Editor, Daily Nexus

Sen. Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States. As a Republican, I congratulate him. I congratulate the many triumphs of this electoral season. We saw a woman get as close as you can get to being atop the presidential ticket with Sen. Hillary Clinton. For the first time the Republicans put a woman on the ticket with Gov. Sarah Palin. And for the first time, a black man was elected president of the United States of America.

This was an historic election that will be talked about in history books when our children are in school as a new day in American politics. I have to admit, I voted for John McCain. I did and still do not think that Sen. Obama has the experience needed to be commander in chief. With that said, I do hope I am wrong and that Sen. Obama can lead this country through some of its most recent dark days.

I hope that he sees the battles in Iraq and Afghanistan not as political footballs, but as the fronts of a battle the West is fighting against an extreme ideology that is tearing nations in two and halting the progress of democracy around the world. I hope that Sen. Biden is wrong and that Sen. Obama is not “tested” by the world early in his term. But most importantly, I hope that somehow Barack Obama can bring this nation together.

We divided ourselves in our own parties in the primaries, going back and forth on who was best to beat the other party, then we divided ourselves on who we thought should lead this country. But an overwhelming majority of people have spoken and we cannot forget that. I have great hope for this country; change has come and we will take it on together. Sen. McCain is an American hero who has served his country honorably, while Sen. Obama has a great opportunity to become the leader he has promised us. Let’s hope, for all our sakes, he comes through. May God continue to bless America and our troops serving our great nation, for a new era is upon us.