Such a historic and important election at the same time. I'm overwhelmed with emotions right now. Is this a great country or what? And an electoral college landslide at that.

Yep- classy speech- classy man.

I could not be more proud of this nation. I've been laughing, crying and screaming all day. This is like a dream come true. God bless Barack Obama.

It's all gravy now, but Virginia and Florida have both been projected by the AP for Obama. North Carolina is still up for grabs, less than a 30,000-vote margin.

As one of those who was skeptical about whether he would do what it takes to win, I have to admit that Obama ran a near-perfect campaign. When the GOP attacked, he hit back, but at the same time his ads also talked about what he wants to do to change things -- often the ads I saw and heard were split: the first half hit McCain on things, then switched tone and said what Obama would do differently. The GOP ads I saw were mostly attacks with no other message.

By the way, with over 98 percent of the vote counted Obama won Philadelphia by over 458,000 votes, 82 to 16 percent. As of now 93 percent of the state vote is in, and Obama has a 592,751-vote lead. Meaning he (so far) has managed to win a slight margin in the rest of the state as well.

The ward where I live is mostly white and often votes Republican -- in fact, our rep. in the state House (a Republican) not only was unopposed, as he has been in the past, but somehow he even had his name on the Democratic ballot as well! Still, in this ward Obama won 53 percent of the vote.

Edit to add: I was trying to find my post from some weeks ago where I had the numbers on prior PA presidential elections to compare, but I can't find it. The search function on this board BLOWS.

Barack is taking the stage right now in Grant Park! Yay!

Why not have as much class as McCain and Obama did in their speeches tonite?? Barack Obama says we should all come together, lets take his advice. . The campaign is over, why not lay off the Sarah Palin jokes??

Because she is an empty-headed beauty queen bimbo that was an insult to women and she played a big role in tonight's loss.

I agree with the others. She lost. Let her go.



And the new Vice President is an Eagles fan!

Wow, first the Phillies and now this. It's nice to be on the winning side!

I am overwhelmed in my happiness that Barack Obama is our next President. I absolutely love it and am so proud to be an American today- especially in the overwhelming support President-elect Obama received throughout the country.

I am a bit saddened though that so many state initiatives regarding the GLBT community failed. We are the next line in civil rights and it is on our shoulders, the next generation, the next community to gather and fight for the equality to make our country fully and truly free.



If we fail to "let her go" then we will lose our eyes on the bigotry that she has espoused. Ms. Palin needs to stay on our radar and as Goldie Hawn states as Sunny in "Protocol", we need to "Watch her, like a hawk."

I thought Obama gave a wonderful speech tonight in Grant Park. I'm a few blocks away and I can feel the excitement from here. It's a beautiful day in America!

I'm not saying that she shouldn't be watched. But for right now, nothing she said and did mattered. Everything she did and said, and it didn't work. For tonight, be happy.

I have to say that fivethirtyeight.com got it pretty much right on the money with their final electoral vote and popular vote % predictions. And I don't know who said that Obama was crazy to think he could change voting patterns that have held for a generation re: young voters not voting. Guess what.?? They delivered for Obama in some important states.

I agree with Joe re: Sister Sarah. She and Joe the Plumber are so insignificant to me right now. Its amazing how the nervousness and anxiety, particularly in the closing week of this long and drawn out campaign are gone. I feel such a sense of relief.

I'm pleased that Obama has won and hope he can deliver on his extraordinary promise. If he can, the country will definitely improve under his leadership.

In comparing the candidates' positions before I voted this morning, I was surprised to find that I agreed with McCain more often than I thought possible. I think he too would have made a fine president, and it's a shame that he cheapened his campaign with stunts and name-calling in the last few weeks of the campaign.

Absolutely.

What happened in California with the anti-gay vote?

54-46 yes right now with just 18% in.

Both Arizona's and Florida's amendments passed... making day just a little bit less exciting to me.

Edited to add that Arkansas also passed an amendment banning adoption by anyone who is not a married couple.

It's great that Obama is president elect, however, I am still very concerned about the Washington state governor's race (2% separate them) and extremely sad that the ban on gay marriage is the projected winner in Arizona, the ban on gay couple adopting children is the projected winner in Arkansas, and the No on prop 8 is currently losing in California. Also Florida's Amendment 2 which is a ban on gay marriage (AND ANYTHING EQUIVALENT) is passing, but it needs 60% of the vote, and currently, they are at 62% with 92% reporting.

I have mixed emotions at the moment.

Just returned home from an walk to the White House. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of people celebrating the Obama victory. The only distrubing aspect was the very visible sharpshooter presence on the White House and its grounds.

Excellent victory speech by Obama- hadn't planned on watching it, but woke up shortly before (and am now wondering if I'll ever get back to sleep!). I'm glad I got to see it- much to be hopeful about even if all things didn't go our way. There's further cause to believe they eventually will, and likely much sooner than they might have if things had turned out differently tonight.

