Post-Election Thanks and Congratulations

First, the thank yous:

1. Thank you, President Bush. You made the hard choices and kept us safe for 7 years after the biggest terrorist attack on our country. You brought us out of the economic and psychological hit that our nation took on that day. You changed our stance from defense to offense in this war that was thrust on us, and took down many of our enemy and reduced the threat to our very existence.

Yes, President Bush made mistakes - as all President's do. We probably disagree on what those mistakes were. But the level to which he was demonized by the press and by the Democrats over the last two years is shameful, and will in the long term hurt our country.

2. Thank you, Governor Sarah Palin. You are an authentic and accomplished person. You showed us the huge gap between the professional Washington crowd (politicians and press corps) and the regular folks. You were a breath of fresh air, and you completely energized the Republican base.

Now, Congratulations:

Congratulations, President-elect Obama. You ran a long, disciplined, effective campaign and won. Disappointed as I am, I acknowledge the victory.

It was a historic victory, and our country can be proud of it. Our first African-American President. It's a victory that literally could not have happened anywhere else in the world, outside of Africa. It could not have happened in Europe, for example. Only in America.

I will not be a bitter Republican and oppose you from the outset. I will not say that you are illegitimate and that you are "not my President". No, I will not do to you what many Democrats did to President Bush for 8 years. I saw how damaging that has been to our country overall.

You will be the President of the United States. My President. Do the duty that you will swear to do (support and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign or domestic). Serve well. I will wish you success.

Moving on.