Barack Obama Elected President Of USA

[george]

CNN: Obama makes history by winning presidency

Democrat Barack Obama has won the 2008 U.S. presidential election, CNN projects, setting him up to become the 44th president of the United States and the first African-American to hold the nation's highest office.

Obama will address the country from a rally in Chicago, Illinois, later Tuesday night.

As news broke, supporters cried and cheered, "Yes, we can."

Obama will become the first African-American to win the presidency.

The Illinois senator is projected to pick up a big win in Virginia, a state that hasn't voted for a Democratic president since 1964.

Obama also is projected to beat Sen. John McCain in Ohio, a battleground state that was considered a must-win for the Republican candidate. Watch more on Obama's Ohio win »

Earlier in the evening, senior McCain aides were growing pessimistic about the Arizona senator's chances.

Going into the election, national polls showed Obama with an 8-point lead.

In addition to the presidential contest, voters were making choices in a number of key House and Senate races that could determine whether the Democrats strengthen their hold on Congress.

Former Gov. Mark Warner, a Democrat, will win a Senate seat in Virginia, CNN projects. He will replace retiring Republican Sen. John Warner.

Incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a Republican, is projected to lose her North Carolina seat to Democratic challenger Kay Hagan. Watch Dole concede defeat »

Dole is the wife of 1996 Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole.

CNN also projects Democrats will win two other Senate seats currently held by Republicans. In New Hampshire, former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen will win over incumbent John Sununu, and in New Mexico, Democrat Tom Udall will defeat Republican Steve Pearce.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell held onto his seat in Kentucky.

Delaware voters re-elected Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, to his seventh term. iReport.com: Share your Election Day reaction with CNN

CNN's Ed Henry said there were lots of long faces in the lobby of the McCain headquarters at the Arizona Biltmore hotel as McCain allies watched returns showing Senate Republicans losing their seats.

McCain said Tuesday night that he was "looking forward to the election results." Watch what McCain says about the race »

"We had a great ride. We had a great experience. It's full of memories that we will always treasure," he said aboard his election plane.

CNN does not project a winner in any state until all polls have closed in that state.

CNN projections are based on actual results and exit poll data from key areas.

The first exit polls out Tuesday reflect what voters have said all along: The economy is by far the top issue on their minds. Watch more on the top issues »

Sixty-two percent of voters said the economy was the most important issue. Iraq was the most important for 10 percent, and terrorism and health care were each the top issue for 9 percent of voters.

The economy has dominated the last leg of the campaign trail as Obama and McCain have tried to convince voters that they are the best candidate to handle the financial crisis.

Voters expressed excitement and pride in their country after casting their ballots Tuesday in what has proved to be a historic election.

When the ballots are counted, the United States will have elected either its first African-American president or its oldest first-term president and first female vice president.

Poll workers reported high turnout across many parts of the country, and some voters waited hours to cast their ballots. Read about election problems

Reports of minor problems and delays in opening polls began surfacing early Tuesday, shortly after polls opened on the East Coast.

The presidential candidates both voted early in the day before heading out to the campaign trail one last time. Watch Obama family at polls »

Tuesday also marked the end of the longest presidential campaign season in U.S. history -- 21 months -- and both candidates took the opportunity to make their final pitch to voters.

As McCain and Obama emerged from their parties' conventions, the race was essentially a toss-up, with McCain campaigning on his experience and Obama on the promise of change. But the race was altered by the financial crisis that hit Wall Street in September. Watch how this election is history in the making »

Although most of the attention has been focused on the presidential race, the outcome of congressional elections across the country will determine whether the Democrats increase their clout on Capitol Hill.

Few predict that the Democrats are in danger of losing their control of either the House or the Senate, but all eyes will be on nearly a dozen close Senate races that are key to whether the Democrats get 60 seats in the Senate.

With 60 votes, Democrats could end any Republican filibusters or other legislative moves to block legislation.

Many political observers also predict that the Democrats could expand their majority in the House.

Voters will also weigh in on a number of ballot initiatives across the country, many of them focused on social issues like abortion and affirmative action.

-- CNN 2008-11-05

[george]

Obama wins, first black to gain White House

WASHINGTON (AP): — Barack Obama was elected the nation's first black president Tuesday night in a historic triumph that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself.

The 47-year-old Democratic senator from Illinois sealed his victory by defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in a string of wins in hard-fought battleground states — Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Iowa.

A huge crowd thronged Grant Park in Chicago to cheer Obama's improbable triumph and await his first public speech as president-elect.

Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, will take their oaths of office as president and vice president on Jan. 20, 2009.

As the 44th president, Obama will move into the Oval Office as leader of a country that is almost certainly in recession, and fighting two long wars, one in Iraq, the other in Afghanistan.

-- AP 2008-11-05

[ThaiPauly]

Won it by a mile.

good luck to him

As a Brit I was hoping he would win

[george]

McCain concedes

John McCain admitted defeat in the race for the White House Tuesday, saying: "The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."

