Here is a slideshow of just some of the front pages in America’s newspapers.  Many of them seem to focus on race – albeit the crumbling of racial divides – but they all seem unified in the sense of history.

In other news Al Franken has apparently lost his bid to become Democratic Senator for Minnesota by 571 votes which means a recount is now mandatory in that state.

So what will an Obama Government look like?  Well according to the Huffington Post it could feature some Republicans, like Colin Powell and even Arnie Schwarznegger. 

I suppose he could end all this Palin 2012 sillyness if he made her an ambassador, or secretary of hockey mums.  You never know do you?

Barack Obama’s Dad was from Kenya and he still has close ties there.  Bloomberg is reporting that Kenya has declared today a national holiday to celebrate the victory of its distant son.

Some people this evening were praising the end of Palin’s political career.  She will be forgiven for being young and inexperienced.  Exposing her at the forefront of a battered Republican Party will do her the world of good and will help galvanise an equally battered conservative right.  Palin 2012 is a very real concept and one the talking heads are already spreading around.  Matt Litman pretty much started it all early last month over in the Huffington Post.

If – and in my opinion it’s a big if – Obama fails to deliver on his promises and the hope he embodies then Palin 2012 is a massive prospect, and a Republican win is something to depressing to even think about.  I expect her campaign will begin behind close doors over the next few days.

See and read it for yourself, the full text and video of Barack Obama’s victory speech to a 70 000 strong crowd in Chicago, Illinois.

A commentator on BBC News just said that Colin Powel and even Mitt Romney could be given cabinet positions.

My sincere apologies, this may just be an effort to keep me awake for a few more hours.  I can’t remember the exact time that the projection was made that Obama had won the Presidency but I do remember Joes Bar in the Guild erutping in hysteria.  I hugged Tom Marley, I leapt on to Dave Borland, I searched for Brigid Jones and in the meantime hugged as many strangers as I could see – many holding back the tears.  Tears were also the theme for the three McCain supporters in the Bar who subsequently went on a rampage to ignite cynicism.

I had been waiting for that moment ever since I heard Barack Obama speak at the 2004 Democratic Convention.  Throughout the morning in Joes, many previous Hillary supporters were going around, heads hung low declaring that it could have been her up there in the spotlight.  That is not the case, no one candidate could ever embody as much the cause of change as Obama.  His victory will send shockwaves the world over, would be believers in the cause will come out of hiding, inspired by his achievements, hoping to atleast make an impact on their own nation’s political establishment.

For Obama embodies Unity, and Unity is what we need in difficult times.  It may become a cliche but we are all one people, whatever our creed, politics or sex, we can all unite together to create the most positive solutions to the problems the world faces.

What a brilliant man, what an awe-inspiring cause!  Well done Obama, and thank you so much for re-energising my faith in politics as the means to the ends of our problems.