Barack Obama: Campaigns and Elections—Miller Center About the Administration Obama's election to the Senate instantly made him the highest-ranking African American officeholder in the country and, along with the excitement generated by his convention speech and his books (Dreams from my Father, brought back into print, joined The Audacity of Hope on the bestseller list), placed him high on the roster of prospective Democratic presidential candidates in 2008. After spending a low-profile first year in office focusing on solidifying his base in Illinois and traveling abroad to buttress his foreign policy credentials as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama spent much of 2006 speaking to audiences around the country and mulling whether to run for President. According to annual National Journal evaluations of senators' legislative voting records, Obama ranked as the first, tenth, or sixteenth most liberal member of the Senate, depending on the year. Obama announced his presidential candidacy on February 10, 2007, at a rally in front of the Old State House in Springfield, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln had given his famous "house divided" speech in 1858.

Relying heavily on the Internet, the Obama campaign mobilized a massive grassroots organization of volunteers and donors. With Axelrod again at the helm, the campaign developed a strategy for winning the Democratic nomination that relied on assembling the same coalition of blacks and white liberals that had enabled him to succeed in Illinois, with an additional focus on young voters. Initially, however, Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton opened a strong lead in the polls, even among African American voters and leaders who admired her and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and did not think Obama had much of a chance to win. Former Senator John Edwards, the Democrats' vice presidential nominee in 2004, was also widely regarded at the start of the campaign as a stronger candidate than the inexperienced Obama. Drawing on his base of Internet supporters, Obama initially surprised political pundits by matching Clinton and besting Edwards in campaign fundraising throughout 2007. He became the co-frontrunner in the race by winning the crucial Iowa caucuses on January 3, 2008, defeating both Edwards and Clinton by an 8 percentage point margin.

Clinton rebounded to win the New Hampshire primary five days later, edging out Obama by 3 points and crushing Edwards by 22 points. In the next important test, Obama opened up a narrow lead in the nomination contest by defeating Clinton handily in the South Carolina primary, 55 percent to 27 percent, on January 26. Black voters, convinced by the Iowa results that whites would vote for an African American candidate for President, gave him overwhelming support in South Carolina and in subsequent primaries. Edwards finished a distant third in the state where he was born, and dropped out of the race on January 30. Other contenders for the nomination, including Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware, and Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, had already dropped out based on their poor showings in the early primaries and caucuses. From February through early June, Obama and Clinton battled fiercely through the remaining primaries and caucuses. Overall, Clinton won twenty primaries to Obama's nineteen, including victories for the New York senator in most of the large states, notably California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Both candidates were bidding to become historic "firsts"—the first African American President or the first woman President. But Obama had three crucial advantages that enabled him to eke out a narrow victory for the Democratic nomination. First, he was able to contrast his consistent opposition to the war in Iraq with Clinton's vote in 2002 to authorize the war before later turning against it. Second, although there was little difference between Clinton and Obama on the issues, Obama ran on a theme of change and Clinton on a theme of experience. In a year when the economy was steadily deteriorating, change was the more appealing theme, especially among Democratic voters. Third, while fighting Clinton in the thirty-nine primaries, Obama did not overlook the seventeen states and territories that, like Iowa, choose their national convention delegates through caucuses. He strongly out-organized Clinton in those contests, winning fourteen of seventeen caucuses. The delegates Obama won in the caucuses put him over the top. Clinton withdrew from the nominating contest on June 7. As hard-fought as his victory was, Obama faced only one serious crisis during the entire nomination campaign.

In early March, news organizations and websites showed video recordings of some controversial sermons by Obama's pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, including one in which Wright blamed the United States for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington and another in which he accused the federal government of "inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of color." Obama largely defused the crisis by giving a speech in Philadelphia on March 18 repudiating Wright's statements and thoughtfully outlining his own views on race relations. But he faced continuing difficulties winning white working class votes against Clinton in the primaries, and some doubted that he could win their votes in the general election against the Republican nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona. Partly to expand his support among working-class whites, and partly to offset his own modest foreign policy credentials, Obama named Senator Biden as his vice presidential running mate on August 22, two days before the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Biden had grown up in blue-collar Scranton, Pennsylvania, and during his thirty-six years as a senator from Delaware, had risen up the seniority ladder to become chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

at the Democratic National Convention. In his acceptance speech on the last night of the convention, Obama outlined the issues of his general election campaign. Among other things, Obama promised to "cut taxes for 95 percent of all working families," "end our dependence on oil from the Middle East," "invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy," provide "affordable, accessible health care for every single American," close "corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help American grow," "end this war in Iraq responsibly and finish the fight against al Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan," and allow "our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to visit the person they love in a hospital and live lives free of discrimination." Obama left Denver on August 29 enjoying a small lead over McCain in the polls. But on that same day McCain stole Obama's thunder by selecting Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate. Palin balanced the Republican ticket in some obvious ways: young rather than old (Palin was forty-four, McCain was seventy-two), a woman rather than a man, a governor rather than a senator, and a social conservative rather than a national security conservative.

At the same time, Palin's reform record in Alaska reinforced McCain's longstanding image as a political "maverick" who bucked the Washington establishment. Her rousing acceptance speech at the convention helped to propel the Republican ticket into a small lead over Obama and Biden in early September. McCain maintained his narrow advantage in the polls until mid-September, when the nation's financial sector, heavily invested in risky mortgage-backed securities, went into a sudden tailspin. In the three nationally televised debates between the presidential candidates that took place from September 26 to October 15, Obama's demeanor of calm, confident, competence impressed voters who were looking for both reassurance that all would be well and a change in the nation's direction. By eschewing federal campaign funds, Obama was also able to outspend McCain substantially on media advertising and grassroots organizing. In addition, Biden impressed most voters as a much more qualified choice for vice president than Palin, whose unfamiliarity with national and international issues was revealed in a series of television interviews. And, much to his credit, McCain refused to revive concerns about Obama's long association with Reverend Wright for fear of inflaming racial tensions. on election night. Obama was elected handily on November 4.

He defeated McCain by 53 percent to 46 percent in the national popular vote. Exit polls revealed that the two candidates broke even among voters who had participated in the 2004 election. But Obama built his majority among first-time voters who surged to the polls in 2008, many of them young or African American. In the Electoral College, Obama prevailed by a margin of 365 to 173. While carrying all of the traditionally "blue" states in the Northeast, Pacific Coast, and Great Lakes region, Obama built his majority by winning previously "red" states such as Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Colorado. Election night inspired gracious oratory by both candidates. "If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible," Obama told a cheering crowd of supporters, "who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer." Conceding defeat, McCain said, "This is a historic election, and I recognize the significance it has for African Americans and the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

We both realize that we have come a long way from the injustices that once stained our nation's reputation." Midterm Election of 2010 The Republicans pursued a strategy of consistent, strenuous opposition to most of President Obama's legislative initiatives. Politically, the strategy bore fruit in the 2010 midterm elections. As Democratic senator Al Franken of Minnesota said, "Their bumper sticker has one word: 'No.' Our bumper sticker has way too many words. And it says: 'Continued on the next bumper sticker.'" Looking at the stubbornly high unemployment rate, many voters refused to accept the President's argument that the Recovery Act had kept joblessness from rising even higher. Voters who were satisfied with their health insurance continued to worry that health care reform would increase the cost and reduce the quality of medical care. The Tea Party movement fueled a surge in turnout among Republican voters even as participation among Obama's core constituencies in 2008—young and African American voters—declined. On election day, the Republicans gained 6 seats in the Senate, reducing the Democrats' majority in that chamber from 18 (59 to 41) to 6 (53 to 47).

