Sen. John McCain held his head up high as he addressed supporters in Arizona. Gracious in defeat, he congratulated President-elect Barack Obama for his resounding victory.

McCain’s concession speech was genuine. His words were sincere. And when he had finished speaking, the Obama era had officially begun.

Obama’s message of hope and change drowned out McCain’s ‘country first’ slogan. The Democrat’s campaign was as impressive, if not more so, than the Republican efforts in 2000 and 2004.

There is no denying the historical significance of Tuesday’s result. Americans of all political ideologies should be able to unite and rally around the remarkable election of a black man to the presidency.

This is neither time for liberals to gloat nor for conservatives to feel bitter. This is a time for unity, and thank goodness, that is exactly what Obama has promised all along. If he can deliver on the front of unity, his presidency will be on the road to success.

But at least in the present moment, it seems appropriate to acknowledge John McCain. This was a losing battle from the beginning for McCain. He deserves a tip-of-the-cap for running a campaign that was even remotely competitive.

Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan could have been resurrected and joined forces together on the Republican ticket. They still could not have beaten Obama.

‘It was hopeless for the McCain campaign,’ Corey Vincent, sophomore history major, said.

November 2008 represented the worst possible political climate a conservative could ever face. McCain could not overcome the fact that he belongs to the same party as President Bush, whose approval ratings are astoundingly low. The Democratic base was incredibly energized, and Obama enjoyed an enormous financial advantage.

McCain was able to gain a quick bump in the polls after naming Gov. Sarah Palin his VP candidate, but this momentum was quickly halted by the worst financial crisis America has seen since the Great Depression.

Despite all of this, McCain did his best to keep his campaign afloat. Bad poll numbers could not shake him. As a prisoner of war, McCain had no doubt been through worse. He was resilient throughout and did not allow Obama to close the deal until the very end.

Many Americans were captivated by Obama’s seemingly unmatched ability to communicate and inspire.

‘Obama’s speeches were one his greatest strengths,’ Lanie Abisdris, junior fashion design major, said. ‘He was able to relate to all different types of people.’

This is what should be most frustrating for the Republicans. McCain should have been able to hold his own when it came to more abstract, personal issues. Anyone who has followed politics before this election should know that he is a man of incredible integrity and character.

His record as a senator, while obviously impressive, was not a factor for voters. They did not seem to care that McCain was so accomplished and Obama was so inexperienced. Voters want change, and Americans trust Obama to deliver just that.

Obama should be applauded for his historic victory. His campaign sparked large turnout, and his candidacy garnered unprecedented support. During the past few months, Obama has made numerous bold promises. Expectations have never been higher.

Obama has set himself a high bar to live up to, and with such a strongly Democratic Congress awaiting him, there will be no excuse if he cannot deliver the meaningful change and prosperity upon which he has rested his candidacy.

As an American, albeit a conservative, I hope that he can.

Jimmy Paul is a sophomore political science major. His columns appear every other Monday. E-mail him at jdpaul01@syr.edu.

Published on November 9, 2008 at 12:00 pm