The outcome of the election was not a surprise. A Dem win by either Senator Clinton or Obama became a near fait accompli the moment McCain clinched the nomination in a year in which the economy was the dominant issue for the electorate. The real shocker would have been a McCain upset.

But like many other people who place a high value on limited government, the sanctity of human life, America’s special relationship with Israel, and the need to remain on offense in the war on terror–the results left me feeling a mixture of anger, disappointment and sadness.

Anger  . . . at what has derisively come to be known as “the mainstream media,” as most journalists and journalistic institutions self-consciously abandoned all professional standards and all pretense of objectivity and transformed themselves into an unregulated arm of the Obama campaign.

For example, by August 7, Sen. Obama’s face had been on the cover of Time seven times–and with equally ridiculous frequency on Newsweek as well. The week before the election, a smiling Sen. Obama–the smoker–graced the cover of Men’s Health. That’s right. Men’s “Health.”

(By the way, have you seen a single press photograph of President-elect Obama smoking during the stressful campaign? Will the press scrupulously avoid publishing any photos of the President smoking in the same way they complied with FDR’s request that he not be shown in his wheelchair? And will there be ashtrays in the Oval Office–sporting the presidential seal? Can I have one?)

This morning, Chris Matthews told Joe Scarborough on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program that he felt it his responsibility as a broadcaster to help make the Obama presidency a success. Seriously. For eight years we’ve been told by Matthews and others that it was the press’ job to be adversarial to the White House to keep it honest. Now it’s suddenly its job to be a loyal part of the team? That’s some serious “change.”

Today, AM talk radio is the only mass media vehicle on which conservative voices can still be heard outside the editorial pages of a few local newspapers. If, as expected, the Pelosi-Reid-Obama government reeinstates the fairness doctrine and effectively muzzles that channel, we will have a situation in this country that is truly dangerous for democracy.

Disappointment . . . that my party couldn’t find a way to nominate a stronger, more conservative candidate for the most important political office in the world. There is much to admire about John McCain the man, but as long-time readers of the blog know, I’ve never been a fan of McCain the politician or crafter of public policy. The fact is, George W. Bush, Bob Dole, and Bush 41 weren’t the best picks either, though, again, there is much to admire about each man. You have to go back to Ronald Reagan to find the Republican Party nominating the right man at the right time.

And there is also disappointment in the small but highly visible number of conservatives and libertarians who constructed contorted rationalizations for supporting Senator Obama’s candidacy.

Sadness . . . that I was robbed of the exciting opportunity to cast a vote for the first black President of the United States because the first African-American nominee of a major party was unfit for the office by virtue of inexperience and ideology. That would have been fun. If America was truly hungry for a wise philosopher-king with dark skin, it should have found a way to draft Thomas Sowell.

I get the pride and thrill that people of all races are feeling about the passing of this milestone. And I understand how powerful the pull of “identification” was for black evangelical Christians. Just look at how excited we Christians get when we find out that some celebrity or sports star is a believer.

But isn’t voting for a African-American man that you would clearly have vigorously voted against if he were white, a blatantly racist act? Isn’t this a variant of “the soft racism of low expectations?”

***

Chris Matthews is clearly wrong in thinking it is his job as a journalist to work for the success of the Obama presidency. But it is my duty as a believer to pray for President Obama, and I already am.

As a person who loves this country mightily, I’ll entreat the God of heaven that President Obama will operate in wisdom, steer the ship of state well in these dangerous waters, and find the will to resist the pull of the forces that dominate his political party.

Because when the most liberal Congress in 30 years starts flooding his desk with legislation, he’ll have to either sign the bills or veto them.

Voting “present” is no longer an option.