You've earned that puppy.

"I earned capital in this campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it," Bush told reporters, after winning in 2004 with a popular vote of 50.7%. Bush won the electoral vote 286 to 252. Bush took this as a mandate. He used his political capital to attempt social security privatization.

President Elect Obama won 349 electoral votes, with some states still to be decided (NC and MO, as of this writing). For what policy is this a mandate? I'm hoping for massive-health-care-reform and alternative-energy-infrastructure.

But now the real fun begins: office betting pools for cabinet appointments.

"We are witnessing something remarkable here: Obama's race is receding as he becomes more familiar. His steadiness has trumped his skin color; he is being judged on the content of his character."

- Joe Klein, after the second debate.