Prior to a review of what went wrong with the McCain campaign and prior to any lament over the drastic changes that an Obama administration will hoist on America, I offer my congratulations to Senator Obama.

As someone who has been actively involved in politics for a long while, you learn to identify campaigns which have been masterfully run — most recently, Reagan’s 1980 campaign, Clinton’s 1992 campaign, Bush’s 2004 campaign and Obama’s 2008 campaign are examples of how campaigns, not just the candidate, can win an election. It is clear that Bob Shrum was nowhere near this campaign. David Axelrod et al. are to be commended for an incredible job.

More direct to the candidate, Senator Obama, your victory represents a first for an African American. Perhaps, your victory will allow much of America to move past the vestiges of aged racism and bigotry which have haunted their collective memories and have shaped their views of America. I hope so. This history will not be forgotten — nor would I urge the same. I would, however, note that your election is an official turning of the page *and, accordingly, I urge that your election be used to start an effective dialogue — not the protypical racially charged yak-yak from both sides of the debate — between all Americans on how effective public policy should be color neutral. Dr. King’s message of his dream of a day when someone — i.e. you — are judged not by the color of your skin, but by the content of your character, was heeded by the 63 million people who voted for you yesterday and is reflected in *all Americans, like me, who pledge to support your presidency today. This, Senator Obama, is progress *and it is now incumbent upon you, as *our President, to lead all Americans, black, white, red, yellow or brown, to further weave such progress into our collective understanding of race and of where America stands this morning, and into our collective understanding of the color-neutral public policies which you will, hopefully, advance in the years ahead.

This, Mr. President-Elect, is my expectation of you.