The anticipation Tuesday night was as exciting as a few seconds before midnight on New Year’s Eve. Instead of waiting for a huge ball to drop in the center of New York City’s Times Square, we awaited official word on whether Barack Obama would be declared the Democratic Party’s nominee for president of the United States. Then, around 9 P.M., the dream came true, a dream that many middle-aged and older African Americans never imagined would happen in their or their grand-children’s life time.  Illinois Senator Barack Obama became the first African American nominated by a major political party to seek the nation’s highest office.

Unlike a New Year’s celebration, the moment was met without a Times Square-like explosion.  Indeed, in many Black households across the country, the moment of this accomplishment was met with a level of sobering thought, prayer, historic reflection and even a quiet tear because this indeed represents White America’s belated and begrudging recognition that Blacks are their equal. 

Words, written or spoken, cannot begin to capture the importance of this emotional moment.  Forty-three years ago when the Voting Rights Act was passed, we had no idea that this would or could be the end result. Of course, Obama could not have gained the nomination without a significant number of open-minded White voters. And that, too, is a testament of racial progress. But the record turn out of African Americans provided Obama with the margin of victory that was unimaginable in 1965 –  wins in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

 In spite of the attempt by Senator John McCain to steal some of the spot light, the evening’s best speech was clearly delivered by Obama.  His gracious recognition of the Clinton campaign, the importance of Democratic Party unity, and the focus on the general campaign issues reflected a magnanimity sorely missing in the Clinton speech.  Her veiled threats and failure to simply acknowledge that she was defeated fairly and squarely was disappointing. As reality sinks in over the next few days, we hope that she will accord Obama the same respect he has given her efforts.

If Clinton fails to take the high road, it will fall on the Democratic Party to exercise some long overdue leadership.  In Maryland, in spite of the overwhelming support for Obama, Gov. Martin O’Malley, Senator Barbara Mikulski, and Congressman R.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger never wavered in their support of Clinton. Therefore, they have a special obligation persuade Clinton that her behavior is splintering the party. If they are sincere about wanting to win back the White House in November, they need to encourage Clinton not to be such a sore loser. There is no doubt how Obama would have behaved had the results been reversed. He exemplifies class in both victory and defeat, which makes him even more impressive as the party’s nominee. He makes all of us proud.