You're right. Zogby f**kin sucks! Last time I listen to my political friends.

Big victory for Obama. McCain lost because:

1. First and foremost, the economy.

2. The brilliant campaign that Obama waged.

3. Obaba's debate performances.

4. The selection of Sandra Palin. Disaster.

5. MCain's "suspension" of his campiagn.

5. Massive repudiation of Bush.

I remember watching Gore's concession speech and thinking that if he had shown the humanity that he dispayed in that speech - he would have been elected President. McCain gave a similar speech tonight - graceful and inclusive.







I forgot to include the Powell endorsement as a central event, IMO opinion - he provided many independents with assurance that Obama has a great deal of credibiltiy.

Similar but not quite.... though I hold Vice President Gore's speech in such high regards as to think it's one of the best speeches I've seen.

I cannot believe it, but I was down at Grant Park and I know it's true:

Barack Hussein Obama and Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. are the President-Elect and Vice President-Elect of the United States of America!!!

Prop 8 is too close to call..right now its Yes 52.6 and no 47.4 with 35% reporting. The trend is for the no vote with the early votes coming from the conservative part of the state. It started 57 to 43, so we've been making headway all night....let's hope this continues with the more liberal vote still to be counted.

Zogby's Last poll said 54 to 43 Obama

actual results (as of 2:00 am) were 52 to 47

He isn't that far off, although some were closer (the last Rasmussen poll was 52 to 46). The one problem with these polls is that (like mentioned before on here) is the cell phone use. Some houses don't even have a land line, just cell phones. Only problem with cell phone research is that you often have to pay the person for taking the survey because (hello!) they are using the person's minutes.

But anyway back to the election... I was very moved by Obama's speech. I'm watching it again at 2:15 and its still giving me the chills. I think he will be a great leader for us and a nice change. Local elections have been swung to the blue candidates too which is weird for a right winged area of NY.

I am sad about the gay issues and their votes (well the results I've seen so far). I didn't agree with Arkansas calling their Initiative 1 "Ban on Gay Couples Adopting Children" when it bans any couple who is not married (straight or gay) from adopting.

Alright I need to get some sleep, classes come early tomorrow

The emotional high from Obama winning has morphed into an even worse emotional low with this Prop 8 bullshit. Here's hoping for a miracle that when I wake up, the numbers will be reversed.

Anti-gay referenda also passed in Florida and Arkansas, and one was winning in Arizona as well. Very disappointing in light of the parallel good news concerning the Democratic victories. Perhaps it'll be possible to reverse some of these horrible new rights-destroying things in the near future.

A general assessment- the largest legacy that George W Bush can probably now claim is that with his actions in the White House, he has created one of the largest shifts in political power- the youth of today will probably espouse a stronger tendency for the next 15-20 years at least, for a tendency towards Democratic principles. I think this is somewhat similar to Ronald Reagan.

Is the Obama Republican going to be a similar phenomena now as a Reagan Democrat?

Congratulations, America! Finally, you did the right thing.

And now what are we smug Canadians suppose to do? Despite our leadership and state of our country, we could always smug and say at least we didn't elect that boob Bush... twice. Now that you have elected a strong, charismatic, inspirational black leader, whose own personal journey spans the country and the globe, we look at our own political leaders and wonder: where are the dynamic leaders? where are the people of colour? where are the women? We are envious, as we admire your decision.

There have been positive reactions around the world, including a surge on Asian markets .

LA Times tracking Proposition 8. Currently 51.8% YES, 48.2% NO, with 86.4% reporting.

Kenya declares national holiday for Obama win.

British leaders praise Obama.

Still can't figure out why all the drama about Pennsylvania, which went 55-44 for Obama. Did McCain really think the state was winnable, or was it just a dramatic ploy? And why did Gov. Rendell say the Dems could lose PA? Maybe he is more of a DQ or Chicken Little than I thought. Republicans lost TWO states in the Deep South?!? OK, North Carolina is still a tossup, but still, results in the Deep South reflect just how dismally the GOP is faring nationwide.

I've read that with little money and little enthusiasm, local and statewide GOP organizations are in a shambles. This sweeping loss, not just of the presidency but of so many Senate and House seats, will be (fingers crossed) a serious wakeup call to the GOP. We need to figure out who we are and what we believe in. The party of low taxes, small government, and fiscal restraint? OK, don't tax, just borrow like a compulsive shopper who got a dozen new credit cards. Small government? Government grew more in the 8 years of GWB (prescription drug program, Homeland Security bureaucracy) than it ever did during the Clinton years. And fiscal restraint? After winning majorities in both houses of Congress (in 2004? can't recall off the top of my head), the GOP turned around and shamelessly rewarded big supporters with lavish pork projects. Sometimes the best thing that can happen to a person is a monumental failure -- fall flat on your ass, feel lower than you ever thought you could feel, so that you quit kidding yourself and figure some serious sh*t out. If the 2008 election doesn't qualify as a "monumental failure" for Republicans, then I don't know what does.