McCain said he had called Barack Obama to offer his congratulations shortly after 11 p.m., when polls closing on the West coast gave Obama the electoral votes to become the nation's first black president.

"Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and his country," he said, calling Obama a "good man."

-- CNN 2008-11-05

[TAWP]

Just because he is dark skinned doesn't make him 'black', as he is in fact mixed.

Next up, calling Luk-Krungs 'white' if they are elected to something here in Thailand? Or are they basing this race-thing on looks only, not blood?

Anyway, congrats to Obama, now show the people how wrong they where. Even a democrat talking about hope and change will when shows come to show act like all the previous office holders did.

[Tawai]

the biggest winner of this election = planet earth

[sunny747]

congrats to president obama. Hope he will make a change.

What a great country american is!!

[girlx]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

[Insight]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

The news is some much needed fresh air for sure.

[dominique355]

congrats to president obama. Hope he will make a change.

What a great country american is!!

Indeed, USA (not America) is a great country and with the help of Obama we are going to change that.

[MetroGirl]

yeah I'm watching the news live here - with McCain conceded speech in Arizona

very historic iconic moment for the US and the world at large indeed here

cheers and salute to Obama - 44th president

toast toast!!!!!

[dingdongrb]

Although I am not arguing the point that Obama will probably be the next US president but just let it be known that he really won't be elected until December the 15th.....

[Jai Dee]

Obama takes historic election, first African American

Democratic candidate Barack Obama has won a historic US presidential election, television networks projected Tuesday, making him the first African-American ever to lead the United States.

Obama, 47, had a commanding victory over Republican rival John McCain, 72, capturing a series of reliable Republican states including Virginia and Ohio that voted for President George W Bush in the last two elections.

Obama was put over the top as US networks projected victories in California, Washington and Oregon as soon as polls in those states closed at 11 pm (0400 GMT).

A deafening roar went out from the tens of thousands of supporters gathered at Obama's victory rally in Chicago's Grant Park. Obama was to address the crowd later in the evening.

Obama had already taken a commanding lead in the US presidential election before the official projection, capturing the key swing states of Pennsylvania and Ohio earlier in the night and leaving McCain with an almost impossible uphill battle to keep his hopes alive.

No candidate has captured the White House without Ohio's 20 electoral votes since 1960. No Republican has ever won the presidency without it. Similarly in Virginia, no Democrat has won the state since1964.

Pennsylvania, with 21 electoral votes, had been considered McCain's best shot of capturing a reliable Democratic state. McCain did not win a single state taken by Democrat John Kerry four years ago.

A total of 270 electoral votes is needed to win in the country's state-by-state, winner-takes-all US electoral system. The count stood at 290 electoral votes for Obama and 145 for McCain.

Some of the other key states captured by Obama included Michigan, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Iowa. Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana and Texas were some of the largest taken by McCain.

Millions of voters had waited for hours at polling stations across the country as McCain and Obama made a final push for votes in swing states.

In Chicago, the disproportionately young crowd awaiting Obama's rally had a large representation of both whites and blacks, with small numbers of Latinos and Asians. Tiffany Gholar, 29, a Chicago student and executive assistant, said that Obama's victory "would make me feel like some real progress has been made since the civil rights movement."

McCain's campaign was holding an evening rally at a hotel in Phoenix, Arizona.

Democrats worked on the hope that eight years of President George W Bush's unpopular policies in Iraq and the slumping economy would convince voters to hand them control of the White House and strengthen their control of Congress.

The Democrats picked up at least four seats from Republicans in the Senate and were poised to make significant gains to widening their majorities in both congressional houses, network projections showed.

The faltering US economy was by far the top concern of voters heading to the polls in Tuesday's general election, according to initial exit polls reported by US broadcaster CNN.

A full 62 per cent of voters ranked the economy as the key issue of this election, compared to 10 per cent invoking the war in Iraq and 9 per cent rating terrorism or health care highest.

Millions already voted in recent weeks in early or absentee voting allowed in 31 states, including key battlegrounds Florida, North Carolina, Colorado and Nevada.

Voters waited patiently in serpentine queues early Tuesday to cast ballots. Many had started lining up before dawn, and some braved pouring rain to cast their ballots.

It was a bittersweet end to the 21-month campaign for Obama, whose grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, 86, passed away overnight Sunday after a battle with cancer, the Illinois senator revealed Monday.

Source: The Nation - 05 November 2008

[dingdongrb]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

Let's hope that we all can truly say that in four years from now....(I have my fingers crossed....... and my 401K statement at my side)

[flying]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

Me 2

This is one less glass ceiling in the USA.

In fact only one left now & that is the day a Woman is elected President.

For now I just hope we have a compassionate President that restores the pride that once was the USA. Both in our eyes & the eyes of the world.

