Never Forget.

We all have that memory - that forever-embedded-in-our-brain moment - of where we were when the planes hit eight years ago. I was living in Washington, DC at the time, and sitting in traffic on Constitution Ave just outside the Capitol building, when the radio announcer broke the news.  It sounded like a small commuter plane had flown into one of the towers by accident, so I proceeded with my day.

An hour later, as people ran all around me and the cell phone network crashed, DC was alive with rumors.  In Foggy Bottom, there was word that the Pentagon had been attacked, that the State Department was on fire (at least that one I could debunk as the building was right in front of me), and that the Washington Monument - that symbol of our liberty - had been destroyed.

Even as we tried to sort out the truth and reconcile ourselves to that horrible moment, our democracy carried on.  Here in Massachusetts it was election day, and acting Governor Jane Swift ordered that polling places remain open.  In the 9th Congressional district, voters elected State Senator Stephen Lynch to carry on the legacy of the late, great Joe Moakley.  Voters and candidates and campaign workers put aside their anger, their sorrow, and their fear to cast their ballots with pride and honor.

I will never forget those terrifying moments in Washington, or all of those poor souls who gave their lives. And I will always remember that on that terrible day, here in my home state - the birthplace of the American Revolution - the democratic process lived on.

Share your thoughts and memories in the comments.

On to the morning roundup:

Pick of the day:

• Gintautas Dumcius, he of the State House News, Dorchester Reporter, and probably several other publications, takes an in-depth look at the impact of the Senate race on Boston (and Dorchester in particular) which is split between Congressman Mike Capuano and Congressman Steve Lynch. Among the nuggets of great info in the article:
• State Rep. Marty Walsh, the only politician who has ever beaten Martha Coakley in a campaign,  notes that Coakley is a "great debater;"
• More signs that Lynch is facing a revolt among labor groups; and
• Lynch's almost magical streak in special elections.

Best of the rest:

• The Boston Globe's Adrian Walker still wants to cast his vote for Vicki Kennedy. 
• Howie Carr also seems perplexed by the Andy Card decision. I'm starting to think my theory is not so far out. 
• John Kerry's 2008 Democratic opponent Ed O'Reilly has announced he will not be seeking the Kennedy seat. (Thanks to Senateguru.com for the tip.) 
• President Obama has weighed in on the interim Senator question.
• BlueMassGroup offers their take on the Andy Card-Scott Brown switcheroo. 
• RedMassGroup has some interesting news on Christy Mihos, who may not have been so committed to the Gubernatorial race after all.  Check out their screen grab of Mihos for Senate, which supposedly was up for a brief moment on Tuesday.  Real? Fake? Was Christy planning to run before getting a call from Card?

Tune in this weekend:

• Attorney General Martha Coakley will be interviewed on WBZ Sunday at 7:30 a.m.