As I write this, it’s been four days since the election, and I still can’t believe that we, the American people, the people of the United States of America, elected Barack Obama president.

I mean, the man is a Democrat, born from immigrant parents, rose from next to nothing, and is now president-elect of the United States. He beat out John McCain, an army veteran and a more experienced Senator. I don’t want to sound cliché, but Barack Obama is the American Dream.

I voted for Mr. Obama. I was glued to CNN all day on Tuesday waiting anxiously for the polls to close. I was like a kid on Christmas Eve, revving with anticipation as I waited for day break hoping that Santa would being me what I wanted…and he did. When Obama won Ohio, then Florida, I didn’t know what to do. I’m not normally a pessimist, but I thought for sure that we were doomed for another four years of Republican politics—it happened in 2004.

I was ecstatic when CNN displayed “Barack Obama Projected President” at the bottom of the screen around midnight, but while everyone else was cheering, celebrating, and even crying, I had this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was happy, really happy, but I felt like I had been punched in the gut. But why? The politician I had followed since I was a junior in high school had been elected president. Why wasn’t I out running around and showcasing my excitement with, seemingly, the rest of America?

Because I’m scared.

I have so much hope invested in Obama that I really just don’t want to be let down. This is, afterall, still a divided country, and I hope beyond hope that Obama can keep good on his promise of bringing us together, but it’s going to be a long, hard road, and that scares me.

Though Obama swept McCain in electoral votes, the popular vote wasn’t as decisive. Obama won 52.6 percent of the popular vote to McCain’s 46.2. A victory yes, but it still means that America is pretty much split down the middle. 46.2 percent of America is not happy about what happened last Tuesday night. In fact, many of them are pretty angry if the booing during McCain’s concession speech is any indication of Republican feelings.

Maybe I am a pessimist, but as charismatic as he is, I still don’t see how Obama is going to be able to bring this country together. Not with resentful Republicans who are frustrated about losing not only the presidency, but the House and the Senate as well. If I’ve learned one thing from my (probably) limited life experience, it’s that people always take things personally, even if they’re in the obvious minority.

I think the Republicans are taking this one to heart. All the ones I’ve spoken to are pissed. No, not even pissed; they’re livid. Are they sore losers? Probably. But Democrats would have acted the same way if the outcome had been different. But, you see, I’m not worried about the angry Republicans; they’ll get over it. What scares me most about this election are the smug Democrats sitting on Capitol Hill biding their time until January 20, 2009 when they can take everything over.

I fear that the system of checks and balances, which is essentially the backbone of American democracy, may be over. In short, I’m scared of Nancy Pelosi and her cronies taking all of this new Democratic control to their heads and trying to run the show, and I’m scared that Obama might be too much of a people-pleaser to shoot them down. In my opinion, that’s how Obama won this election anyway—by pleasing 52 percent of the population—just enough to win him the presidency.

If Obama really wants a shot at bringing this country together he needs to learn that he can’t please everyone. The race is over, and he won. The people chose him, but now he needs to be less concerned about what they think and more concerned with how he is going to harness Congress and make the change he promised us. He needs to move more to the center, and if that means enduring the wrath of Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, then so be it.

I think Obama knows this. I honestly don’t believe he’s as much a political novice as the Republicans claim. He may only be a junior Senator from Illinois, but I think he’s savvier than that. I hope so, anyway.

The next four years hold so much potential, and I, like many of you, am excited to see what’s in store. I just hope it doesn’t turn out to be a Bush-caliber fuck up…but I think Obama knows this and is better than that. We did it, America, but will things go according to Obama’s plan? I hope so, but only time will tell.