I'm not being at all disingenuous in writing that I was happy when I woke up this morning. Sincerely content. Proud.

The results of the election were not what any of us had hoped for. But the results of this campaign far exceeded the hopes almost everyone had going in. And it changed the country.

We defeated a three-term incumbent in a primary with a grassroots-fueled online and offline effort. We emboldened Democrats across the country to speak clearly about Iraq, and provided the summer spark that lit last night's autumn wildfire.

And most importantly, we inspired thousands of people who would have normally stayed on the sidelines to get involved in politics. This is already being reflected in the makeup of town committees. And does anyone doubt that in the coming years it will be reflected in the state legislature, and even higher offices?

There is also a lot of disillusionment. Especially with the way - after voters issued such clear verdict in August - the national and local party alike decided personal friendships, gargantuan egos, and placating the most powerful of interests trumped our apparently quaint and outdated notion of "democracy" within the party system.

The establishment - of both parties - was forced to fight tooth and nail to defend power for power's sake. It wasn't pretty. What we saw last night was how immovable real entrenched power centers are in this country. And, also, how a Democratic majority alone - in one or both houses - won't solve these problems.

So yes, we lost the election. But even before first vote was counted, we had already won a whole lot more than that.

And all because one guy stood up when no one else would, and so many stood up to join him.