The polls have closed on the West Coast, and the major news networks have all called the election for Barack Obama. The folks at Crosscut will be up all night blogging the results in Washington state. For now, let this moment sink in. America has come a long way. We have elected an African-American to the presidency.

An American friend of mine living abroad just sent me a text message. She is a McCain supporter. Still, the moment was not lost on her. She wrote, "tonight makes me proud to be an American."