The GOP added 63 seats in the House of Representatives, enough to gain control of the House by a 242 to 193 majority in the 112th Congress. The certainty that divided government—a Republican House and a Democratic Senate and President—would prevail for the remainder of Obama's term persuaded the President and the leaders of both parties to act on a variety of important issues during the post-election "lame duck" session of Congress. With George W. Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts set to expire on December 31, 2010, Obama put aside his opposition to continuing them for families with more than $250,000 in annual income and agreed to allow congressional Republicans to keep the cuts in place. In return, the GOP accepted President Obama's proposal to extend unemployment benefits for jobless workers, and both parties embraced a one-year reduction in social security taxes for everyone who pays them. In addition, Congress and the President agreed to abolish President Bill Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" policy preventing openly gay and lesbian people from serving in the military.

Republicans, fearful that federal courts were about to order immediate integration of homosexuals into the armed services, were persuaded by General Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that the military was prepared to accept the change if allowed to implement it gradually. The lame duck session also saw the Senate ratify the New START treaty to reduce nuclear arms between the United States and Russia by a 71 to 26 vote. The 2012 Election President Obama entered the 2012 election year with job approval ratings that were dangerously low (roughly 40 percent) and an unemployment rate that was dangerously high (more than 8 percent) for a President seeking reelection. But, like Bill Clinton in 1996 and George W. Bush in 2004, Obama benefited enormously from not having to fight for his party's nomination. Gerald Ford in 1976, Jimmy Carter in 1980, and George Bush in 1992 had to wage such battles, and each of them was defeated by his general election opponent in November.

In contrast, Obama was able to use the first eight months of 2012 to raise money, rebuild his campaign organization, develop lines of attack on his likely Republican opponents, and launch his general election campaign from a united, enthusiastic Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Caroline, in September 2012. Following the pattern of reelection-seeking Presidents since the 1950s, Obama chose Vice President Biden to run with him for a second term. While Obama was uniting his party for the fall, the Republicans were waging a fierce intraparty battle to choose their nominee. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney won the nomination, but was subjected to severe attacks by his Republican rivals. For example, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich accused Romney of having "looted" companies during his career as a business consultant and branded him a "vulture capitalist." Governor Rick Perry of Texas said that Romney had gotten rich by "sticking it to someone else." Former senator Rock Santorum of Pennsylvania, Representative Michelle Bachman of Minnesota, and businessman Herman Cain were among the other Republican contenders who battered Romney relentlessly for being insufficiently conservative.

Romney won the nomination and placated conservatives by choosing the chair of the House Budget Committee, Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, as his vice presidential running mate in advance of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida. But only then was he able to focus on raising money for the general election, move toward the more popular political center, and direct his campaign toward defeating Obama. The Supreme Court's 2010 decision in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission opened the floodgates to corporations, unions, and wealthy individuals to spend massive amounts of money in an effort to elect either Obama or Romney, as well as in the congressional elections. By year's end about $1 billion each was spent by or on behalf of the two nominees for President, both of whom eschewed federal financing and the spending limits that accompanied that financing. In a closely divided country, both Romney and Obama counted on winning about twenty states and fought the campaign in about ten "battleground" states.

Some of them were large such as Florida and Ohio, and some of them were small such as New Hampshire and Iowa, but all of them were neither consistently "red" nor consistently "blue." Romney's best moment came in the first presidential debate, in which he came across as politically moderate and personally engaging. Obama, like many incumbents, turned in a rusty and therefore ineffective performance. But, chastened by his weak showing, Obama came back strongly in the second and the final debate and regained his lead over Romney. Toward the end of the campaign, the unemployment rate finally dipped below 8 percent, reinforcing Obama's claim that his economic policies had placed the nation on the road to prosperity. He also benefited from his response to Hurricane Sandy, a "super storm" that struck the Northeast in late October. Obama toured the devastated New Jersey shore with the state's Republican governor, Chris Christie, who praised the President for "springing into action immediately." In the election day exit poll, 15 percent of voters said that Obama's reaction to the hurricane was the most important factor in their decision, and 73 percent of them voted for the President.

Obama defeated Romney by 51 percent to 47 percent in the national popular vote and by 332 to 206 in the electoral vote. His margin of victory was down slightly from 2008, making him the first President since Woodrow Wilson to be reelected by a smaller majority than in his first election. Also disappointing to Obama was that the House of Representatives remained in Republican control, by a margin to 234 to 201. Obama—and Democrats generally—took heart from the party's success in the Senate elections. Even though twenty-three of their seats were on the ballot in 2012 compared with only ten for the Republicans, the Democrats actually gained two seats in the election, bringing their majority in the upper chamber to 55 to 45. Still more important for the long term, Obama ran best among those groups in the electorate that are growing most rapidly: young people, single people, nonreligious people, Latinos, and Asian Americans. Despite his victories, Obama began his second term with a very limited mandate. His campaign's one-word theme was content-free —Forward!

—and most of his speeches and commercials during the election were devoted to tearing down Romney rather than offering a policy agenda for the second term. The one specific issue Obama did stress on the campaign trail —his continuing desire to raise taxes on wealthy Americans —bore fruit one month after the election, when Congress voted to raise taxes on households with annual incomes above $450,000. But he deemphasized other issues that were important to him but politically risky in an election campaign, including immigration reform, climate change, and gun control. Midterm Election of 2014 The 2014 midterm election repeated the pattern of Obama’s first term: success in the presidential election followed by defeat two years later in the midterm election. As in 2010, voter turnout was considerably less in 2014 than it had been two years previously: 34 percent in 2014 (the lowest in a national election since 1942) compared with 58 percent in 2012. Because midterm electorates tend to have a higher concentration of the older and more conservative white voters who tend to favor Republican candidates, the Democrats were likely to suffer.

Adding to their disadvantage in the Senate elections was that 21 of 36 seats on the ballot in 2014 were held by Democrats, seven of them in states that Obama had lost to Romney. Republicans gained nine seats in the Senate elections, the largest gain for any party since 1980, and took away control of the chamber from the Democrats with a 54-46 majority. In elections to the House of Representatives, the GOP added 13 seats to their majority, increasing it to 247-188, the party’s largest House majority since 1928. The Republicans’ success extended to elections for state office. They added two to their ranks of governors, leaving them in control of the executive in 31 states. They also won majorities in ten additional state legislative chambers, leaving them with control of 67 of 99. These showings, too, were the GOP’s best since 1928. The 2014 midterm election guaranteed that Obama spent the last two years of his presidency with a Republican Congress.

