As I was reading your column, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report and how he “doesn’t see race”.

I can only begin to imagine what the election of Barack Obama to the highest office of the land means to African Americans. But, President-elect Obama really is the first truly mainstream African-American to have essentially transcended race by speaking to Americans - and, indeed, the entire world - on any number of political, social, cultural and economic levels that hit all of the right chords.

We were in desperate need of not only competent US leadership but of the kind of wise leadership and common-sense pragmatism that would invoke the passion and hopes for a better future. Barack Obama was able to tap into that yearning from the very beginning. Of course, his VP selection sealed the deal for me but that’s a whole other story!

And, that’s what essentially defines the historic nature of an Obama presidency for me.

P.S. The next time Chris offers you a guest column spot, don't defer...just do it! :)

To all -

Thanks for commenting, and for the kind words. I do not deserve them -- Mr. Daniels deserves ALL the credit. I agree this needs a wider audience. Please help by Digg-ing it, or sending the link to friends.

My only regret is that Mr. Daniels was limited to one subject, as our emails covered many a topic. I also encourage everyone to click the first link in my intro, to see his comments on what I originally wrote (you only need to read the "Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week" section in my piece for context for his comments).

I am always astonished at bloggers who never answer their commenters, since I feel it is the best aspect of blogging -- instant criticism, with a two-way line of communication! What's not to love? This is also why I have no "word limit" on comments at my site, because sometimes people have more to say than can fit in a few hundred words. And sometimes it's well worth those extra words.

I continue to be impressed by the quality of comments here at HuffPost, and it's sometimes the people who disagree with me the most that I wind up learning the most from. I don't expect that with this column, though -- it's hard to disagree with such heartfelt sentiments as LewDan has written here.

Everyone have a happy turkey day, and be sure to give thanks that our next president will be Barack Obama!

:-)

-CW

It's Llewellyn Daniel. First thing they teach you in Journalism 101 in college (which I never actually took, mind you...) is GET EVERYONE'S NAME SPELLED RIGHT!!!

(Especially those Welsh-derived names with too many L's and W's and Y's...)

Heh heh.

-CW

IMHO, Barack Obama's place in history can be "first" as well as "great" and "historic." His administration can be a "turning point" in American history and global history. None of those things detracts from, or is detracted by, the singular fact of his election.

PS: Is that Llewellyn Daniel, or Daniel Llewellyn? I knew a Dan Llewellyn in the 1st CAV...