President Obama heralds the new dawn
Barack Obama elected as president of the United States
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Wednesday, 05, Nov 2008 08:20
Barack Obama has been elected as the 44th president of the United States following an historic election night.
The Democratic nominee easily exceeded the 270 electoral college votes he needed to defeat Republican candidate John McCain in the polls.
By 05:30 GMT Mr Obama had 338 votes to Mr McCain's 155. Speaking in Chicago, Mr Obama told supporters that a "new dawn" was at hand.
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is the 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," Mr Obama told hundreds of thousands of people in Grant Park.
At 04:00 GMT as polling closed on the west coast California, Oregon and Washington were called for the Illinois senator, who will become the first African-American president of the US.
Speaking in Arizona, the home state of Mr McCain, the Republican nominee conceded defeat to his 47-year-old opponent.
"The American people have spoken and they have spoken clearly," the 72-year-old said in Arizona, adding that he had already telephoned Mr Obama to congratulate him on winning an historic election of "special significance", particularly for African Americans.
Of the 11 battleground states, Mr Obama claimed Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Ohio, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Colorado and Florida.
By the time the Sunshine state was called for Mr Obama his ascent to the White House had already been assured.
Mr McCain, 72, had needed to win almost all of the battleground states to have any chance of succeeding George Bush as president.
No Republican has ever won a presidential election without claiming Ohio.
In his acceptance speech Mr Obama praised his running-mate Joe Biden and praised his wife Michelle, his "best friend, rock of our family, love of my life and the nation's next first lady".
But he said the challenges of tomorrow were the "greatest of our lifetime".
"The road ahead will be long, our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or one term," he continued.
"[But] America I have never been more hopeful that we will get there, we as a people will get there.
"A new dawn of American leadership is at hand."
Speaking in Washington earlier, Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives, praised Mr Obama's "vision, judgment, values and ideas".
"He has a strategy to get the job done and the ability to communicate and unite the American people, to bring America together," she said.
Despite the heavy win in electoral college votes, Mr Obama was ahead of his Arizona senator by just three per cent in the popular vote.