History

John Edwards is right.

It's time for me to step aside so that history can -- so that history can blaze its path. We do not know who will take the final steps to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but what we do know is that our Democratic Party will make history.

It's very heartening to have this choice of a black man and a woman. They are both game-changers who bring new voters to the process in a year when apathy is out. It's a very good thing that 1.7 million Floridian Democrats came out to vote in a contest that had absolutely no bearing on the Presidential race due to DNC rules. We are going to have record turnout in November, with more Americans than ever engaged in the process. That's always a good thing for progressives if they manage to capitalize on it.

I think Democrats were simply more excited about making history this year than go with a guy who ran an incredibly noble and forthright campaign. Considering that both Obama and Clinton borrowed liberally from Edwards' platform, there wasn't much distance on policy, and so that excitement and the historic opportunity ruled the day. What's ironic is that the best progressive fighter out of anyone associated with any of the campaigns is John Edwards' wife, who could run for any office and be a history-maker in her own right.

UPDATE: More on that progressive movement and the excitement that this election is engendering: Vote Hope's efforts in support of Barack Obama.