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Obama led Democrats to a sweeping victory that expanded their majorities in both Houses of Congress as voters emphatically rejected President George W Bush's eight years of leadership.
Obama is the son of a Black father from Kenya and white mother from Kansas, and his election triumph over Republican rival John McCain marks a milestone in US history. It came 45 years after the height of the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King.
"It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, at this defining moment, change has come to America," Obama, 47, told more than 200,000 ecstatic supporters gathered in Chicago's Grant Park to celebrate.
Obama was born at a time when African Americans were still battling segregationist policies in the South and his dramatic rise could help the United States bury its long history of racial tensions. Raucous street celebrations erupted across the country.
Obama won at least 338 Electoral College votes, far more than the 270 he needed. With results in from more than three-quarters of US precincts, he led McCain by 52 percent to 47 per cent in the popular vote.
A first-term Illinois senator who will now be sworn in as the 44th US President on Jan. 20, 2009, Obama said he would work to ease the country's sharp political divisions and listen to those who voted against him.
"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there," he said.
McCain's hopes for a surprise win evaporated with losses in a string of key battleground states led by the big prizes of Ohio and Florida, the states that sent Democrats to defeat in the last two elections.
McCain, a 72-year-old Arizona senator and former Vietnam War prisoner, called Obama to congratulate him and praised his rival's inspirational and precedent-shattering campaign.
"We have come to the end of a long journey," McCain told supporters. "I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him but offering our next President our goodwill."
Blacks and Whites celebrated together in front of the White House to mark Obama's win and Bush's imminent departure. Cars jammed the downtown Washington streets, with drivers honking their horns and leaning out their windows to cheer.
Thousands more joined street celebrations in New York's Times Square and in cities and towns across the United States.
"This is the most significant political event of my generation," said Brett Schneider, 23, who was in the crowd for Obama's victory speech in Chicago.
"This is a great night. This is an unbelievable night," said US Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, who was brutally beaten by police in Selma, Alabama, during a voting rights march in the 1960s.
He was at a celebration in Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the home church of King, who led the civil rights movement and was murdered in 1968.
Rev. Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights leader and former presidential candidate, joined the celebrations in Chicago on Tuesday night, tears streaming down his cheeks.
PROMISES
Obama and Democrats will face intense pressure to deliver on their campaign promises. Obama has vowed to restore US leadership in the world by working closely with foreign allies, to withdraw US troops from Iraq in the first 16 months of his term and to bolster US troop levels in Afghanistan.
But his immediate task will be tackling the US financial crisis, the worst since the Great Depression. Obama has proposed another stimulus package that could cost about $175 billion and include funding for infrastructure and another round of rebate checks.
Obama took command of the race in the last month as the financial crisis deepened and as his steady performance in three debates with McCain appeared to ease lingering doubts among voters.
His judgement on handling the economic crisis appeared to help tip the race in his favor. Exit polls showed six of every 10 voters listed the economy as the top issue.
In addition to Ohio and Florida, Obama won Virginia, Iowa, New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado -- all states won by Bush in 2004. McCain's loss in Pennsylvania eliminated his best hope of capturing a Democratic-leaning state.
The vote capped an epic campaign marked by a rapid rise from obscurity for Obama and a bitter Democratic primary battle with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, as well as McCain's comeback from the political scrap heap to win the Republican nomination.
In the general election battle, Obama accused McCain of representing a third term for Bush's policies and being out of touch on the economy. McCain's campaign attacked Obama as a tax-raising liberal and accused him of being a ‘pal’ with terrorists.
In a difficult political environment for Republicans, McCain struggled to separate himself from Bush. Exit polls showed three out of every four voters thought the United States was on the wrong track.
In the fight for Congress, Democrats were making big gains but appeared to be falling short of picking up the nine Senate seats to reach a 60-seat majority that would give them the muscle to defeat Republican procedural hurdles.
Democrats gained at least five Senate seats and knocked off two-high profile Republican incumbents -- North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a former presidential candidate and wife of 1996 Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole, and New Hampshire Sen. John Sununu.
Democrats also gained about 25 more House of Representatives seats to give them a commanding majority in that chamber.
