Hello Friends,

This will be the first time I have sent a political message to all of you despite my strongly held views over the years. As many of you know the idea of Citizen Hunter and my other projects are to profile the best of what this great Nation has to offer -- Her People -- and that sees no party, no race, no age, no religion, no geography. I make an exception tonight as we stand on the eve of what I think is a historic and inspiring day -- not for the reasons you might expect.

I would love to write with more eloquence or say something new to convince those who still might be pondering whether they will vote, or whether to take more folks to the polls, or who are like two folks I met at a dinner tonight who were still not sure -- yes, this is true. I feel so unworthy to even suggest my opinion. As I have traveled throughout this country, I have been reminded once again of how humbling it is to realize that I walk among giants (I am not talking about Obama but you!) and am so very blessed. You know the issues that matter to you. But many carry a few jobs, are busy with soccer practice, or just trying to keep it together and don't have the luxury of reading tons of papers every day or besides just watching the candidates get to interview them -- I am lucky indeed.

Here are two articles I wrote a year or so ago -- Barack to the Future and Watching the Barriers Fall -- and I not only agree with every word today and those I wrote even the year before, but I think more meat has been put on the bones since then and my visceral reactions have been borne out with a beauty I could not have expected or anticipated. I am always proud of being American - -it is one of the first prayers I say every morning and before I lay my head on the pillow -- and thankful that I was lucky enough to be born in this great country. What I have seen throughout this election has been nothing short of awe-inspiring.

The candidates have had their moments. The "race speech" given by Obama in Philadelphia is something I could never have hoped or dreamed would be spoken -- and not to some group of professors but to a nation, who listened not with the deaf ears that discriminate, but who really heard a very complex and nuanced argument -- some of which was tough to hear.

What has inspired me far more than the candidates though has been the American people and the fact that they have decided to rise up, to ask tough questions, to strive to talk back to a Nation they love, and to take the time to be a part of this great experiment we call democracy. The hope, jubilation, determination that abounds during such tough times, to say the least, is, well, unbelievable! Unbelievable, that is, unless you have had the great fortune to see that people do such great acts every day, while no one is watching.

Point is, this is not about Democrat, Republican -- Black, White -- Rich, Poor -- Young, Old -- Small town, Big City -- New Voter, Super Voter -- well, okay, it is in a sense that I think the issues are, by and large, and I have some differences with Obama (some of which are very close to my heart, such as the sanctity of Life). Yet I think that he has better policies and a better vision for the nation -- more below.

But there is something even bigger than that -- the macrocosm of the microcosm -- this is about the boss, not the employee. Obama is smart, steady, caring, competent, inspiring, and with sound judgement -- but he works for us!!!! We have the power. That is not a slogan, it is the wisdom of our forefathers.

Please, I beg of you -- women, blacks, people around the world, soldiers are dying and have died for the right to vote -- for what we often take for granted -- do not squander that gift--VOTE!!! Act as if what you do makes a difference in the world, because it does!

My eyes are full of tears as I write, not at the thought of what a historical moment this will be --the many who have reached their hand back in history to bring a Nation along and help it to heal -- OK a little. Not for the fact that two great Americans cared enough about their Nation to serve Her and stand in front of all of us and be judged on a level none of us could understand.

I am moved at the thought of all of you who are reading this--how much I have learned from you over the years. Know that no matter who you vote for you are still admired and respected by me. I ask you to vote for Obama, a request I have never made.

To the young kids... what can I say, you guys rock! To those reading this in Iraq, Japan, Afghanistan: You have already voted, know that I am quite sure Obama feels as I do that whatever your position on the war, I honor and thank you for your service from the bottom of my heart!

Thank you to all of you for inspiring me to try to be better every day--there has not been one day yet that I have not fallen short of my ideals. We all will, including Obama. His greatest gift is that he understands a fundamental, populist truth I agree with -- that we regular folks have a wisdom and passion and investment that politicians must harness, respect, illuminate, and expand.

For this and all that I have outlined below he deserves your Vote. For those who don't vote for him please take a moment in the days following to realize the special accomplishment that it is if he gets elected and be proud of your Nation before going back to partisanship.

To the Dems who may get a lot of House seats and Senate seats, remember the American people are wise and like divided government for a reason, and keep yourselves checked and balanced :)

There is a Korean Proverb that says Power lasts 10 years, but influence lasts 100. If you care about the issues that impact our lives then seek to influence not just yield power.

With Respect, Humility, Excitement, and Warmth,
Your Friend and Fellow Proud American Flavia Colgan

"A transformational leader stands on the shoulders of his followers, expressing coherently those ideas which lie inchoate in the hearts of the followers -- and in the process makes his followers into new leaders."

-- Albert Schweitzer

Here's our editorial for today's Daily News. You can read it in the DN opinion section or right here on Citizen Hunter. Feel free to add your comments.

ONE-QUARTER of 1 percent.

That's the sanctioned amount of time - one day out of the year - we are supposed to be concerned about veterans.

This is that day, and a good time to reflect on how little else we give them. Especially compared to the level of concern they show us when they risk their lives and well-being to fight for us.

The state of veterans' affairs in this country has seen some improvement in the last year. But considering that our recent treatment of vets has been shameful, we are hardly out of the woods.

Still, Congress deserves much credit for improving the lives of veterans. In August, it passed an expanded GI Bill that would increase educational benefits to veterans.

Congress also fully funded the VA, and passed the biggest increase in spending on vet health care in over 70 years.

Yet the horrors of Walter Reed Army Hospital came to light less than two years ago. Its decrepit, overcrowded conditions became a symbol of our nation's disregard for those who fight on our behalf. And VA hospitals around the country that didn't get the level of coverage that the Walter Reed scandal got are still struggling to provide the proper degree of care to wounded and ailing vets.

As someone who ran her campaign and served as her chief of staff when she was Lieutenant Governor, I had an opportunity to watch Catherine Baker Knoll in both public and private moments. What we do when no one is watching says a lot about who we are, and I can say without hesitation that she was rare as a public servant in terms of her true commitment to the concerns of pennsylvanians and she spent a lifetime serving them.

She never forgot who she worked for, which is the voters, and her legacy of what she accomplished, both in office and as inspiration for women across the state, will not be forgotten. Today, like many Pennsylvanians, I am mourning the loss of a tremendous public servant.

If you'd like to share your thoughts you can sign her guestbook and/or add your comments here.

UPDATE: Details on funeral arrangements on the "Read More" page...

Here's a fun clip from last week's interview with Pat Croce, that they decided to highlight. You can watch the whole interview here.