The clue, I think, was in the huge attention given to Obama's courtesy call on the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania.

There are really only three stories in Washington right now.

Barack Obama figured out early on that he had better limit his media consumption before it consumed him.

Barack Obama figured out early on that he had better limit his media consumption before it consumed him.

Remember when Barack Obama wasn't black enough?

When Bob Schieffer was growing up in Fort Worth, black people were allowed to visit the city parks and the zoo one day a year. "I did not shake hands with a black person until I was in the U.S. Air Force -- not because I didn't want to, but because they lived on one side of town and I lived on the other side," the CBS newsman says.

When Bob Schieffer was growing up in Fort Worth, black people were allowed to visit the city parks and the zoo one day a year. "I did not shake hands with a black person until I was in the U.S. Air Force -- not because I didn't want to, but because they lived on one side of town and I lived on the other side," the CBS newsman says.

It was Bob Schieffer, just after 10 last night, who made it (un)official: Barack Obama would be the next president of the United States.

Eleven o'clock, on the dot.

The presidential candidates have made it through a two-year media maze that at times dwelled on cleavage, cackling, Paris Hilton, lipstick, haircuts, houses, preachers, pregnancy, flag pins, witchcraft, designer wardrobes and Joe Wurzelbacher.