What an awesome night, indeed. I had the pleasure of being among the throngs in Chicago’s Grant Park last evening, counting to Barack Obama’s electoral victory and witnessing history being made as all we stood together, shoulder to shoulder.

Now that John McCain’s presidential bid did not end in his favor (“The American people have spoken, and they’ve spoken clearly”), maybe we’ll see the return of the “old” McCain. You know, the straight-talkin’ Senator who gets all “maverick-y” and breaks with his own party to work with the opposition for the betterment of America. The pre-campaign McCain that many of us had held in higher regard before “associations,” “socialism,” and “Joe the Plumber” became his memes.

Indeed our country took a great leap forward yesterday, but it’s gonna take Republicans and Independents partnering with Obama and Democrats to bring America closer to some much needed healing in the days and months (and years) ahead.