What About this 2008 Election...?

Well my initial thoughts on this election were...
-Obama clearly had a strong influence on Democrats and even some republicans
-McCain really on spent his advertising on bashing Obama and didn't really state his plan of action as the new President of the United States, which made be skeptical of him, what was he planning on doing to help us?
-Obama's infomercial was dedicated towards stating his plan of action if he were to become president, along with foot notes stating each point-it made me feel reassured that we wanted to let his public audience know what to expect from him
-It was a close race, I know there are a lot of republican states, but Obama had a huge group of "followers"

Overall I was not too surprised by the result, it was pretty obvious that Barack Obama had an incredible lead that would leave John McCain in the dust. (according to the polls online and on tv)
Although there was one thought that kept running through my head, which were: What if Obama did not win and by some freak "accident" McCain did? What would it be like with another republican (who is said to be like George Bush) as our next president for 4 years...I would not know what to think, frankly, I would be disappointed and would hope for the best from McCain. But I am ready for a change and now we've got one, Barack Obama our 44th President of the United States of America.
I know that it will be very hard for Barak Obama to change the United States and repair all the damaged caused by bad decisions in the past few years while "under republican power" but I have faith in him. As Andy stated, "he is strategically brilliant and emotionally sophisticated, and sane person to ever run for president" and become president.
Maybe some minor things will change but I won't expect anything huge. It will also require the people of America to pitch in and help out, we are part of the problem and it is our country so we must do our part to help "clean-up." But how? Will Obama tell us, Americans, what we need to do to help make this change? Will this work? Will change happen, or have we fallen too far?