The finest inevitability

As Tony Blair once said "this is not a day for sound bites.... but I feel the hand of history on my shoulder." Ba-dum-tish!

There's no point me telling you what the result was as you must already be aware, if you're not how on earth did you get here?!

It had seemed, especially since the Economic Crisis blew up that Obama was almost a shoe-in for the Presidency. That doesn't make it any less special. The TV pictures of huge queues outside the schools and halls that serve as polling stations have been inspiring. Particularly as the people who have come out to vote for Obama have been the hardest to get to the polls, as they are in this country. Young people and what we tend to term "ethnic minorities", although to call "the most poweful man in the free world" part of an ethnic minority sits a little uneasily, as does the term generally.

When was the last time young British people were enthused about politics in this way? There hasn't, admittedly, been a politician with the charm, appeal, wit and skills of rhetoric as Mr Obama. Mr Blair must come the closest, but as his term in Number 10 drew to a close he became a parody of himself.

I've been finding Felicity Spector's blog for Channel 4 very good.

It will take a lot of time for the dust to settle after last night, but the Washington Post has, helpfully, provided Obama with a great big list of problems!

One suspects his aides and strategical team might already have thought about this!

As an after thought... I wonder how much sleep Obama and McCain got last night? Not what I'd call a good eight hours I guess.