According to Politico, on the morning after the election “he told his staff to take an hour to mope, then get back to work.” Signaling his intention going forward to rely strongly on his executive authority rather than seek legislation from Congress, he added: “We still run the largest organization on the planet, with the largest capacity to do good.” Barack Obama Essays Citation Information Chicago Style Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “Barack Obama: Campaigns and Elections.” Accessed January 19, 2017. ­/president/biography/obama-campaigns-and-elections. Consulting Editor Michael Nelson Professor Nelson is the Fulmer Professor Political Science at Rhodes College, a senior fellow of the Miller Center, and the senior contributing editor and book editor of the Cook Political Report. He is the author of multiple books on American politics and government, including: Resilient America: Electing Nixon in 1968, Channeling Dissent, and Dividing Government (University Press of Kansas), which won the American Political Science Association’s Richard E.

Neustadt Award for Best Book on the Presidency published in 2014 How the South Joined the Gambling Nation: The Politics of State Policy Innovation (LSU Press), which won the Southern Political Science Association’s V.O. Key Award for Outstanding Book on Southern Politics published in 2006 Barack Obama - U.S. Presidents - HISTORY.com Google Early life Obama’s father, also named Barack Hussein Obama, grew up in a small village in Nyanza Province, Kenya, as a member of the Luo ethnicity. He won a scholarship to study economics at the University of Hawaii , where he met and married Ann Dunham, a white woman from Wichita, Kansas , whose father had worked on oil rigs during the Great Depression and fought with the U.S. Army in World War II before moving his family to Hawaii in 1959. Barack and Ann’s son, Barack Hussein Obama Jr., was born in Honolulu on August 4, 1961. Did You Know? Not only was Obama the first African-American president, he was also the first to be born outside the continental United States. Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961. Obama’s parents later separated, and Barack Sr.

went back to Kenya; he would see his son only once more before dying in a car accident in 1982. After remarrying an Indonesian man, Lolo Soetoro, Ann moved with her young son to Jakarta in the late 1960s, where she worked at the U.S. embassy. In 1970, Obama returned to Hawaii to live with his maternal grandparents. He attended the Punahou School, an elite private school where, as he wrote in his 1995 memoir, Dreams from My Father, he first began to understand the tensions inherent in his mixed racial background. After two years at Occidental College in Los Angeles, he transferred to Columbia University in New York City, from which he graduated in 1983 with a degree in political science. Pre-Election Career After a two-year stint working in corporate research and at the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) in New York City, Obama moved to Chicago , where he took a job as a community organizer with a church-based group, the Developing Communities Project.

For the next several years, he worked with low-income residents in Chicago’s Roseland community and the Altgeld Gardens public housing development on the city’s largely black South Side. Obama would later call the experience “the best education I ever got, better than anything I got at Harvard Law School,” the prestigious institution he entered in 1988. In 1996, Obama officially launched his own political career, winning election to the Illinois State Senate as a Democrat from the South Side neighborhood of Hyde Park. Despite tight Republican control during his years in the state senate, Obama was able to build support among both Democrats and Republicans in drafting legislation on ethics and health care reform. He helped create a state earned-income tax credit that benefited the working poor, promoted subsidies for early childhood education programs and worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases. Re-elected in 1998 and again in 2002, Obama also ran unsuccessfully in the 2000 Democratic primary for the U. S. House of Representatives seat held by the popular four-term incumbent Bobby Rush. As a state senator, Obama notably went on record as an early opponent of President George W.

Bush’s push to war with Iraq. During a rally at Chicago’s Federal Plaza in October 2002, he spoke against a resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq: “I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars…I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U. S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences.” When Republican Peter Fitzgerald announced that he would vacate his U.S. Senate seat in 2004 after only one term, Obama decided to run. He won 52 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary, defeating both multimillionaire businessman Blair Hull and Illinois Comptroller Daniel Hynes. After his original Republican opponent in the general election, Jack Ryan, withdrew from the race, the former presidential candidate Alan Keyes stepped in. That July, Obama gave the keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, shooting to national prominence with his eloquent call for unity among “red” (Republican) and “blue” (Democratic) states.

In November 2004, Illinois delivered 70 percent of its votes to Obama (versus Keyes’ 27 percent), sending him to Washington as only the third African American elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction . During his tenure, Obama notably focused on issues of nuclear non-proliferation and the health threat posed by avian flu. With Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma , he created a Web site that tracks all federal spending, aimed at rebuilding citizens’ trust in government. He partnered with another Republican, Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana , on a bill that expanded efforts to destroy weapons of mass destruction in Eastern Europe and Russia. In August 2006, Obama traveled to Kenya, where thousands of people lined the streets to welcome him. He published his second book, The Audacity of Hope, in October 2006. 2008 Presidential Campaign On February 10, 2007, Obama formally announced his candidacy for president of the United States.

A victory in the Iowa primary made him a viable challenger to the early frontrunner, the former first lady and current New York Senator Hillary Clinton, whom he outlasted in a grueling primary campaign to claim the Democratic nomination in early June 2008. Obama chose as his running mate Joseph R. Biden Jr. Biden had been a U.S. senator from Delaware since 1972, was a one-time Democratic candidate for president and served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Obama’s opponent was long-time Arizona Senator John S. McCain, a Vietnam veteran and former prisoner-of-war, who chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. If elected, Palin would have been the nation’s first-ever female vice-president. As in the primaries, Obama’s campaign worked to build support at the grassroots level and used what supporters saw as the candidate’s natural charisma, unusual life story and inspiring message of hope and change to draw impressive crowds to Obama’s public appearances, both in the U.S. and on a campaign trip abroad. They worked to bring new voters–many of them young or black, both demographics they believed favored Obama–to become involved in the election.

A crushing financial crisis in the months leading up to the election shifted the nation’s focus to economic issues, and both Obama and McCain worked to show they had the best plan for economic improvement. With several weeks remaining, most polls showed Obama as the frontrunner. Sadly, Obama’s maternal grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, died after a battle with cancer on November 3, the day before voters went to the polls. She had been a tremendously influential force in her grandson’s life and had diligently followed his historic run for office from her home in Honolulu. On November 4, lines at polling stations around the nation heralded a historic turnout and resulted in a Democratic victory, with Obama capturing some Republican strongholds ( Virginia , Indiana) and key battleground states ( Florida , Ohio ) that had been won by Republicans in recent elections. Taking the stage in Chicago’s Grant Park with Michelle and their two young daughters, Malia and Sasha, Obama acknowledged the historic nature of his win while reflecting on the serious challenges that lay ahead. “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.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.” The president and 24 other members of his administration weigh in on their proudest moments, their regrets and the belief that they left it all on the field. Tags US elections 2008: Barack Obama wins Democratic nomination for president | US news | The Guardian Share on Messenger Close Barack Obama has made history by beating Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination and becoming the first African-American with a viable chance of winning the White House. Obama's victory effectively brought to an end Clinton's bid to become the first US female president. It also confirms Obama's reputation as a political giant-slayer, who after less than four years in the US Senate brought down the couple credited with creating the Democrats' most powerful political machine. Obama will now face the Republican John McCain for the prize of the presidency in the November 4 general election. After a 54-contest, five-month-long fight, Obama started the day 45 delegates short of the 2,118 he needed to cross the finishing line. A steady shift of support towards Obama throughout the day turned into a flood. Among those announcing their endorsements was the former president Jimmy Carter. A number of Clinton supporters also defected to Obama.

