History Night

Congratulations to Barack Obama. It's all about three things now:

1. Beating John McCain for the U.S. Presidency. Hundreds of key government positions that the President fills at stake, including some of the most powerful in our nation, like Supreme Court Justice, Secretary of Health & Human Services and Secretary of Defense.
   
   
2. Funders, big and small. Big, as in the Clinton money machine which win come over to Obama because they will want to back a winner, they would prefer not to have to wait another four -- or eight -- years. Even if Hillary Clinton herself decides to position for 2012 (an unwise bet, as she'd never get the African-American vote should Obama lose due to her or her partisans), there's the risk that the victor McCain would serve 8 years, or his VP, making any other choice than buying into Obama's Administration simply unacceptable. Small as in any of her supporters who want someone who will do something about the issues so crucial to their lives to be President.
   
   
3. Down-ticket. This is why Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are shutting it down, why the governors who backed Clinton are flipping this week. They have to get Obama out on the trail, drawing huge rallies co-starring their Senate, House, and significant state office candidates. Even mayorial candidates. They are the core of the Washington party -- not the Clintons -- and they need Obama and the money flowing his way. Hillary has shown she can raise money, but she can't manage it, overspends disastrously, and ends up in debt.

What Clinton wants, as she so clearly stated in the narcissistic core of her non-concession speech, matters only as a test for Barack Obama to manage in as organized, thoughtful, strategic manner as he has his entire historic, game-changing campaign. I expect he'll survive. He survived Rev. Jeremiah Wright, including his ghastly sequel appearance in Washington, D.C. If Hillary has any sense about her, she'll remember how Obama was able to cut him off, in good time, at the moment of a proven public case, completely. Before and after.

The Vice Presidency is similarly a test for any candidate, the so-called first decision they make as President, even if it's their last. The names I heard that stood out tonight were Jim Webb, Kathleen Sebelius, Ed Rendell if a Hillary supporter. And I like Ed Rendell -- straight-talker, but old school. My guess is that Webb works for military back-up, but Sebelius gives Hillary's supporters a place to go, which may be the reason she reportedly doesn't want him choosing a female VP if it isn't her.

So now it's up to him. Obama is the nominee-elect.

Here he is:



Your next President, if you make it happen.