Obama’s victory speech

Belatedly, I think Barack Obama’s speech on election night was one of the finest pieces of American political oration in years, and maybe in decades:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. . . .

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world — our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down — we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security — we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright –tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

How can your heart not swell in hearing that? Sure, in a few months, Obama will be just another president, with problems like all the rest and more troubles than any has inherited in decades, but what he’s accomplished is nothing less than electrifying. In a single day, he’s made us proud to be Americans again, and he’s made the whole world remember all over again what’s great about America.