He was four short as polls closed in the South Dakota and Montana primaries, the last two contests. But South Dakota pushed him over the line in terms of delegates - even though he lost the state to Clinton. To deafening applause, he told a 20,000-strong victory rally in St Paul, Minnesota: "Tonight, we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another - a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Because of you, tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States. He was generous towards Clinton. "Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honour to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton," he said. The crowd was responsive to the conciliatory message, loudly cheering Clinton three or four times.

Clinton, surrounded by Bill and daughter Chelsea, at a party in New York for campaign workers from round the country, also held out the prospect of reconciliation: "It has been an honour to contest these primaries with him, just as it is an honor to call him my friend." Although several Obama supporters in St Paul said they expected Clinton to behave graciously, she refused to concede or suspend her campaign. Instead, Clinton said she wanted time to reflect before making her next move. "In the coming days, I'll be consulting with supporters and party leaders to determine how to move forward with the best interests of our party and our country guiding my way," she said. In a sign of hard bargaining with Obama's team over the next few days, she said she had won the votes of 18m Americans and she wanted their views respected. One concession she may be seeking is a joint ticket with Obama, with her as vice-presidential candidate, a position she may feel entitled to after securing so many votes. Holed up at her home in Chappaqua, New York, during the day, she and Bill Clinton discussed options over the phone with a host of aides and supporters.

One of four members of Congress who spoke to her urging her to press for the vice-president slot reported her saying: "I am open to it." She also will negotiate about the transfer of her staff to Obama's campaign team, about help with her campaign debts, the possibility of jobs in his administration if he wins the presidency and incorporation of some of her policy positions, particularly on healthcare. She finished the primary season strongly, winning the South Dakota primary, the one blot on Obama's night. It had been a state he had been predicted to win. With 100% of the votes counted in South Dakota, she had 54,179 (55%) to his 43,726 (45%). Obama won Montana. With only 99% of the vote counted, he had 101,811 (57%) and she took 74,550 (41%). One reason why South Dakota voted differently from its neighbour is that voting in Montana was open to all, and independents, who tend to swing behind Obama, turned out in force for him. But South Dakota was restricted to party members, among whom Clinton has tended to do better.

Obama's main strategist, David Axelrod, said that losing South Dakota had not taken the shine off the night. "Not at all. We won 34, 35 contests. There is no shame in splitting the night with a very strong candidate," he said. He also made it clear the general election is on - no matter what Clinton says or does. "One campaign ends today and another begins. We are very excited for that." McCain, in a speech in Louisiana, formally declared the general election to be underway: "Tonight, we can say with confidence the primary season is over, and the general election campaign has begun." He described Obama as a formidable opponent and offered extravagant praise for Clinton - a sign that he would fight Obama hard for the support of women voters. McCain added that voters would face a clear choice next November. Obama deliberately chose St Paul to launch his general election campaign because of the symbolism of the location: it will be the same site at which the Republican convention will formally nominate McCain in September. In St Paul, people began lining up as early as 10am outside the arena where Obama was to hold his late-night rally. They came with folding chairs, blankets and spread out on the pavement playing card games.

Several said they were compelled by the sense of history about the occasion. "To have an African American running for president and to be there for the nomination, it is a historic thing," said Laurie Zahn, a teacher who was at the rally with her 21-year-old daughter. Some had originally counted themselves Clinton supporters. Ruth O'Neill was a reluctant convert, a former Clinton supporter who was persuaded to switch sides by her 16-year-old son. "This is the first time I would put on an Obama shirt," she said. "But my son was right: he kept saying if she had this much trouble running her campaign how could she run the country." A few passersby cheered as they passed the long line. One man started shouting out Obama's trademark chant from across the road: "Fired up, ready to go." The 2008 Election: Campaign Themes, Strategies, and Developments The 2008 Election Campaign Themes, Strategies, and Developments Barack Obama's campaign themes and strategies Obama's overarching campaign theme was the need for change. His theme of change had two facets. First, it meant a change in the White House, replacing the failed Bush presidency with a Democratic presidency.

Second, it meant a change in the way that Washington worked. Divisive partisanship should be replaced by a more cooperative post-partisanship approach. Excessive influence of lobbyists in the legislative process should be replaced by a greater concern with the public good. Thus, Obama believed that voters were not only unhappy with the Bush administration but that they were also unhappy with the nature of politics in Washington. For this theme to be effective, Obama had to link McCain to the failures of the Bush administration. The link was based in part on the simple fact that McCain was the Republican nominee. Even though he was not part of the Bush White House, and even though he did not always support the Bush administration, McCain nevertheless would be linked in the eyes of many voters because he represented the same party as the president. Moreover, McCain's policy positions in many cases were similar to those of President Bush, which provided another basis for linking the two individuals. The Obama strategy was to equate McCain and Bush as much as possible. Obama's theme of change also encompassed changes in public policy.

On the domestic side, Obama proposed: (a) major health care reform; (b) policies to reshape the economy, especially regarding energy consumption and environmental protection; and (c) increased taxes for top income earners, combined with tax cuts for lower-income individuals. On foreign policy and national security, he favored reducing troop levels in Iraq as quickly as possible and placing more emphasis on winning the war in Afghanistan. The fact that Obama had not been part of the Congress for many years made it easier for him to present himself as an agent of change. However, it also left him open to the criticism that he lacked the experience to be president. Therefore, part of his campaign strategy was to assure voters that he was capable of handling the job—that he had the knowledge, the judgement, and the temperament to be a successful president. Finally, Obama's campaign strategy included a strong effort to establish effective campaign organizations throughout the nation. He relied on just such an effort to capture the Democratic nomination, and he extended that effort into the presidential campaign, especially in the competitive states. One aspect of this effort involved rejecting the public subsidies that were available for his presidential campaign, instead raising his own funds.

He was extremely successful in doing so, which provided him with vastly superior resources to McCain, who accepted public funding. There was criticism of Obama for being the first presidential candidate to reject public funding for the general election, but it did not seem that many voters were troubled by this decision. With his superior resources, Obama was able to target a large number of competitive states, including many that were carried by Bush in 2004, such as Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Virginia. These financial resources allowed the Democrats to run numerous campaign ads and to fund an aggressive campaign organization in each targeted state. John McCain's campaign themes and strategies McCain recognized that change was part of the national political mood in 2008 and that the Bush administration was extremely unpopular. Therefore, he emphasized his credentials as someone who would change Washington, and he attempted to distance himself from President Bush as much as possible. McCain tried to rely on his established image as a Republican maverick to argue that he could work with members of both parties in Congress, pointing to many instances when he had done so during his long career as a senator.

