You Go Condi! First and Foremost You're a Sistah!

Dr. Condaleeza Rice is a 'bad mammajamma' She is the most powerful woman on the planet. She is currently the Secretary of State--appointed by President George W. Bush. She hails from Birmingham, Alabama (same as my pastor) and she is an African American. Her political affiliation is Republican--and she is the best at what she does. I am so proud of her. I took special delight in reading the press briefing from the Secretary of State's Office which I receive each morning from her office, where she congratulates President-elect Barack Obama and pledges her support. She will go down in history as one of the greatest statesman to ever serve the United States. World Leaders call her a 'black queen'. She is stylish, classy, and would never look into a camera and wink--while on official duty. Did I mention she's a lady, too?
I have included her official statement on Obama's win. Atta girl, Dr. Rice!

An emotional Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reveled Wednesday in Barack Obama's election, calling it an "extraordinary step forward" for the nation.
A child of the segregated deep South who became the highest-ranking African-American woman ever in American government and was once considered a potential Republican presidential nominee, Rice called the Democratic president-elect "inspirational" and said his victory was proof of America's promise.
"This was an exercise in American democracy of which Americans across the political spectrum are justifiably proud," she said.
"As an African-American, I'm especially proud," said Rice, her eyes glistening with emotion, "because this is a country that's been through a long journey, in terms of overcoming wounds and making race" less of a factor in life. "That work is not done, but yesterday was obviously an extraordinary step forward."
"One of the great things about representing this country is that it continues to surprise," she told reporters at the State Department at a hastily arranged briefing just hours before leaving Washington for the Middle East on a peacemaking trip. "It continues to renew itself. It continues to beat all odds and expectations."
Born and raised in Birmingham, Ala., at the height of the civil rights struggle, Rice herself overcame numerous obstacles and stereotypical low expectations. She speaks frequently about how improbable her rise to the corridors of power may seem. But she also notes that she succeeded the first black secretary of state, Colin Powell, and the first female to hold the job, Madeleine Albright.
"You just know that Americans are not going to be satisfied until they really do form that perfect union," she said, referring to the preamble of the Constitution, which begins: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union ..."
"And while the perfect union may never be in sight, we just keep working at it and trying," Rice said.
Aides said Rice would likely call Obama, as well as vanquished Republican presidential nominee John McCain, later Wednesday.
She said McCain had been "gracious" in defeat and called him "a great patriot."
"I want to note that President-elect Obama was inspirational and I'm certain he will continue to be," Rice said.
She never said who she planned to vote for, but had hinted broadly that she would support McCain by repeatedly stressing that she is a Republican.

Change Has Come to America...Meet the new 'First Family' of the United States of America

My options were many. I had three invitations to election night viewing/victory parties all in downtown Chicago. I'm leery of huge crowds even though the idea of being in the energy was inviting. I opted to stay at home and take a nap so that I could stay awake and see the results with my husband and 3 sons.
Four hours later when I awoke from what was supposed to be a 45 minute 'cat-nap', I tuned in to election coverage and was awed by what I saw. A peaceful, patriotic, sea of people in Grant park. This was more people in one place just standing still than I'd ever seen in my life. People of every size, shape, height, and ethnic heritage. Suburbanites and city-dwellers; old and young, men and women, boys and girls. Kids and babies were perched on top of the shoulders of their parents--given a joyful reprieve from going to bed early on a school-night.

When the polls closed on the West Coast and the election results were shown, Senator Barack Obama was declared the winner at about 10pm CST, with 280 electoral votes. The crowd erupted in a resounding roar and my spirit literally left my body briefly and soared through the air. I prayed to go high enough to see the face of God. When I landed I did see His face--in all the tearful faces involved in a giant flag-waving, celebratory hugfest
Senator Barack Obama had been elected President of the United States of America in a landslide victory. What a beautiful day to be alive. Change has come to America.
Here are a few lines from his powerful 16 minutes acceptance speech in Chicago, Illinois to a crowd of over 150,000 in Grant Park. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The moment was sacred.

OBAMA: If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.
We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.