A Couple Of Election Notes

-I'm far from the first to point it out, but it matters that a man who, 50 years ago, would not have been allowed to eat at certain lunch counters, was elected president by voters of some of the same states who would have denied him that right.

-I'll repeat this again. Even with healthy margins in the House and Senate, President-elect Obama is going to have a rough couple of years. He needs prayer, whether you voted for him or not.

-Marriage won in all three states in which it was on the ballot. Even California passed it's amendment by what, at this hour, is a 12% margin. That's a more positive sign for this country's future than I would have hoped for.

-Partisan issues aside, it's a sick world in which Ted Stevens retains his seat and John Sununu gets booted out of office. Fortunately, it looks like only a matter of time before Stevens heads for jail and Governor Palin fills his seat.

-The Democratic party regained the House and Senate in these last two cycles largely by fielding centrist challengers like Jim Webb and Bob Casey. The ideological distance between these rookies and their party's leadership is vast. It will be interesting to see how that pans out, now that the Dems have sizable majorities and no veto threat.

-Is anyone else suddenly very concerned with the health of Justice Stevens? For the good of the nation, let's hope he stays in good shape for another four years.

-Lastly, read this. President Bush has been a very mixed bag, but he's leaving office with his honor intact. His reputation will only improve over time. Some may lay partial blame for this election at his feet, but I don't think that's fair. Congress and John McCain made their own beds.