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I am so happy Ihave made history to campaign for senator Obama who is our president I will say God bless you do not forget the poor investor theirs time to elected you I will suggest million on your list they should be bailout in stimulu package the will stand with you for four years now or next fours will come I believe the has commitment irresponsible to keep you strong who has change the life of american people.is not enough to keep them on list as support with show your love as did for you I know you are big trouble but they will stand a long with you for good and bad they build that coalition organize for american and you should print theirs names list historian book of your presidency as your legacy
congrats President.You come at a time when the world as whole needs a leader who listens and take decisions that favours most of the people of this our adventurous world.much is required of you as leader and i hope fervently that you serve the people of your country and the world as a whole.I agree entirely that America has made a change thus it is a requirement that the wind of change is felt by everyone across the world.Continue to be a good man,humourous,a listener and a man that serves.Whether african or american, we are one people with a common fate.Every person(whether a child,adult,mother,father,mother,black,white etc...)expects that you deliver.There are several steps ahead of the step you have taken therefore let the people smile for ypu name shall forever be in calculus of history.Take care and congratulations President Obama
congratulation, Mr. Obama. You've make history, your name shall for ever lingers in the world book of history as the first BLACK AMERICA president. You are intelligent, a good speaker, determine and most of all handsome and a gentleman. for you to main and make blacks happy and most importantly all proud of you, BE A MAN OF YOUR WORDS. the path of change you've choosen could be rough or smooth (what i pray for), be patient in your rulings and never try to FORGET the ALMIGHTY GoD. i say GooD luck Obama. Make the world proud for the world is proud of you.
kentucky drug rehabTruth is win everywhere............THANKS........... ............ANJALINA....
i love you obama
I am so happy for senate Barack Obama our next president why the world like Obama even childern he is man peace and wisdom God brough him this time he can change the world
FOR the first time the US has elected a Black American as President. This is significant, considering that till as recently as 1965 many US states denied even voting rights to Blacks. That is ample proof of the vibrant nature of the US democracy. This is in contrast to what happened in India when an immigrant, Sonia Gandhi, could not be accepted as PM. The US accepts human talent from anywhere and includes the same into its national fold. In contrast, we have a tendency to make linguistic and regional divisions in our national scene and tend to become parochial. That will actually put shackles on our progress. M R IYER
as a white american I am surprised at the slavish way Indians follow US election.When I lived in India for few years I was always treated like God by most Indiansbecause of my white skin
sorry john, I don't think that your "white skin" was responsible for your treatment. Most Indians treat all guests like god.
It should be a proud moment for Muslims all over the world and it's time to celebrate. A Muslim going to be president of most powerful nation on earth. Muslim haters can say he is an athiest (so is majority of population in the world) and christian (he only assocaitd himself with churches for charity purposes and probably to win elections who knows)
We are waiting for CHANGE and thats we want from Mr. President. Lets see how much he will make in US parallely in WORLD ECONOMICS. Lets hope Mr. President will better understand the problem of people of world than get into the worst politics. Till now, he seems People's Person and now we have to check is that so?..I know this is very big question in front of us, whatever he has committed, confirmed. We need to check after 20th of Jan.
Congratulations Mr. President Elect.I couldnt ask for more than experiencing the historic moment in the United States of America.We look forward to your journey to the White House.God Bless you!
Obama's Win is a big victory for any democracy in the world. He proved that you do not have to use your race or identdity card to get the job done .He prove dthat If you work hard and if you have the right qualification you can get it done. I feel Indian politicians have a lot to learn from his victory. We see our politicians taking advantage of the caste , minority and religion to get the votes . Its high time they stop that and win votes based on what they have to offer to the country. They should stop using the Caste and religion cards to provoke people.
Congratulations for the great win. Few things we can be sure of. Obama will stop the white house funding for conversion to christian organizations in India. Obama will not send a CIA team to help Sonia for the next parliamentary election, as was done by Bush last time. CIA team was located in a villa near Delhi. Strangely many of our promising young congress politicians like Scindia, Pilot etc were eliminated on Sundays. The 17 April 2004 killing in an apparent plane accident of the Telugu film actress, Soundarya, of BJP, that eventually enabled the congress to form a government at the centre. One more thing we can be sure of is that he will not go after nuclear power and instead will take up environmentally friendly energy production metods like Solar power, wind power etc. India with a track record of more than 300 nuclear accidents can be happy without more nuclear power and affiliated accidents.
