What does Barack Obama's victory mean?

[BurtWorm]

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/11/06/meaningful_moment/index.html?source=rss&aim=/politics/war_room

Everyone agrees that Barack Obama’s election sent a powerful message to the country and the world, that it was and is a meaningful moment.

But what, exactly, does it mean?

I solicited a platoon of reporters, bloggers, commentators, academics, and policy wonks on what they think it meant, forcing them to winnow down their answers to a single sentence that begins with the same two words: “It means…”

Here are more than three dozen responses, sorted alphabetically. Some are funny, others serious; many are poignant, a few are edgy.

But all of them, I think, are pretty darn good. Here goes:

It means we can see the end of Nixonland from here.
-- Spencer Ackerman, senior reporter, The Washington Independent

It means “hope” is not a four-letter word...but “Bush” is.
-- Sean Aday, associate professor of media studies, George Washington University

It means you can run for office no matter your name.
-- Kenneth Baer, Democratic speechwriter and principal, Baer Communication

It means the long national nightmare is over.
Dean Baker, economist, Center for Economic Policy Research

It means that after years of splintering divisiveness, we’re back in this together again.
-- Jared Bernstein, economist, Economic Policy Institute

It means Americans are starting to realize that there's nothing compassionate about conservatism.
-- Brian Beutler, blogger, brianbeutler.com



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<A lot more at the link. Add your own.>