He argued that his record proved that he, not Obama, would be better able to provide effective bipartisan leadership. However, his age and his long service in Washington may have led many voters to doubt that he would change Washington very much. His selection of Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential candidate was designed to emphasize change. Palin was a fresh face on the national scene, and she had a reputation of being able to work well with Democrats in the state legislature during her short tenure as governor of Alaska. Republican strategists claimed that she was an independent maverick, just like McCain. While this choice initially seemed to benefit the Republican ticket, Palin's inability to project knowledge and a command of the issues ultimately proved to be a drag on the ticket. McCain attempted to distance himself from president Bush by talking about times when he disagreed with the president and by pointing out that he was not part of the incumbent administration in any way. Furthermore, he criticized Obama for trying to link him to Bush, arguing during one debate that if Obama wanted to run against Bush, he should have done so in 2004, when Bush was on the ballot. However, he found it difficult to criticize the Bush administration too much, as doing so would alienate the Republican base.

Perhaps most importantly, McCain argued that he had the experience and maturity to be president, and that Obama did not. This strategy involved contrasting his own lengthy record of military and public service with Obama's short resume. Moreover, McCain used his military and political record to argue that he was a dedicated public servant who put his country above his party or his personal interests. McCain especially emphasized his considerable experience in national security matters, stating that Obama's inexperience in this area would be dangerous for the nation. Finally, McCain argued that Obama was too liberal for America. He criticized several of Obama's major proposals, such as health care reform, as expanding the role of government beyond what most Americans wanted. Besides attacking Obama's stands on specific public policy issues, the McCain campaign also attempted to characterize Obama as far to the left by raising questions about Obama's ties to a 1960s radical, William Ayres. Campaign developments The Democrats held their national convention first, in late August. Despite the intense conflict between Obama and Hillary Clinton over the nomination, and despite the disappointment of many of Clinton's supporters that she was not chosen to be the vice presidential nominee, the scene in Denver was one of relative unity among the delegates. Clinton exhorted her followers to campaign for Obama.

Obama gave what most observers rated thought was an excellent acceptance speech, which he delivered not in the convention hall but before a large crowd in an football stadium. The party seemed united behind the Obama-Biden ticket. Nevertheless, Obama received only a modest post-convention bounce. Polls taken shortly after the convention showed Obama with a several point lead over McCain. The Repubican campaign followed in early September. Just prior to the convention, McCain announced that he had selected Alaska governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate. It was a surprise selection. Palin was hardly known outside of her home state. Moreover, she lacked political experience. She was in her first term as governor, and she had not held any office of great consequence before being elected governor. Her selection seemed to undercut one of McCain's campaign strategies, which was to argue that Obama was too inexperienced to be president. However, McCain saw this as a bold move, one that would shake up the campaign. He thought that Palin would be seen as someone who would bring fresh ideas to Washington. The selection of Palin was highly popular among Republicans, especially the more conservative wing of the party. Her convention acceptance speech was enthusiastically received by the delegates. McCain received a sizable post-convention bounce.

Polls showed him about even with or perhaps slightly ahead of Obama (Cohen and Balz 2008). The initial excitement about Palin gave way to doubts, at least among many swing voters, if not among the Republican faithful. In two prominent interviews with television journalists, she seemed uninformed about many policy issues. Some of her responses to questions seemed to be simplistic and confusing. In fact, the comedian Tina Fay received rave reviews for parodying Palin on the television show Saturday Night Live. Doubts about Palin's ability to assume the presidency rose drastically. A series of three presidential debates were to be held, along with one vice presidential debate. The first debate was scheduled for late September and was supposed to deal with foreign affairs, presumably McCain's strong suit. However, in mid-September, a serious financial crisis that had been brewing throughout the year erupted. A major financial institution, Lehman Brothers, filed for bankruptcy. The credit markets were becoming frozen. The financial crisis threatened to have severe repercussions for the entire economy. President Bush proposed immediate and drastic government intervention to prevent a complete freeze of the credit markets. Now the first debate would have to deal with economic matters as well, which undoubtedly worked to Obama's advantage.

Even worse for McCain, his reaction to this financial crisis raised doubts about his ability to handle economic matters. He initially responded to the Lehman Brothers failure by saying that the economy was fundamentally sound, words that the Obama campaign was happy to use against him. Two days before the first debate, McCain announced that he was suspending his campaign, that he was going to Washington to help pass the financial bailout legislation, and that he would not participate in the first debate. He urged Obama to do the same. Obama did not, arguing that the debate should go on because the American public needed to hear what the candidates had to say about the financial crisis. Public reaction seemed to favor Obama's position. What McCain undoubtedly hoped would be seen as a bold act of leadership was interpreted as erratic behavior by many voters and media pundits. In the end, McCain came to the debate, which Obama decisively won. A Gallup poll found that 46% of the viewers thought that Obama was the winner, while only 34% rated McCain the winner (Newport 2008). After the debate, 30% said that they had a more favorable opinion of Obama; only 14% had a less favorable opinion.

For McCain, as many voters had a less favorable opinion of him as had a more favorable one. At this point in the campaign, Obama had a lead of several points in the polls. The next debate was between the two vice presidential candidates. Much more attention was focused on this debate than for past vice presidential debates because of the questions of Palin's knowledge and qualifications. Palin performed better in the debate than she had in her two major television interviews. She stuck to her script as much as possible, and she avoided making any serious gaffes, which reassured many Republicans. She did not, however, perform well enough to erase the doubts that many people had about her. Moreover, Biden also did well and was generally credited with being the winner of the debate, so there was no narrowing of the lead that Obama had in the polls. The next presidential debate used a town hall format. McCain supposedly was more comfortable with this arrangement, so Republicans hoped that this would be a decisive victory for him. While McCain may have performed better in this debate than in the first one, Obama also did well.

The post-debate polls showed Obama as the winner of this debate as well, by a margin of 54% to 30%, according to a CNN poll (Steinhouser 2008). Some observers felt that McCain was hurt because he appeared old as he walked around the stage, while Obama appeared young and vigorous. The final debate was more of the same. McCain was more vigorous in his attacks on Obama, but the majority of viewers thought that Obama had done better, by a margin of 58% to 31%, according to a CNN poll (CNN 2008). Favorable opinions of Obama were up somewhat after the debate; favorable opinions of McCain dropped slightly. After three debates, McCain was clearly behind in the polls. There were no dramatic developments during the last two weeks of the campaign, and the election outcome was about as expected from the polls taken at the end of October. More information on the campaign themes and messages of Obama and McCain can be obtained by examining their campaign speeches and televised campaign ads .

