I started paying attention to politics in the latter half of my first decade. I actually did my first literature drop when I was eight for Eugene Nickerson, the only Democrat to ever elected county executive in Nassau County until the beginning of this century. For a little kid, it was pretty exciting.

Fast forward four decades or so and I'm feeling really excited again. Not because Obama won or Clinton won but because democracy is winning.

For the first time in as long as I can remember, as a country, we actually have a choice. We finally don't have to just pick between two evils. Each side of the aisle has at least three viable candidates for president.

That means we can get involved, ask questions, deliberate and exercise our ability to make our nation a better place to live. We can work for change. We can get fired up and ready to go. We can find our own voice.

We can get actually get excited about presidential politics.

Since this campaign began a good year ago, I thought we'd all be brain dead by now—fatigued by the constant droning of candidates saying they’re the best choice. Well, happily, I was wrong.

Starting earlier—while making the campaigns more expensive—gave us more of an opportunity to engage. We could actually do our part of retail politics—pick over the candidates like we pick over all the clothes at Macy’s in the after Christmas sales. The earlier start gave us time to explore their platforms, talk about it with our friends and family, create a national dialogue about the future of our country.

With the first two events of the political season behind us, we've gotten just a glimpse of how dynamic this race will be.

Iowa gave us Obama and Huckabee as the victors. Going into New Hampshire, it was pretty clear that John McCain was the resurgent Republican. He’s the only one who spent any real time there.

Huckabee may win a few more primaries down south but watch out for Guiliani in Florida and New York on Super Tuesday, February 5th. Fred Thompson is sleep walking through his campaign hoping his good ol' boy actor-persona will win him a few delegates.

Not that I'm complaining. This administration's political arrogance and lack of foresight have given the Democrats an open door to the White House—but then again, the Dems have a knack for losing elections that were theirs to win.

It was great fun, however, to watch the pundits and pollsters squirm Tuesday night. After predictions of another Obama win, perhaps at double digits, Hillary Clinton's show of humility and humanity turned the tide for a unexpected upset. Chris Matthews looked stunned on MSNBC—it was great.

But this whole thing is very far from over. Next week, the Nevada caucuses and the S. Carolina primary will add another chapter to this roller coaster ride of a campaign. Despite the drubbing they took this week, the pundits and pollsters promoted by the media will continue to predict who the winners will be.

What Iowa and New Hampshire showed us, however, is that all the predictions in the world won't deter a independent minded voter, affiliated with a party or not, from voting the way she or he wants to.

New Hampshire women saw themselves in Hillary. How many of us have been vilified for being too strong and smart and then sneered at for showing a bit of emotion.

Independent and young voters saw themselves in Obama. His message of change, his ability to rise above the petty politics of campaigning, his way with words—Obama is speaking to voters who would usually stay home. He's energizing a new base—a new generation of activists that just may write the next chapter in our presidential politics.

In the months ahead, we'll all be on this roller coaster—some candidates will climb to the top and stay there and some will come crashing down with a speed that defies expectations.

After five decades of watching and working, it's great to know that democracy can still be so exciting.

Libby Post is the founding chair of the Empire State Pride Agenda and a political commentator on public radio, on the Web, and in print media. She can be reached at libby@proudlyout.com.