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Wednesday, November 5, 2008

President-Elect Barack Obama Achieves A Decisive Victory, Demonstrating Americans Want Change and A New Direction For the Nation


U.S. Election 2008 Special Report

Wednesday, November 5
1:10pm eastern time, 10:10am pacific time

Election 2008 Results [Click on the link for updates every 5 minutes]

Election results with 97% reporting:

Total votes: 55,821,650
Total % of vote: 46%
Electoral votes: 147
Obama (D) [Winner]
Total votes: 63,112, 190
Total % vote: 52%
Electoral votes: 349

With 97% of all U.S. precincts now reporting, Democrat Barack Obama has achieved a decisive victory in both the electoral and popular vote over his Republican rival for the U.S. Presidency, John McCain.

Obama has 349 electoral votes. That's 79 more than the needed 270 to become President. Obama's 349 electoral vote total is far more than President George W. Bush (the 43rd President) received in both 2000 and 2004. It's also more than Democrat Bill Clinton received in his victory over President Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, in 1992.

President-elect Obama achieved a solid six percentage point winning margin in the popular vote, which is on of the highest percentage popular vote margins in modern Presidential election history.

Barack Obama also accomplished something that has eluded Democrats for many decades -- he won a number of what have traditionally been solid Republican or red states. These states include: Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Montana.

Most startling is how President-elect Obama has changed the national electoral map in the Western U.S., changing Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Montana from red to blue (Democratic.) These four states now join traditional Democratic blue states in the west, California, Oregon and Washington state, making it clear that at least this year the majority of voters in the west are solidly Democratic.

For complete results of the election and Barack Obama's victory, view the national electoral map here: Election map: Results.

Below is an analysis of President-elect Obama's victory [Just click the links to read]

Analysis: Strong, 21st-century campaign.

To read an analysis of some of the things that went wrong with the McCain campaign, click on this link: Analysis: McCain derailed by market, missteps, Bush.

Now that he is the 44th President of the United States, and will be sworn into office in 76 days, Barack Obama faces numerous challenges, chief among them the financial crisis and recession at home, and two wars abroad. Read about those and other challenges the next U.S. President faces here: Hard challenges ahead.

Last night, President-elect Obama spoke to a crown estimated at about 200,000 in Chicago after learning he would be the next President of the United States. You can read the key excerpts from his speech last night here: Best of Obama's speech.

Defeated Republican candidate for President John McCain also spoke to supporters last night in his home state of Arizona after learning he had lost his eight-year quest for the Presidency, which found his losing the Republican nomination to George W. Bush in 2000 and after getting his party's nomination in 2008, losing the general election to Barack Obama.

Senator McCain, who says he plans to return to the United States Senate representing Arizona, urged his supporters to support President-elect Obama, calling him "his" President, and saying he would do all he can as a U.S. Senator to work in a bi-partisan way to help the new President solve the many problems and face the numerous challenges facing the United States. Read what Senator John McCain has to say last night here: McCain: Support Obama.

Below are links to a variety of stories, analysis, opinion pieces and editorials you might find of interest:

News, analysis & opinion

What Obama Means to This Nation - Anna Quindlen, Newsweek...From King to Obama, the Nation Heals - John Kass, Chicago Tribune...The Obama Revolution - John Harris and Jim VandeHei, Politico...Near-Flawless Run - Nagourney, Rutenberg and Zeleny, New York Times...Obama Won with Clear Message of Change - David Brody, The Brody File...Decisive Win Gives Dems New Clout - Susan Page, USA Today...Bipartisanship Could Help Victorious Democrats - Gerald Seib, WSJ...

Conservatism Faces Challenges Ahead - Philip Klein, American Spectator...America the Liberal - John Judis, The New Republic...Obama's Post-Racial Promise - Shelby Steele, Los Angeles Times...Will a Black President Heal the Racial Divide? - T.D. Jakes, Time...Hail to the Chief - Michael Gerson, Washington Post...

Transformational Presidency - Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation...Audacity Wins - Roger Simon, Politico...Republicans Got the Thumping They Deserve - Rod Dreher, NPR...Could Anything Have Prevented McCain's Defeat? - Byron York, NRO...How Obama Bent the Arc of History - John Dickerson,

SlateElection Results: President Senate House / Videos: Obama McCain: RCP Blog: The Journey Begins Editorials / Politics Nation: Strat Memo.

Editorials:

President Barack Obama - Washington Post...America Turns the Page - Boston Globe...Voters Rebuke Republicans for Economic Failure - Wall Street Journal...From Slavery to Obama - Chicago Sun-Times.

Speeches, comments & interviews:

President Bush on Obama's Victory - George W. Bush...Obama's Victory Speech - Barack Obama...McCain's Concession Speech - John McCain...Obama Interview with Katie Couric - CBS Evening News...Interview with Cindy McCain - Larry King Live.

From the Blogosphere:

We Will Be Back - Mike Huckabee, Next Right...What Obama's Win Means - Tom Matzzie, Huffington Post...Gird Your Loins, Conservatives - Michelle Malkin...Hillary's Grace - Kevin Drum, Mother Jones...It's the Economy Stupid, Kinda - Noam Scheiber, The Stump

From the United Kingdom:

Obama Victory Will Change America - Bonnie Greer, The Telegraph...Four Reasons Why US Went for Obama - Daniel Finkelstein, The Times...Obama Faces A Dangerous World - Bridget Johnson, Pajamas Media...America Has Come a Long, Long Way - Jonathan Steele, The Guardian...What I Will Miss About President Bush - Int'l Herald Tribune.

From the world of finance:

Economic Change I Believe In - Thomas Cooley, Forbes...Obama Must Save Economy, World Too - David Callaway, MarketWatch...Obama, and An Economically Scared Electorate - A. Vargas Llosa, TNR...Obama's Victory: Lessons for Business - Jack & Suzy Welch, Business Week...Voters Got Statism They Desire - Redenbaugh & Juliano, RealClearMarkets

From the sports pages:

Athletes of Color Paved Way for Obama - Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel...Michael Jordan Backed Obama - Johnette Howard, Newsday...Tomorrow We All Wake Up Americans - Curt Schilling, 38 Pitches.

[Photo Credit: Associated Press.]

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