I'm 18. Much of my life has been during the disaster that was the Bush Administration. I've been politically "active" since I was 10 - during the 2000 election. I campaigned for Gore locally and read about the political process during that election. When I was 14 the 2004 election took place, and I was absolutely certain that Bush would be voted out. It didn't happen, and it was a kick to the stomach.

This time around I did as much as I could do for the Obama campaign. I'm a young person in Alabama, one of the most republican states in the country, and was limited in what I could do. I still campaigned locally, did a lot of online activism, created viral videos about the campaign, and encouraged my peers to register to vote and to vote for Obama. One election day I went into the booth for the first time and proudly voted for Obama. Then I went home and held my breath until the results came back. I was afraid of getting my hopes up, and it would be harder this time than it was in 2004. A few hours later the results game back, and my ability to have complete hope was restored. Election day really did mark the beginning of a new America, where the American promise isn't a false promise, and where people aren't afraid to have hope anymore.

Tomorrow I will watch the man who won my first vote take the oath of office, and I'll be watching complete hope for the future. I feel like I've taken my future back from the warmongers and hypocrites and I feel that change for the better is coming - starting tomorrow. I feel like I can be proud of my country. I feel hopeful. That one word really does sum up this campaign, tonight, and tomorrow - HOPE. Tomorrow morning I'll watch with pride as a man that I have hope in takes office. Finally, I have a President I can look up to.