Can I just take a moment for a shout-out to my mom? The DNC has basically finished off the dispute about Florida and Michigan, and despite some rumbling from some of the Clinton camp, the end result is that the delegates will be seated, the votes they count for will be diminished as punishment, and we are all free to move on to sealing the nomination for Barack Obama. Sorry, Mom, it's just that basically he won more delegates than she did.

This has been a rather trying primary race. There are people (like me) who supported Edwards, until our eyes were opened to his own inconsistencies (thank you, Senator Feingold) and then we supported Obama. Didn't matter anyway, because Edwards dropped out pretty early-on. Then there were those of us supporting Obama--much to the chagrin of our mothers and fathers and aunts and godmothers and distant cousins. And there were those mothers and fathers and aunts and and godmothers and distant cousins who supported Clinton.

And you know what? We all had civilized conversations about it. We had our disagreements, we had our moments of tension, but in the end, we simply agreed to disagree. And it was a nice thing to do so. If I may, I'd like to give myself a pat on the back. For as hard as I pushed on this very blog, I tried my damnedest to not push my mom or dad personally about who they supported (well, I tried to not push too hard anyway). I knew they preferred Clinton, and I preferred Obama. So I let it go at that. I wasn't happy about it. I posted all kinds of things pro-him and anti-her that I could, but I decided early on that the best course for all of us would be for us to just wait and see. I felt no reason to make it personal between us. And I am grateful that my mom and dad and aunts and cousins who supported Clinton basically approached the situation the same way I did. State your case, then step back and see what happens. (To be fair, a blog like this rankled some feathers along the way, since I could say whatever I wanted and left it to the opposition to simply make comments.... but then, of course, anyone can have a blog....).

And I have to say, in my own defense, even though I've been driven up the wall by Sen. Clinton's tactics, I would vote for her in a heartbeat if she were to be the nominee this fall. And my folks? They too have said that while they much prefer Clinton, if Obama takes the nomination, they will be 100% behind him in the general. My dad has taken to emailing me about McCain by calling him McSame. Right on, Dad!

And you know what? Dad is exactly right. He might prefer Clinton, and I might prefer Obama. But the bottom line for each of us is MCCAIN MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAVE FOUR YEARS AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Period.

McCain must not be allowed to have four years to further the objectives of the Bush maladministration. IT CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN.

So after reading all kinds of vitriolic comments on blogs and news sites, let me just take my hat off and salute my mother and father (and my Aunt Joyce too!) who have supported Clinton, for all the right and worthy reasons, and who have never turned their back on Obama, again for all the right and worthy reasons, and who are simply committed to not having John McSame take the oath of office on January 20th, 2009.

It's not over yet, though it's as close to being over as anything. But these three strong moral guideposts in my life are not going to waiver. Mom, Dad, Auntie, I love you all for the faith and commitment of your convictions. Thank you for being reasonable and considerate, and thank you for voting your heart and mind. If more of the country voted like you do, we wouldn't be fighting to wake up from this national nightmare called the Bush II Second Term. You are role models to me, and I love you very very much.