US Presidential Election in the Heavens US Presidential Election in the Heavens Sheep US Presidential Election in the Heavens November 4 (Day 309 , Plagues of Egypt ): Barack Obama was elected President of the United States of America. His defeat of Senator John McCain was hailed by the people as a rejection of Washington politics and the beginning of a new day of change. Who would have thought this could happen six months ago. But Obama first trounced Senator Hillary Clinton to win the Democratic Party nomination, and then trounced the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin. Obama is President elect #44, where 44 is for suffering. He faces the daunting problems of two wars, a recession, a world-wide economic crisis, and a government that is head over heals in debt. And it will get much worse in the doomsday scenario next year. In spite of all the hype about a new day and change, the year, 2008 , is the year for the new birth and a new paradigm . Furthermore, the Bible teaches that God selects all authorities from His Sovereign Design for history. The signs in the heavens bore this out.

The weather angels posted a big sheep head with a tail that resembled a shepherd's staff. The head and staff resembled a shepherd's crook, or staff. The lone sheep was eyeing Washington, DC (ref. weather photos above). The shepherd's staff, like the staff of Moses, symbolized the shepherd ruler of the flock. This is quite a different symbol from a war horse or a ruler's scepter. It happened on Day 309, where 9 is for the Plagues of Egypt, which were called forth with the staff of Moses. The Star Chart overhead painted a picture of rising Obama, setting McCain, and Satan's fall and doom. It was Satan who inspired the defiance of Pharaoh when the Lord destroyed Egypt. Star Chart The Star Chart at the time of victory in the Presidential election (10 PM EST) contains a Bowl and a Plow. The Bowl symbolizes a bowl of blessing or cursing like the bowl judgments of Revelation. The Bowl pivots around the God of the Covenants Planet in Leo, which symbolizes the allocation of government powers. Leo corresponds to the Washington, DC area (ref. Zodiac Map ). The Plow is a sign of suffering like being plowed under.

The Plow resolves the opposition of two planets into a third. The two planets in opposition were the God of the Covenants Planet in Leo and the Mediator Planet in Aquarius, a symbol of an ambassador, representative, prophet, or professor. The prophecies of the Presidential campaign were resolved by the Electoral votes. The third planet at the tip of the Plow was the Morning Star in Scorpius, a sign of Satan's fall that leads to his doom. An example of this has actually been played out this year in the fall of the Prostitute of Babylon in the world economic crisis (ref. 10-10-08 ). The image of Jehu opposing Jezebel was seen on the satellite weather pictures. The Ascendant, which is the sign rising over the horizon at the time, was Cancer, the Crab, and symbol of the spoils of victory. Barack Obama was born under the sign of Cancer. Cancer rising into the light on the Ascendant was a sign of Obama reaping the spoils of victory. This was in contrast to the sign of Sagittarius on the opposite side of the chart descending into darkness.

John McCain is from Arizona, which is in the region of Gad and Sagittarius (ref. Zodiac Map ). The Sun was in Libra, the Scales, and symbol of justice and commerce. The Sun in Libra symbolizes Sovereign authority. The Lord bestows sovereign authority on whom he wishes (Dan 4:17; 5:18-19; Rom 13:1). Conclusion The 2008 US Presidential election was won by a political novice, Barack Obama, after he secured the financial backing and proclaimed a new day. Down with the old; in with the new. He denounced the Washington politicians and promised a new paradigm, which was precisely the message of the year 2008 in the Sovereign Design of God. To win he trounced Hillary Clinton and the McCain-Palin ticket. His election victory was heralded in the heavens by the weather angels and by the stars above. His victory was portrayed by the weather angels by a shepherd's staff eyeing Washington, DC. Moses called for the Plagues of Egypt with a shepherd's staff.

Obama won on Day 309, where 9 is for the Plagues of Egypt, and next year will be 2009. The stars overhead portrayed Satan's fall and doom, which happened in the destruction of Egypt. The destruction of Egypt symbolized the destruction of the world at the Second Advent. The Obama Presidential campaign occurred during the world economic crisis that froze the global economy from the fall of the Prostitute of Babylon, through whom Satan rules the world financial system. Obama was born in 1961, where 61 is for income tax and is thus associated with finance. The fall of the Prostitute of Babylon in the world economic crisis was not just a hundred year crisis but was a millennial crisis because it was world wide. Just as Jehu trampled Jezebel to death and the dogs ate her, the victories on the world stage during the 2008 Presidential campaign have trampled the Prostitute of Babylon and shaken the foundations of Satan's world financial system. Obama is 47, for peace. He was born on an island in the Pacific, which means peace pact. The nation and the world are not facing Armageddon yet. They are facing the financial destruction that precedes it.

God bestows sovereign power on whom He wishes. When He gives a man a shepherd's staff like that of Moses on Day 309, for the Plagues of Egypt, to rule in 2009 during the doomsday scenario of what may be some of the worst judgments in history, it is time for the blind sheep to open their eyes. If Obama turns out to be the antichrist, then God can handle him just as he did Nebuchadnezzar. The world is in dire straits. The key to survival is not Gentile leaders, but Christians who are executing the Spiritual Life. Blessing and cursing come from God - not from lying politicians and moneychangers. Christian priorities should be the Spiritual Life as in the last hour before doomsday. President Obama's Six Keys to Victory - Rolling Stone President Obama's Six Keys to Victory President Obama's Six Keys to Victory Inside the multicultural, center-left coalition that ensured four more years President Barack Obama delivers his victory speech after being reelected for a second term at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images All Stories President Barack Obama has won re-election – his lease on the White House renewed by a multicultural, center-left coalition that ought to give GOP consultants nightmares, producing an electoral college landslide that surprised everyone not named Nate Silver. (The Five Thirty Eight guru's reputation is as golden this morning as SuperPAC kingpin Karl Rove's is tarnished.) More News All Stories With four more years, Obama can now cement his historic legacy , fully implementing Obamacare, the most ambitious renegotiation of the American social contract since the 1960s. The president broke ground on his second term with an electrifying acceptance speech that recalled the best of 2008's candidate Obama, and 2004's convention Obama. He hit again on the touchstone of his presidency, his belief "that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people." This race wasn't close. Obama secured a convincing win of the popular vote. And from his 2008 state-by-state haul, he surrendered only Indiana (which was never truly in play) and North Carolina (a surprise squeaker) to Mitt Romney.

Every other swing state – Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and New Hampshire – tipped again into Obama's victory column. When counting is complete, Florida, too, appears poised to go blue. In the end, Obama's dedicated campaign volunteers proved themselves worth far more than anything the GOP's moneymen could buy . Voters rebuked the mendacious Romney and his villainous platform to lard the rich and destroy the social safety net. How did team Obama defeat Romney? Here, the six keys to victory: 1) The Turnout Machine I reported on Obama's re-vamped get-out-the-vote machine this spring , previewing the technology that would enable the campaign to network its GOTV operations far beyond campaign offices and into the garages and dorm rooms of its supporters. At the time, campaign manager Jim Messina and field director Jeremy Bird were making an early, unprecedented investment in the ground game – and that bet paid off like gangbusters.

