Home from Home

Obama, despite remaining refreshingly ambitious and new, has matured as a politician over the duration of the campaign.

I am currently at my mother's house. trying to capitalise on the free food, dish washing, laundry and internet services which are on offer.

It has all been a bit strange leaving work and becoming a student again. Trekking around Tesco and having to buy really dull stuff like Fairy Liquid is I suppose one of the truly hash realities of life, which I once tried to embrace in Dundee studying Social Work but which made me deeply unhappy. I do however feel that this is slightly different. The air of my flat and even that of Tesco's graces me with a slightly warmer prescence. A sense of freedom from the restraints of the narrow corridors of Holyrood and into the ocean of opportunity that is Edinburgh University.

Last night I stayed up until 5 am watching the Presidential debate live from "the best political team on television", through the semi-legal median of my friend Emma's internet.

My fellow viewers and I (one of which was a political researcher to an ex- Minister in the UK Cabinet) failed to come to a definitive agreement on who came off better last night.

I was delighted to hear this morning that Obama polled (just) slightly better than his Republican rival McCain. This was fantastic news for one very good reason: the economy and foreign affairs were at the beginning of this campaign McCain's home turf. He should have owned Obama, but he didn't. Obama presided over questions with an exciting presidential quality, and showed depth of knowledge and presence unseen before.

After the last couple of wins, Scottish football fans may be disappointed with only a draw from a game with France, but we shouldn't be. In this case, as with football, a draw is a fantastic result for Obama.

McCain's insular 'Americanised' answers were lifted out of the debate by Obama's openness and sense of humanity, not just as an American veteran, but as a human being.

Yes we can.

Yes he did.

I think he will.