My favorite line from Barack's speech last night

"And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too."

I don't know why, but that part just choked me up. Maybe because I remember what it was like to be on the losing side 4 years ago, and that might be something any president-elect would say, but I think Obama really means it, because that's who he is. He is by nature a bridge-builder and a conciliator and I have great hope that he will win over even some of those who did not vote for him by bringing people together and giving their views a seat at the table. That may mean he disappoints us a lot, but I think we need someone who can unite this country more than we need a liberal firebrand right now, and I think Obama is the right person at the right time and that sentence in his speech really sums it up well.

I thought it meant, "I will serve you all equally, even you who did not vote for me."

My girlfriend totally thought he was saying, "listen up motherfuckers, I'm your president, get used to it"

I thought that was interesting and I don't doubt that Obama was aware of the duality of that phrase.

I read it to mean that he was sympathetic to those who did not vote for him and were disappointed last night and wanted to reassure them that he would be looking out for them as president as well as the people who did vote for him.

She likened it to kids who sometimes need to be reminded that while they might not like her, she's their teacher, the only one they have, so get used to it!

There was a distinct moment of "get over it, I'm the President" in his face.

It was that same dignity and seriousness that he showed in the debates against Mccain. I think he's VERY aware of the Office of President and has probably thought long and hard about the nuances of how you hold yourself. He understands there are people who reject him for various reasons, and he understands that he must stand up dignified to that and be their President.

The Office demands dignity and he will show respect to all the people.

"To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you."

When he said it... he said it very quickly, very sternly and almost as a passing remark.

It took a little bit before it clicked in my head what he had just so emphatically expressed and it wasn't until later on in discussing the speech with family that i fully appreciated it.

Here was a brown man with the name Barack Hussein Obama making it CRYSTAL CLEAR that he's not playing around with terrorism and such. I realized how powerful this must be in the arabic and muslim worlds, and how wonderful it is that he's in office.

His mere existence helps to undermine the fringe wackos who want to demonize America.

I hadn't fully appreciated it until he said that...

With his brilliant mind, moral focus and sensitivity to the complexity of this world... i realized just how much we are in good hands when it comes to REALLY struggling with the prospects of terrorism. We can't undo everythign that's happened since 2002, but we can rethink all the mistakes... better focus on the real dangers... and have a leader that understands we cant beat a group like al qaeda with bombs.