. . . And Then He Won

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you . . . and then you win.
~ Mahatma Ghandi, on how to bring about change


Even though he was too inexperienced for anyone to take seriously . . .

Even though he could never compete with Clinton’s formidable organization and war chest . . .

Even though he would not hold his own in a real debate against more experienced politicians . . .

Even though he would not win a single primary . . .

Even though he could not win Iowa . . .

Even though he would not recover after losing New Hampshire . . .

Even though the smartest, the most pragmatic, and most “grown up” of Democrats dismissed him as nothing more than lofty rhetoric and empty promises . . .

Even though he could never recover from William Ayers or Reverend Wright . . .

Even though Ayers, Wright, and ACORN “proved” he is a bad person . . .

Even though he could not withstand Clinton coming on strong at the end of the primaries and beating him in the “Heartland” . . .

Even though the super delegates would run from him once they understood “the will of the People” . . .

Even though the Clintons would outmaneuver and crush him at the convention . . .

Even though he had the hubris to give his acceptance speech in a giant outdoor stadium . . .

Even though all of the former Clinton voters would desert him forever for McCain . . .

Even though he could never match McCain on Commander-in-Chief gravitas . . .

Even though McCain picked a woman VP and reenergized his base – game over! . . .

Even though he could never run a “50 State Strategy” or even turn a single red state blue . .

Even though he probably would not even hold on to Pennsylvania . . .

Even though he would not hold his own with McCain in the debates . . .

Even though he could not hold his own with McCain in a debate with a town hall format . . .

Even though he could not look steady in a financial crisis . . .

Even though voters would not choose inexperience at a time of financial crisis . . .

Even though using the phrase “share the wealth” makes him a socialist . . .

Even though Joe the Plumber does not like him . . .

Even though he always over-polls . . .

Even though the polls are all a crock of shit . . .

Even though a statistically significant percentage of uninformed Americans believed (and still believe!) he is a Muslim and a foreigner . . .

Even though the voters of this country will never possibly elect an African-American as President of the United States . . .

. . . even though all of that.

Congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama and Vice-President-elect Joe Biden.

“It’s been a long time coming but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America,” Obama told his supporters last night in Chicago.

His supporters understood, as Ghandi did, how one brings about real change. Now those that opposed him understand too.

They ignored him, they ridiculed him, they fought him . . .

. . . and then he won.