a White House seder

This is the first time a sitting U.S. president has hosted a Passover seder, another step in the right direction towards cultural inclusiveness.

positive change

It's great to get some positive news this week.

what were they thinking?

Or were they thinking when they published this? Today while I was at the gym, I caught part of this story on CNN. I didn't see the cartoon itself until later.

I find it hard to believe that a responsible editor, even at a rag like the New York Post, would approve such a bigoted piece of work. It's my understanding that the cartoon was placed adjacent to a photo of Barack Obama and a headline about the stimulus package. I tend not to agree with Al Sharpton, but this is an exception. It's one thing to do a caricature. It's quite another to unite a nasty old racist stereotype with an image of violence.

good news

...if it passes...

a creative visual

A graphic representation of the words of Obama’s inauguration speech...

a different view of the inauguration

For all the photo geeks in the audience, this is how a cover shot for many newspapers was created.

inauguration day

Celebrate the end of an error....Barack is in the house!

climbing a mountain towards a dream

It seems perfect that today, Martin Luther King Day, would be the eve of the inauguration of our first black president.

a day of celebration, with a little disappointment

Yesterday was an extraordinary day of celebration . Unfortunately, Bishop Gene Robinson's moving prayer was omitted from the HBO broadcast. Sun-Times columnist Cathleen Falsani shares his words with us.

finding equality

I was happy to read about Barack Obama's plan to end the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy concerning homosexual and bisexual members of their ranks. It's good to see this kind of positive change.

This news about the inaugural didn't hurt either.

Gay rights is the civil rights struggle of this generation. I hope that my older gay friends will see equal rights in their lifetimes.

biking for Obama

A cyclist is riding from L.A. to D.C. for the inauguration, making a statement and hoping to pick up other riders on the way.

an inside perspective

Derrick Jackson of the Boston Globe discusses Valerie Jarrett's perspective on Barack Obama.

I feel strongly that pragmatic hope is what we need. Unrealistic promises will not do our country or others any favors.

looking ahead

a perspective on what comes next after the campaign...

editorial cartoon

A constitutional thought: all men are created equal

celebration

There's a lot of celebrating going on around the world in the wake of Tuesday night's news, by Kenyans and Indonesians, and elsewhere and on lots of newspaper front pages.

And even though it's gotten to be a bit of a cliche, Kool and the Gang's Celebration seems most appropriate right now.

historical perspective

Click for a historical perspective on Barack Obama's achievement, courtesy of the BBC.

it's a beautiful day

The reality of last night's election results is starting to sink in. I look forward to the conversations I will have with so many others who have hoped for this day. Yesterday I heard many people say that they'd just voted for the first time because they finally felt like they could make a difference.

If you didn't see Barack Obama's speech last night, click here to watch. McCain's gracious concession speech is here. Both are worth watching.

And here's a musical thought to wrap it up.

beyond words

I'm sure that Barack Obama's grandmother must be watching with pride and joy at tonight's news. I don't have words to express my own joy at the knowledge that we did it, that Barack Obama will be our next president.

John McCain's concession speech has been a class act. I hope that he will follow it with actions to help our country recover from the current crises.

the stage is set

Crews have been working for the last several days putting up the stage, lighting, bleachers, fencing, temporary cell sites, etc., getting all in order for tomorrow night's Obama rally in Grant Park. I'm on the wait list for a ticket, but I doubt that I'll get one. Going south on Lake Shore Drive the other day, I was struck by how photogenic the setting is, with the Field Museum in the background behind the stage. This will be an event to remember.

still on the fence?

Have you tried the Obama tax calculator to see how his tax plan would affect you? Click here to check it out.