But enough about that! Plenty of time for post mortems later. Today is all about celebration for President-elect Obama and his millions upon millions of supporters. Congratulations and best wishes!!

I think you've got a lot right there BoSoxRudy - not only did the GOP, and particularly the Bush Administration, grow government, they grew it badly - engaging in some of the worst cronyism possible (e.g., letting the barely college-graduate-age daughter of a big donor run the oil reconstruction project in Iraq).

I have a feeling, though, that the wake-up call won't really happen until this next Congress gets working. The GOP has become very much a regional party, with no more Congress members from New England, for instance. It will take their powerlessness and the recognition the party membership does not represent the future of this country. It will take more than a recognition of the core Republican values (expressed so well, ironically, by Obama), it will take a recognition that the culture-war approach, the divisive Southern strategy, and other Rovian tactics may win in the short term, but can harm you in the long term.

McCain must have had some horrible advisors. Between picking Pailin and seeming to assume that the average American made $200,000.00 a year,this man was woefully out of touch.

What a stunning victory for Democrats last night. I am so proud and so full of hope right now. As Democrats we have been given a HUGE opportunity to get this country back on track in the next two years, because if we don't we risk losing seats in the offyear elections of 2010...we have a glorious opportunity.

I can't wait to see " The View" this morning. Yesterday I thought Joy Behar was going to put her hands around Elizabeth Hasselbecks throat. They were REALLY going at it....

So glad Governor Gregoire was retained out here in Washington. No triple recount this time thank you!

TiVo alert... along with potential fireworks on The View where I hope Joy goes off on Hasselbeck, Oprah is supposed to have a live post-election show today.

The live Daily Show/Colbert Report coverage last night was hysterical.

CNN's coverage was beyond ridiculous. Anybody catch the holograms? A hologrammed Wil.I.Am had to be the most surreal/absurd thing I've ever seen.

Can't wait to watch Olbermann, The Daily Show and Colbert tonight and Maher on Friday.

While Obama winning gave me goosebumps, there was alot voters got wrong last night…Prop 8 land the other anti-gay legislation, that racist Republi-*** from Minnesota Michelle Bachmann somehow managed to get reelected and Alaska gave that convicted criminal Ted Stevens his job back, opening the door for Sarah Palin to take his Senate seat should the Senate boot him out.

There will be so many books written on this election cycle. Obama should really be thanking his lucky stars for Iowa and Hillary Clinton. If he doesn't win Iowa, I think Hillary goes on to win the nomination. The Iowa win made the media and people take notice of Obama. James Carville said it best with Iowa in that Obama was a horse in the stable before Iowa, and that if he won Iowa and got out of the stable...look out. As much crap as I gave Hillary and Bill....Hillary made Obama a better candidate. All those debates and all of the stuff (Wright, Rezko, Ayers, muslim questions, etc) that came up during the primary helped Obama in the general. Obama also had a great sense of timing. Yes, he is a great orator who brought up memories of a young JFK. He benefited from being against the war at a time when it wasn't popular to be. But, his timing was just spot on. After 8 years of the Bush Administration people were sick and tired of being sick and tired. The final nail in the coffin was the financial crisis. Before the financial crisis, it was such a tight race. He benefited from that.

Ultimately though...it was a change election. I think we'll look back and see that McCain's age coupled with the selection of Sarah Palin will prove to be part of his undoing. If you are a Republican right now you've got to get your party together. As I watched John McCain at the Arizona Biltmore last night (fabulous hotel...I stayed there when I was in Phoenix in September), I saw no diversity. So if super conservative Sarah Palin is going to be the future of the Republican party, be prepared for more losses like this. She is that kind of Republican who will continue to make the party less inclusive. The lack of diversity within that party is really unfortunate. You look at the crowd in Grant Park last night and in front of the White House. It was young, old, black, white, hispanic, many religions, nationalities, gay straight. I mean it was simply amazing. The Republicans have got to figure out a way to be more inclusive. Pat Buchanan prides the fact that the Republican party is a conservative group, but this country is moving forward and that wing of the Republican party is stuck in the past. They will remain there if they don't figure out a way to open their minds and reach out to others and find a way to compromise on things.