Good Luck Mr Obama

[ozsamurai]

Black, Blue white or green who cares, he's still to perform. You think skin color is going to make policy decisions for him? Is he just going to be another promise undelivered? I am glad Bush has had his days of terror ended, but wait for the fallout first....

[Scott]

I am very happy with this outcome, but this man has got a long, hard road ahead of him. Things are really in a terrible mess and it's going to take a long time to dig out of it.

By the way, he is a black man. The determination of race is generally determined by the prevailing attitude and treatment of a person--and also by the person's own affirmation of their race. Generally, you can be very light skinned but once people know your heritage is black, you are black. Whether this is good or bad is a matter of opinion, but that's how it's determined.

[koheesti]

Just because he is dark skinned doesn't make him 'black', as he is in fact mixed.

Next up, calling Luk-Krungs 'white' if they are elected to something here in Thailand? Or are they basing this race-thing on looks only, not blood?

I agree. Good luck to Pres-elect Obama but please ease off on this whole first "African-American" line.

In American, probably well over 98% of African-Americans can trace their family roots back to slavery which was abolished 150+ years ago in the US. In those 150 years since they have suffered through a lot of discrimination. My family roots are from Central Europe and I have as much African-American slave blood in my veins as Obama does. Obama's African side, his father, was a Kenyan studying in the USA and left when Obama was a small child leaving him to be raised by the white side of his family. Not very African-American at all except in appearance. All the same, good luck.

[thaiwanabe]

Yes, he did. I am so proud....

[Naam]

Although I am not arguing the point that Obama will probably be the next US president but just let it be known that he really won't be elected until December the 15th.....

this time the GOP has no chance to cheat!

[draftvader]

So VERY VERY pleased about this. I too am a Brit. For the past 8 years the world has suffered a moron. I can't wait to watch Presidential press conferences without hiding behind my chair out of embarrassment and concern (a mixed emotion set that was the only thing that George W Bush EVER gave me). I really can't wait.

I am Jingoistic, so it hurts me to say that I can't wait for America to be GREAT again. Good luck Obama, but we all know that you can do it.

[StevieH]

get in there. a victory for common sense, decency and fairness. hope he can start to make america popular around the world again as the world needs a strong and just USA.

[Thenacity]

It's hard to see what this has to do with the Land of Smiles. But it's to be hoped that President Obama will use his personal abilities and America's tremendous resources and influence to help Thailand to become at long last something more than a coup-prone kleptocracy.

[tonythepony]

Just because he is dark skinned doesn't make him 'black', as he is in fact mixed.

The term 'black' doesn't refer to the colour black it represents the idea of 'not-white'. How many people have you met with naturally black skin?

That's something I learned (very early on) at a school you didn't go to.

America's first black president? I thought it would never happen in my lifetime. Well done America and good luck clearing up all the rubbish..

[kat]

In the words of Micehlle Obama, for which she got a lot of flak over a couple of months ago: "For the first time in my life, I am really proud of my country."

We finally did something right, for the first time in a LONG time. And as a mixed-race person of mixed descent, I have no problem calling Barak Obama what he IS: a mixed-race, AFrican-American. His father was from Kenya, and former slaves and their descendants originated in Africa, as other immigrants orignated elsewhere, hence the reason for hyphenated American, and the term AFRICAN-AMERICAN. It is what it is, and there's nothing incorrect or wrong with it.

In fact, I would argue, there is everything right about it: Presdient-Elect Barak Hussein Obama, the first black and/or African-American President of the United States, AND the first elected black head of state in the multii-cultural West. That is a lot to celebrate tonight.

[BennyNaKah]

Go Obama!

[kat]

Just because he is dark skinned doesn't make him 'black', as he is in fact mixed.

The term 'black' doesn't refer to the colour black it represents the idea of 'not-white'. How many people have you met with naturally black skin?

That's something I learned (very early on) at a school you didn't go to.

America's first black president? I thought it would never happen in my lifetime. Well done America and good luck clearing up all the rubbish..

Right on, to your entire comment, including cleaning up the rubbish. We still have a lot of work to do. If it were up to me, I would deal with the rubbish Chinese-style, by lining them up to be shot. Good think Obama is president and not me.

[boggzzy]

congrats to president obama. Hope he will make a change.

What a great country american is!!

Indeed, USA (not America) is a great country and with the help of Obama we are going to change that.

i cant believe you are such a dumb nation voting for a man( i dont give a toss what colour he is)with no policy but i am going to change things......only in the USA

[jayceenik]

I cynically had hoped for a (McCain)/Palin presidency. How much fun that would have been!

[koheesti]

Just because he is dark skinned doesn't make him 'black', as he is in fact mixed.

The term 'black' doesn't refer to the colour black it represents the idea of 'not-white'. How many people have you met with naturally black skin?

That's something I learned (very early on) at a school you didn't go to.

Sounds like you went to a school in South Africa. In America, "black" refers to negroes.