In a contest that couldn't compare to 2008's electricity, the 2012 Obama campaign reproduced – through brute force, dedication and will – a turnout in the swing states that in some cases bested the campaign's remarkable performance of four years ago. Yes, Obama lost North Carolina. But his final tally there was actually 35,000 votes greater than when he won the state in 2008 . 2) Younger Voters Sorry, Boomer Nation: President Obama owes his second term to Generation Y. Voters under 30 turned out in greater numbers than senior citizens and broke for Obama over Romney 60-37. Gen X wasn't too shabby, either: Voters 30 to 44 gave Obama a 7 point edge. (Romney, on the other hand, won convincingly among voters 45 and older.) The numbers in Florida are particularly striking. According to exit polling, the Obama campaign not only improved turnout among the under-30 set there, it ran up the margin, too: Young Floridians broke 67-31 for Obama, better than the 61-37 margin over McCain in 2008.

3) The Latino Vote With 4 million more registered voters in 2012 than in 2008, Latinos accounted for one in every ten voters in 2012, and these voters broke for Obama by an epic 71-27 split nationally. That is almost exactly the margin Bill Clinton hung on Bob Dole in 1996, when there were only half as many Hispanic votes. Messina told me earlier in the campaign that he was "obsessed" with the Latino vote, and that reproducing Clinton's numbers against Romney this year would mean Game Over for the Republican. He was absolutely right – particularly in Colorado, where the split was even more lopsided: 75-23, up from 61-38. 4) African-Americans The historic turnout of African-Americans from 2008 held steady in 2012 at 13 percent of the electorate, nationwide. And the Obama campaign actually managed to increase black turnout in pivotal states like Virginia, where one in five voters was African American. Romney earned only 5 percent of that vote , compared to the 8 percent won by John McCain.

5) Ohio Working Stiffs Call it the "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt" factor. In Ohio, where the auto industry employs one in eight workers, Obama actually gained ground – 2 points – among high-school educated voters without college degrees, about a quarter of the state's electorate . Compare that to Wisconsin, where Obama lost 6 points among this cohort. Or North Carolina, where the dropoff was 11 points. 6) All the Single Ladies Romney was haunted by a yawning gender gap, particularly among unmarried women, who accounted for 23 percent of voters (up three points from 2008). While Romney himself took awkward pains to reach out to female voters, he was yoked to his running mate's moves to redefine rape, and to the GOP's broader agenda to limit access to not only abortion but birth control. Obama took this voting bloc by a 67-31 margin, nationally, and by nearly identical tallies in Ohio and Paul Ryan's home state of Wisconsin . The intersection of race and gender was especially powerful for the president in states like North Carolina, where black women accounted for 14 percent of the electorate – and 99 out of 100 voted to defeat Mitt Romney.

Barack Obama elected as America’s first black president - Nov 04, 2008 - HISTORY.com Barack Obama elected as America’s first black president Share this: Barack Obama elected as America’s first black president Author Barack Obama elected as America’s first black president URL Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 2008, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois defeats Senator John McCain of Arizona to become the 44th U.S. president, and the first African American elected to the White House. The 47-year-old Democrat garnered 365 electoral votes and nearly 53 percent of the popular vote, while his 72-year-old Republican challenger captured 173 electoral votes and more than 45 percent of the popular vote. Obama’s vice-presidential running mate was Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, while McCain’s running mate was Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, the first female Republican ever nominated for the vice presidency.

Obama, who was born in 1961 in Hawaii to a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya, graduated from Harvard Law School and was a law professor at the University of Chicago before launching his political career in 1996, when he was elected to the Illinois State Senate. He was re-elected to that post in 1998 and 2000. In March 2004, he shot to national prominence by winning the U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Illinois, and that July he gained further exposure when he delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, which included his eloquent call for unity among “red” (Republican) and “blue” (Democratic) states. That November, Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate in a landslide. On February 10, 2007, in Springfield, Illinois, Obama officially announced his candidacy for president. A victory in the Iowa caucuses in January 2008 made him a viable challenger to the early frontrunner, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, whom he outlasted in a grueling primary campaign to claim the Democratic nomination in early June 2008.

During the general-election campaign, as in the primaries, Obama’s team worked to build a following at the grassroots level and used what his supporters viewed as the candidate’s natural charisma, unique life story and inspiring message of hope and change to draw large crowds to his public appearances, both in the United States and on a campaign trip abroad. His team also worked to bring new voters–many of them young or black, both demographics they believed favored Obama–to become involved in the election. Additionally, the campaign was notable for its unprecedented use of the Internet for organizing constituents and fundraising. According to The Washington Post: “3 million donors made a total of 6.5 million donations online adding up to more than $500 million. Of those 6.5 million donations, 6 million were in increments of $100 or less.” In terms of campaign issues, Obama pledged to get the United States out of the war in Iraq and expand health care, among other promises. A crushing national financial crisis in the months leading up to the election shifted the country’s focus to the economy, and Obama and McCain each attempted to show he had the best plan for economic improvement.

On November 4, more than 69.4 million Americans cast their vote for Obama, while some 59.9 million voters chose McCain. (Obama was the first sitting U.S. senator to win the White House since John Kennedy in 1960.) Obama captured some traditional Republican strongholds (Virginia, Indiana) and key battleground states (Florida, Ohio) that had been won by Republicans in recent elections. Late that night, the president-elect appeared before a huge crowd of supporters in Chicago’s Grant Park and delivered a speech in he which acknowledged the historic nature of his victory (which came 143 years after the end of the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery): “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer… It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America.” Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009.

On November 6, 2012, he defeated Republican challenger Mitt Romney to win a second term in the White House. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Get This Day In History every morning in your inbox! Obama elected nation's 44th president - USATODAY.com Obama elected nation's 44th president Updated Enlarge By Jack Gruber, USA TODAY Barack Obama celebrates daughters Sasha and Malia and wife Michelle during an election night victory rally at Chicago's Grant Park. BLOGGING THE ELECTION Read the Congressional and gubernatorial race details, along with ballot initiatives from across the country. Learn more about the balance of power. DIG INTO CAMPAIGN DOLLARS USA TODAY's interactive campaign finance tracker lets you examine and filter donations by state, date, amount and sector. REPORTING ACROSS THE USA Enlarge By Rick Wilking, Reuters John McCain stands with his wife Cindy as he delivers his concession speech in Phoenix after Barack Obama won the presidential election.

By Randy Lilleston and Douglas Stanglin, USA TODAY Democrat Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States on Tuesday, becoming the first African American to win the post and completing a stunningly rapid rise from state senator to the White House. A win in California put Obama over the top, giving him 55 electoral votes — enough to surpass the 270 needed to defeat Republican John McCain and claim the presidency. The Illinois senator won key state after key state Tuesday, with victories in the battlegrounds of Ohio, Virginia, Florida and Pennsylvania being harbingers of the outcome. POLITICS BLOG: Predict the winner By early Wednesday, the AP projected Obama had 349 electoral votes. McCain had 147. The popular vote was significantly closer than the electoral vote. With 83% of precincts reporting, Obama led McCain nationally, 51.7% to 47.1%.