Congratulations for the great win. Few things we can be sure of. Obama will stop the white house funding for conversion to christian organizations in India. Obama will not send a CIA team to help Sonia for the next parliamentary election, as was done by Bush last time. CIA team was located in a villa near Delhi. Strangely many of our promising young congress politicians like Scindia, Pilot etc were eliminated on Sundays. The 17 April 2004 killing in an apparent plane accident of the Telugu film actress, Soundarya, of BJP, that eventually enabled the congress to form a government at the centre. One more thing we can be sure of is that he will not go after nuclear power and instead will take up environmentally friendly energy production metods like Solar power, wind power etc. India with a track record of more than 300 nuclear accidents can be happy without more nuclear power and affiliated accidents.
our new President is not the solution to the worlds problem, but a light at the end of a dark tunnel, take off that veil from your face so you can see a better tomorrow. and about abortion and gay, its been active since the days of old, make a choice since you know the scripture. Enjoy the planet, its getting better, through every one of us.
Obama has created history. America has accepted a black as President. It is undoubtedly a victory well deserved. But one wonders whether this could have happened if his adversary at the primaries was a man and not Hillary Clinton. Was it the gender bias that helped him win the nomination? (Voters prefer a black to a woman?) How long would the US have to wait to elect a woman as President? THAT would be creating history!
Give me a break! being a woman has nothing to do with her loss in primary. I'm a supporter of women rights..but people like you disgust me! Stop the nonsense.
congraturations obama u ve got wat it takes to be a president.may GOD continue blessing you.son of africa we ar proud of you.
CONGRATULATION MR.Obama. As i am indian we prayed lot for your victory and we hope you will fulfill all requirement as your people and world expecting from you. we like you most. You are the only person who was better for world. We and whole world tired and very unhappy by some decision and work done by W.bush . We are very happy to see you as precident.
DILIP/FRANCE, why don't you like Obama? Is it because he is black? Or is it because he hates Nazi's and Al-Qaidaists whom you worship?
Like Obama, you are full off contradictions and sour froth.Grow up man be more civil. Do not pump your self up Obabma is no Messiah.The dream has ended and the history is about to be re-written.
congratulations to OBAMA .I feel world is changing towards peace thro Obamas victory.Hats of to OBAMA
WHEN WILL INDIA GET THIS MATURITY AND COME OUT OF NARROW MINDNESS, STOP CALLING NAMES TO SONIA, AND TRY TO LOOK AT HER QUALITITS AND DEDICATION TOWARDS THE COUNTRY SHE HAS ADOPTED AS HER MOTHERLAND.
Some of the nutcase called called Sonia a bitch which is against our Hindu principals. Obama's victory has shown the world that the entire world does not believe in color,caste, religion, discrimination, but on the contrary every person is born equal.Ram Krishna, I thank you, America, I Thank you, John Maccain, Thank I you for giving a very lovely speech, you are and will always be known as a true patriot.This is historic and a big slap on the face of the facist likes.
CONGRATULATIONS USA, YOU ARE INDEED A DECISIVE PEOPLE. CONGRATULATIONS OBAMA, YOU ARE INDEED A MAN OF THE PEOPLE. CONGRATULATIONS MCCAIN, YOU ARE INDEED ONE OF THE PATRIOTS OF DEMOCRACY, RARELY IN AFRICA LEADERS ACCEPT DEFEAT. I HOPE AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAVE LEARNT ON HOW TO CONDUCT ELECTIONS.
We are bemused as to Nautankee's euphoria and infantile,irrational excitement, on Obama's election victory.It makes us wonder is he the paid chaprasi to carry his chappals. It seems to us he has gone Oh bananna,in his old age. Obama is good at talking the talk and walking the walk, the reality check will soon dawn, and many will be soon disappionted and doomed.We suggest you cut down the Euphoria and the nutcases should take a reality check.Maybe Phagalkhanna would be an appropriate place.
As an Indian national,I would like to view the vicory of Barack Obama through the prism of Indo-US relations before the current President George Bush and the position now. There is reason to believe that the momentum will be lost. America traditionally has hyphenated India
congrats obama..