Wow! Talk about being thrown for a loop!

What we just witnessed in these past 18 hours has been truly remarkable. I went to sleep last night proud that an African-American accepted the Democratic nomination to be President. Hours later, I woke up to the news that the Republicans selected a woman as its vice-presidential hopeful.

Just like that, America took on gigantic leap forward. We have all but guaranteed an African-American or a woman will be in the White House in 2009. No matter what happens, we can't lose.

Now, I am not talking about policy. All four candidates (Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin) have weaknesses.

No matter who wins, we as a nation will struggle. Come January 20, the economy will not suddenly expand, the mortgage crisis will not disappear, jobs will not stop leaving our borders, illegal immigrants will not stop breaking our borders. It may not be until the end of the next president's first term that we truly rebound from our current plight.

But today, that's not the point. Today is a great day in the United States. Today we showed the world what we are all about.

Lost in all the debate of experience, foreign policy, security and finances, we as a people did something truly remarkable. After generations and generations of having more of the same in the White House, today we proved the greatness of our people.

Today, we have a black man, a mother, a war hero and an everyday man who still takes the train to work all competing for the right to lead this great nation. 

It took awhile, but we made progress in a week that reminded us of those who worked hard for this day to happen. This week in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., shared with us his dream. This week in 1920, women finally earned the respect they long deserved with the right to vote.

This morning, we have a dream realized. This morning, we have come full circle.

You see, today is not about politics. It does not matter if you are going to vote in this election. It does not matter if you are red or blue, religious or atheist, straight or gay, pro-life or pro-choice, war-hawk or pacifist, left or right, liberal or conservative.

This election has become more than just who will best lead us our of recession. This election has become more than about who will find the best resolution for peace in the Middle East. This election has become more than about saving the environment. This election has become bigger than any issue that has confronted us over the past two years.

These issues will be fleshed out, and time will tell whether we made the right choice in November. But today is not about the decision we will make (or not make) in 67 days.

Today is about humanity. Today is what the United States is all about. Today we demonstrated that no matter where we come from, no matter what our backgrounds are, we can still unify as one.

Last night, estimates of nearly 85,000 people in Denver teared and cheered as Obama did what no African-American ever did in our history. This morning, more than 10,000 people in Toledo jumped to their feet as Polin, a self-proclaimed hockey mom, walked onto the stage to join hands with McCain.

A man whose black father left him while his white mother raised him told himself everyday, "Yes, I can."

A simple man from Scranton, Penn., lost his wife and raised his kids in Delaware while he took the train to his day job on Capitol Hill.

An eager warrior fought his way through Vietnam and lived to tell his story while taking his fight to the Senate floor.

A woman in Alaska, who started her political career a few years ago with the PTA , became the first woman in her state to be called "governor."

Collectively, two of these four deserving people will lead us into the next decade. Collectively, they are the story of America. 

Politics aside, what we, as Americans, witnessed over the past 18 hours is truly remarkable for the idea of what it is to be an American.

It's about hopes and dreams coming true. It's about perseverance and hard-work. It's about family and caring for those who need help when they need it the most. It's about appreciating our diverse backgrounds yet working together for a common good.

Most importantly, it's about being human. Today we demonstrated that you do not have to be a rich white male to be a serious contender for president. Today we showed that people with ordinary backgrounds and extraordinary dreams can reach the limits ... and then some.

Today, we told each other that we are ready to move forward. Today, we told our children that we are ready to embrace our future. Today, we showed the world what makes America so great.

Politics or not, we did well. Let's not stop here.