct 4-1, I was too tired and still too anxious to tolerate the yammering "pundants" who don't appreciate Rule 62 (not to take oneself seriously) and was glad to have the lighthearted skits of Jon et al. who appreciate the "rule" so well they could have written it.
As I said, Jon and company were making light of the whole thing and I was beginning to take heart that we might win at last. Then Jon interrupted Stephen's foolery and said, "I have an announcement. At eleven o'clock, Eastern time, we have a new president..." And then he lost it. He was overcome with emotion. He couldn't speak for thirty seconds. And believe me, that is a long time for Jon Stewart to be lost for words. Stephen kept up his silliness -- the show must go on -- but his voice wavered and he was seen wiping tears.
We stayed up for the gracious concession speech of the real John McCain and the victory speech of President-Elect Barack Obama. For several minutes after Obama's speech, the commentators kept their mouths shut and showed images of the flag-waving crowd, the Obamas and the Bidens on the podium mingling and waving to the crowd while stirring instrumental music played. When the commentator spoke, I turned the TV off.
Now the celebration of the winners and the mourning of the losers have begun. I saw a man Wednesday morning finishing up the repair of a neighbor's roof, a burly man who works hard and probably doesn't make much and has no health insurance and his head hung as he pushed his wheelbarrow carrying off scrap from the job and I felt sorry for him. I know he thinks all is lost and I hope forthcoming events will give him assurance that it is not.
President-Elect Obama spoke of humility and healing in his acceptance speech. May the healing begin.
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