Unlike my future President, tonight I am left speechless.
For the first time in my entire twenty-five years of life, I am proud of this country and it's possibility. Since I've been able to vote, I've only had one semi-victory in the realm of politics: the 2006 mid-term elections.
But after five days of hearing the Democratic Party come to life on economic issues and not let a day go by without mentioning rights regardless of sexual orientation, I have one plea for my fellow Americans, trapped in the past or scared of taking a chance on change:
Please don't take this away from me.
On at least one occasion on every day of this convention, I have shed tears of happiness - something I'm not used to doing when it comes to American politics. The first election I could participate in was 2000 - the beginning of a string of "I can't believe this s***!" losses. 2006 gave me some comfort: at least this country has some hope.
But until this week, my belief in the Democratic Party's ability to take charge wasn't there.
I had no reason to believe in the Democrats up until this week. After their failure to stand up for what the believed in post-9/11, why should I? My entire adult life was spent having Democrats be defeated by oral sex and accusations of being French.
Today, I feel like an accusation of being called French might actually be followed by an "at least they have universal health care" or perhaps a reminder of what the Bush regime has done to the dollar relative to the Euro.
After this week, the Democrats feel like a Labour party. And they feel like a party that America has always needed and always looked for but never received. And they talk like a party who isn't going to get stomped on by the dumbest bully on the playground.
And most importantly, my rational mind isn't screaming cynically at my sense of hope. There's no voice in the back of my mind reminding me of how many times I've been let down by the Democrats in the past.
After months of hearing about hope - I finally feel it. After years of wishing that the Democratic Party was more liberal, that it fit my views better...
I'm finally proud to call myself a Democrat.
Please, America, don't take this away from me.