Sen. Barack Obama Wins Presidential Election
Published: November 05, 2008
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Democrat Barack Obama has been elected the 44th president of the United States, the Associated Press is projecting, making history and completing a stunningly rapid rise to power by becoming the first African American to win the nation's highest office.
A projected California win put Obama over the top, giving him 55 electoral votes — enough to surpass the 270 needed for the presidency over Republican John McCain. The Illinois senator won key state after key state Tuesday, and McCain losses in Ohio, Virginia and Pennsylvania were harbingers of the outcome. The AP also called Florida for Obama at the same time it announced the California projection.
By 11:15 p.m. ET, the AP projected Obama had 324 electoral votes. McCain had 124.
Only four years ago on election night, Obama was a newly minted U.S. senator-elect after serving for eight years in the Illinois legislature. Now he holds the title of president-elect.
"My friends, we have come to the end of a long journey," McCain said at a rally with supporters. He congratulated Obama for the victory, saying he admired Obama's ability to unite diverse groups.
"Senator Obama and I have had — and argued — our differences, and he has prevailed," McCain said. He pledged to help Obama "lead us through the many challenges we face."
"I wish godspeed to the man who was my former opponent, and will be my president," McCain said.
The popular vote counted so far is much closer. With 61% of precincts reporting, Obama led McCain nationally, 51% to 47.8%.
Turnout appeared to be high in many parts of the nation. Lines of voters formed at polling places as early as 4 a.m. in many states, and the AP reported that turnout in Ohio — one of the key states in this election — might approach 80% of registered voters
Except for snow in the Rockies and Northwest and rain along the Mid-Atlantic coast, weather did not appear to be a factor in voter turnout, which was heavy in some states.
Early surveys of voters, conducted by a consortium of news organizations, indicated 60% listed the economy as their most important issue, with no other issue — including the war on Iraq and terrorism — getting more than 10%.
More than 80% of voters said they were very worried the current economic crisis will harm their family's finances over the next year, but 47% also said they felt the economy will improve in the next year. Two-thirds said they were worried about obtaining health care.
Only 28% of those polled said they approved of President Bush's job performance — an issue Obama hammered on throughout the campaign as he tried to tie McCain to Bush.
Many votes have been cast for days. Though the overall number of early votes was unknown, there were more than 29 million ballots cast in 30 states, suggesting an advantage for Obama.
Democrats voted in larger numbers than Republicans in North Carolina, Colorado, Florida and Iowa, all of which went for President Bush in 2004.
Obama, accompanied by his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, was the first of the two presidential hopefuls to vote. He marked a long paper ballot at Chicago's Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School as his daughters looked on.
"I feel great, and it was fun. I had a chance to vote with my daughters," Obama said. "I feel really good."
Asked whether he was feeling sentimental, Obama replied, "You know, I'm sure I will tonight — that's when polls close."
He then flew to neighboring Indiana to work the get-out-the-vote phones at an Indianapolis union hall. He planned to end Tuesday with an election night rally at Chicago's Grant Park.
McCain, who voted at a church in Phoenix, stepped out of a sport-utility vehicle with his wife, Cindy, as a small crowd cheered, "Go, John, go!" and "We love you!"
They walked into the church, cast their ballots and left within minutes, avoiding any lines. The senator signed a poster and gave the thumbs-up sign before leaving without speaking to reporters.
McCain then flew to Grand Junction, Colo., to address a cheering crowd.
"I feel the momentum. I feel it, and you feel it," he told the crowd. "And we're going to win this election. We're going to be up late tonight." He planned an election night rally in Phoenix.
Palin returned to her hometown of Wasilla to vote and said she looked forward to the end of the day. She planned to join McCain Tuesday evening in Phoenix.
"I hope, I pray, I believe that I'll be able to wake up as vice president-elect and be able to get to work in a transition mode with a president-elect McCain," she said after voting in the town hall where she once served as mayor.
Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, voted at a private school about a half-mile from his home in the Wilmington area. Biden walked into the school holding the hand of his mother, Jean.
Biden's wife, Jill, and his daughter, Ashley, also cast their ballots. After emerging from the voting booth, Biden gave a thumbs up and kissed his wife. He joked with his mother, saying, "Don't tell them who you voted for."
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