Barack Obama – 38%
John Edwards – 30%
Hillary Clinton – 29%

For a Barack fan like me, this was a great night.

After the numbers rolled in, Edwards gave a rousing, impassioned speech, vowing to keep on fighting. The group of 10 political nerds that I watched with were rapt with attention. It was a great speech.

Hillary followed with, well, a disaster. She sounded like she was on autopilot. I don’t remember a single line. Total dud.

Huckabee got his words in, as the Republican frontrunner. (He soared to strong victory on the backs of evangelicals.) I kinda caught some of the biblical language, but I didn’t come away really understanding his point. He didn’t seem terribly prepared. I think someone said, “like a high school debate speech.”

And then Barack closed with … well, he closed. He sealed the deal. Of all the candidates, he was the only one who sounded like a president. Poised, powerful, poignant.

We all thought he wouldn’t be able to top Edwards. He towered over Edwards. He towered over the field.

This was a big night for Barack, and for the Democrats (who caucused in numbers almost double the Republicans). Tomorrow’s crosstabs and spinmeisters will tell the continuing story. For now, progressives like me around the country are going to bed happy and sleeping well. Sleeping satisfied. Sleeping with hope.