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of the founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," Obama told thousands of cheering supporters at an enormous rally in Chicago's Grant Park. "I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you." He was gracious to McCain, saying his opponent "fought long and hard in this campaign. He has fought even harder and longer for the country that he loves." Obama, 47, called for a renewal of the American spirit and spoke directly to McCain supporters. "I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices," Obama said. "I need your help and I will be your president, too." 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 told his supporters in Phoenix. 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. President State Results National Map Obama won California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Washington state and the District of Columbia. McCain claimed Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming. A handful of states remained in play early Wednesday. Obama had a narrow lead in North Carolina; McCain was ahead in Georgia, Missouri and Montana. Turnout was high in many parts of the nation. Lines of voters formed at polling places as early as 4 a.m.

in some states, and the AP reported that turnout in Ohio — one of the key states in this election — might approach 80% of registered voters 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 had 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. Obama's victory triggered celebrations in the U.S. and around the world. In Washington, residents poured into the streets. Hundreds of people gathered on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, dancing and cheering.

At historically black Howard University, students hugged and chanted "Yes, we did." "We're so happy. We want to be part of history. You cannot let it just pass," said Eskinder Zeluel, an Ethiopia native who joined the celebration outside of the White House. "You can tell your kids you can be anything you want to be in this country." In New York's Harlem, thousands of people poured into the streets. Near the historic Apollo Theater, men played conga drums and revelers blew noisemakers. ."I never thought tonight was possible," said Robert Lewis Jackson, 43. "Not in my lifetime." Australians filled a hotel ballroom in Sydney. Brazilians partied in Rio de Janeiro. In the town of Obama in Japan, dancers cheered in delight when their namesake's victory was declared. Obama's win"shows that America truly is a diverse, multicultural society where the color of your skin really does not matter," said Jason Ge, an international relations student at Peking University in China.

In Germany, where more than 200,000 people flocked to see Obama this summer as he burnished his foreign policy credentials during a trip to the Middle East and Europe, the election dominated television ticker crawls, newspaper headlines and websites. House, Senate races The presidency was far from the only office at stake Tuesday. In House and Senate elections, Democrats extended their hold on Congress. Democrats ousted Republican Sens. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John Sununu of New Hampshire. They also captured seats held by retiring GOP senators in Virginia and New Mexico. With 25 of 35 Senate races called, Democrats were guaranteed at least a 54-46 majority, including two holdover independents who vote with Democrats. But they were hoping for even greater gains. North Carolina state Sen. Kay Hagan, little known politically before her run, defeated Dole — a former Cabinet member in two Republican administrations and 2000 presidential hopeful. Dole had tried to tie Hagan, a former Presbyterian Sunday school teacher, to atheists in an ad that appeared to backfire. In New Hampshire, former Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen defeated Sununu in a rematch of their 2002 contest.

The Democratic goal was to reach a 60-seat, filibuster-proof Senate majority. Leaders in both parties said that was a long shot, but Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., head of the party's senatorial campaign committee, acknowledged that "Democrats are poised to pick up some seats." His Democratic counterpart, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., predicted "a whole lot of seats" for Democrats, but he said reaching a 60-vote majority was unlikely. In the House, Democrats unseated incumbents in Florida and Connecticut and jumped to early leads over Republicans in more than a dozen other contests as they pressed to increase their majority. Republicans encountered early trouble in Florida, where Rep. Tom Feeney — under fire for ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff — was the first to fall at the hands of former state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas. Rep. Ric Keller of Florida lost to his Democratic challenger, attorney Alan Grayson. And Republicans surrendered their last House seat in New England when Democrat Jim Himes, a Greenwich businessman, defeated 22-year veteran Rep. Chris Shays in a wealthy southwestern Connecticut district that heavily favored Obama.

If the Democrats increase their majorities, it would be the first time in more than 75 years that the party received larger congressional margins in back-to-back elections. Governors With 10 of 11 gubernatorial race results reported, incumbents were the victors. Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia re-elected sitting governors. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, won a seat in the Missouri's open race that was previously held by a Republican. Jack Markell won Delaware's open race, keeping the position in the hands of Democrats. In North Carolina, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue won an open race against Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. In Washington state, Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire and GOP challenger Dino Rossi, a former state senator, restaged their 2004 contest that Gregoire won by 133 votes after two recounts and a lawsuit. Ballot measures Voters in California, Florida and Arizona appeared to be favoring constitutional amendments banning gay marriage, although the races were close. All three amendments were leading just an hour after the last poll closed in California. In Florida, the constitutional amendment needed 60% approval to pass.

With 86.3% of precincts reporting, the amendment was winning 62.1% to 37.9%. In Arizona with 73.7% of precincts reporting, it was leading 56.2% to 43.8%. In California, where both sides raised some $73 million in a markedly divisive campaign, the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage was leading 54.4% to 45.6% with 8.3% of precincts reporting. In Arkansas, voters approved a ban on unmarried couples adopting or being foster parents. Massachusetts voters approved decriminalizing possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana. Under the new law, taking effect in 30 days, those caught must give up the marijuana and pay a $100 fine but won't face criminal penalties. Eleven other states have similar laws. Michigan became the 13th state to allow residents — with a doctor's approval — to use marijuana to treat pain caused by cancer and other diseases. Gambling, which gives states revenue without directly increasing taxes, was on the ballot in eight states.

Maryland voters approved a measure that legalizes slot machines, dedicating half the revenue from up to 15,000 machines to public schools. Ohioans approved a state lottery to fund college scholarships. Ohio voters, however, also rejected a measure approving a new casino. And in Massachusetts, citizens approved a ban on commercial dog racing. Despite a weak economy, voters didn't necessarily embrace lower taxes. In Massachusetts, they rejected a measure to repeal the personal income tax, which supplies 40% of the state's budget. Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick warned it would force deep cuts in services statewide. In South Dakota, voters considered a ban on abortion, except in cases of rape, incest of when the woman's health was at risk. California voters considered whether to require parental notification for a minor to get an abortion, and a first-of-its-kind abortion measure in Colorado would define human life as starting "from the moment of fertilization." Proponents, including the Colorado Right to Life, and opponents, including NARAL Pro-Choice America, agreed it would criminalize abortion and halt embryonic stem-cell research. In Michigan, a ballot asked voters whether they would amend the state's constitution to repeal its existing ban on research involving embryos.

Voters considered varying measures that affect immigrants, including one that Arizona rejected that would have revoked the business licenses of employers who knowingly hired illegal immigrants. Missouri voted to make English the state's official language. In Oregon, voters considered whether to limit the teaching of bilingual education to two years or less. Contributing: Peter Eisler, in Raleigh, N.C.; Larry Copeland in Tampa; Marisol Bello in Detroit; Dennis Cauchon in Columbus, Ohio; Janet Kornblum in San Francisco; Mike Carney in Washington; Wendy Koch in McLean, Va.; the Associated Press Posted E-mail | Print | To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor Brent Jones . For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more .

Question: Whom did Barack Obama defeat in the 2008 US Presidential election?
Answer: John McCain