Regarding the gay rights issues that didn't seem to go well, it is disheartening and does take away from the overall victory. But ya know...it took time for Obama to get to this point and its going to take time for us to be recognized equally in terms of marriage. It wasn't THAT long ago that the APA took homosexuality off of its list of mental disorders. Slowly but surely we will get there. Its going to take time and we are seeing people slowly becoming more accepting. We have to deal with the fact though that many older people still make up this country, and many blacks and hispanics who voted for Obama are still very culturally conservative. It is going to take the younger generation who is more accepting of homosexuality to usher in this kind of acceptance. Its been 50 years since desegregation and we have finally reached the point of a man of color as President after 43-0. Its going to take time but progress is being made. Lets not forget that. Progress is being made. It may be small progress and we have a far way to go, but the progress is there.

Newsweek is coming out with information now that it held and promised both campaigns it wouldn't release until after the election. Among the things they're talking about: apparently there was some cyber attack against both campaigns over the summer; Palin's wardrobe spending spree was apparently way more expensive than was previously reported; and the McCain campaign was so upset with Palin towards the end that she was forbidden by the McCain camp from speaking on the night of the election. Notice how she stood there while McCain conceded and did not say a word. There's more coming I'm sure in the next few days and weeks.

Interesting....so then the chemistry between the two which was not there recently and was picked up by quite a few pundits/Reporters was accurate then. I noticed the outreached hand McCain offered and took awhile for Palin to acknowledge in McCains closing speech....last night.

Gosh! I haven't felt this high in a long time! YEA!!!!!

Thoughts from a Canadian...

A historic and beautiful night that united so many around the world. What President-elect Barack Obama did tonight is something that many of us could never dream of. What he did tonight was prove that "Yes we can" achieve anything we put our minds to as long as we're willing to work hard at it.

If an African-American can rise up and become leader of the Free World, one can only hope that one day we will see an openly gay man or lesbian become Prime Minister of Canada.

I honestly had tears when Obama and Joe Biden came out and were standing there with their families. It was that realization that there is hope in this world and that we aren't alone in our fight.

"One small step for man, One giant leap for mankind"

I'd also like to express my sadness that Prop. 8 appears to have failed in California. My question though... I realize it's banning same sex marriage but are civil unions still allowed? Could people still have the same benefits and everything as a married couple just minus the marriage certificate?

So what happens to the marriages of those who did get married before this ban?

That's the $64,000 question. Mike Signorile had a legal expert on the other day and he noted there was no precedent for something like this. Because the amendment basically says that only man/woman "marriage" is "recognized" by the state now, it could be argued that the marriages are valid, but no longer recognized.

The good news is that the domestic partnership law will still be in force, and there is already a lawsuit against the amendment.

Domestic Partnership Law... please explain (I'm from Canada so I'm not up to speed with this)

So does this mean that same-sex couples have the same rights as Heterosexual couples with the exception of the "marriage" term?

I was flipping through all the channels last night, and just happened to catch that hologram thing. How ridiculous. Just silly and stupid.

And I made sure, that at 11, when it was going to be clear that Obama was going to be our next president, I was sure to stop on Fox News. So much about last night brings me great joy, and let me tell you...having Fox News tell me he won was just icing on the cake. Fair and Balanced indeed!

This has never happened to me before with a politician, but tears feel down my face when Obama mentioned gays and straights (and many others) at the begininning of his elections speech. How nice to feel included in a political discussion that didn't involve being called a sinner or immoral, or whatever else we've been called over the years. For once, we mattered--I mattered--to someone running for office, in a way that wasn't a wedge issue, or in a way where we weren't seen as "radical". We just were. I am having such a hard time putting this into words, so I apologize for the rambling.

Enigma

I agree with you, and want to add my own thoughts.

When President Obama (GOD I LOVE TYPING THAT) stood on the stage with his family, it reminded me that his family, in one sense, represents more of America than most people realize. Being a biracial man, his family has people from the whole spectrum, from white to black, and everything inbetween. Can you get any more representative than that?

Hubby and I were talking last night, and I was thinking that there were some people that EVERY ONE on the Obama campaign, and the supporters should be thanking today.

TO

Rosa Parks
Medger Evers
Dr Martin Luther King Jr
Robert Kennedy

And many others who are no longer with us, but fought the battles for equality.

They need to be thanked. They started on the road that ended with BHO's victory last night, and they are just as deserving of praise as anyone else.

Agreed Lk. I see Obama as MLK's " I have a dream" personified, and have felt this way for a long time. I understand Rahm Emanuel has accepted the WH Chiefs of Staff position. I think this will be an excellent fit. Anybody else find Mr. Emanuel extremely sexy? Maybe its just me, but he has the worst case of bedroom eyes, I have seen in a long, long time. Congratulations Rahm.

When The Rev. Dr. King said in what I think was his last speech:

...And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man.

I think he envisioned it happening sooner than it did. We are still not there, but are certainly closer.

Hopefully the results of this election will show Republicans that being white, conservative and evangelical is not the mainstream, it's a minority. Not that there's anything wrong with any of those qualities

rahm is hot.