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The election was a somewhat bitter pill the other day, but there were a ton of bright spots (mostly) unrelated to policy. Consider:

--This January, a woman will hold the Speaker's gavel for the first time ever as Speaker of the House. (And that is good, even if I don't think in group identity terms.)

--An ardent Catholic anti-abortion Republican lost his Senate seat...to an ardent Catholic anti-abortion Democrat. I'm not Catholic, but in terms of life and death, more ardent Catholics=better country.

--Heath Shuler, an evangelical Christian and former NFL quarterback, was elected to the House.

--Arnold is still the Governator. I probably wouldn't vote for him, but hey, doesn't it just prove how great (and frankly, cool) America really is?

--We got to see Bill Kristol become the John Madden of political coverage.

--Continuing my unrestrained endorsement of Fox News, (sorry) have you ever been as comforted by so dour-seeming a man as Brit Hume? But admit it, he's endearing.

--Our country has grown in its attitudes so much that we were able to vote for and against a whole slew of black men, as well as others of various hues.

--The election was brief enough that CNN did not lose any anchors to hyperventilation. It was a close one, however. And isn't that silly? Just relax.

--The White House was antsy, so...Bush ordered chicken tenders. Exactly. Cures my nerves every time.

--Unless you were still unaware, the country was reminded that Morton Kondracke is not a brand of chewing tobacco.

--Michael Barone is the Jack Bauer and Chuck Norris of political analysis rolled into one.

--Shep Smith brings some Mississippi Favre-magic to the anchor chair.

--Juan Williams is reliably partisan, yet likable and informative.

--The "I made Reagan turn in his Grave" award goes to James Webb.

--Joementum finally struck.

Finally...

--Lynn Swann will be back on football games very soon.

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