The United States, and the world, will wake up this morning to a new president, America's 44th. But it is already possible to congratulate the Americans, and even to be jealous of them. Just 54 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" education violates the constitution. Just four decades ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. paid with his life for his dream of obtaining equal rights for blacks. But yesterday, the son of a Kenyan immigrant was positioned as the leading candidate for the job of president of the United States and the world's most influential leader.
In this campaign, America also shattered another glass ceiling: For the first time in its history, the presidency seemed within reach of a woman as well. For months, Senator Hillary Clinton was viewed as the leading candidate in the Democratic Party primaries. And the Republican Party picked an almost unknown female governor as its vice presidential candidate.
Alongside the debate over the candidates' characters and qualifications, the campaign dealt with a wide range of issues. American voters had a plethora of opportunities to learn about the positions of Barack Obama and John McCain on virtually every issue.
The two presented their plans for ending the crisis in Iraq and thwarting Iran's acquisition of nuclear arms. They offered detailed positions on federal mortgage insurance, preventing home foreclosures, health insurance, fiscal policy, federal financing for research in universities, wiretapping, carbon emissions, subsidies for solar and wind energy, gasoline taxes, abortion and more. This was an exciting campaign from an ideological standpoint, featuring two candidates who offered very different paths. This was a magnificent display of democracy at its best, with a campaign that dealt with issues and not just with personalities.
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