John McCain and the art of losing well

So Barack Obama ended up winning around twice as many electoral college votes as John McCain (365 vs. 173). The actual votes cast show a closer race than that (52.8% 45.9%) but it was still very clearly Obama's election. The worse the economic crisis became, the more Obama looked like the man who would be better able to steer a course through it (please God!)

If it's any consolation to McCain, there top job looks like the most poisoned chalice around. As The Onion ironically reported under the headline Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job - In his new high-stress, low-reward position, Obama will be charged with such tasks as completely overhauling the nation's broken-down economy, repairing the crumbling infrastructure, and generally having to please more than 300 million Americans and cater to their every whim on a daily basis. As part of his duties, the black man will have to spend four to eight years cleaning up the messes other people left behind. The job comes with such intense scrutiny and so certain a guarantee of failure that only one other person even bothered applying for it.

Even dealing with the current crises (plural) will put years on Obama fast. Just imagine if it were McCain with a 72-year-old body already damaged by torture and bouts of illness.

All in all, John McCain probably got the best result for him, for the United States and the world. His loss was clear but not crushing and certainly not humiliating. And whatever he goes on to do, he will be remembered for one of the most gracious, courageous and magnanimous concession speeches on record.