Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States, becoming the first African American president. Obama won with 338 electoral votes compared to John McCain's 142. His victory represented a historic milestone and ushered in a new era of Democratic control of the presidency and Congress. Black voters across the country turned out in large numbers to support Obama's candidacy and celebrate the significance of electing the first black president.

1. VOLUME 274 RESOLUTION
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Full Report: Page C8
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Historic victory 142
Obama 338
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
270 NEEDED TO WIN
Obama elected nation’s first African-American president in a romp
McCain falters on GOP terrain; Democrats increase clout in Congress
By Scott Helman
and Michael Kranish
GLOBE STAFF
CHICAGO — Senator Barack
Obama of Illinois was elected the
44 th president of the United
States and the nation’s first black
commander in chief yesterday,
his triumph ushering in an era of
profound political and social re-
alignment in America.
Obama’s decisive victory over
Republican John McCain is a
landmark in the country’s 232-
year history, especially for the
millions of African-Americans
around the country energized
and inspired by his improbable
candidacy. It gives Democrats
control of Congress and the
White House for the first time in
16 years and it led to impromptu
celebrations around the country.
Making good on his promise
to draw his own electoral map,
Obama captured Virginia, which
last voted for a Democrat in
1964, and he beat McCain in key
battleground states, including
Colorado, Florida, New Hamp-
shire, Ohio, and Pennsylvania,
while holding on to Democratic-
leaning states. He won in part on
the support of new voters,
African-Americans, and Hispan-
ics, and as of early today he had
338 electoral votes, far more than
the 270 needed to win the presi-
dency, while McCain had 142.
In a grand celebration on a
balmy fall night in Chicago’s
Grant Park, 240,000 supporters
gathered to toast the president-
elect. When the networks called
the race shortly after 10 p.m. lo-
JASON REED/REUTERS
cal time, tears flowed, flashbulbs
President-elect Barack Obama, his daughters Sasha and Malia, and wife Michelle waved to supporters last night in Chicago’s Grant Park. ELECTION, Page A12
New era
NEWS ANALYSIS
Obama McCain Not decided
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Shift in tone will bring
WA NH 4
beginning 11
VT 3 ME
ND
MT
4
3
3
a watershed for nation
OR MN
for party 7 ID 10 NY MA 12
WI
SD
4 31
10
3
WY MI RI 4
3 17
IA CT 7
in power PA By Peter Canellos tory, bolstered by strong major-
7
NE 21 NJ 15
OH
NV IL
5
UT ities of his own party in both
GLOBE STAFF
20
IN
5 21 DE 3
5 11 WV VA
CO houses of Congress, can be read
CHICAGO — The people who
CA MO 5 13
9 DC 3
KS
By Susan Milligan as a mandate for some very spe-
crowded Grant Park last night,
55 6 11 KY 8
MD 10
GLOBE STAFF cific policy changes that could, by
straining for a glimpse of Presi-
NC 15
AZ TN 11
WASHINGTON — Demo- themselves, have momentous
dent-elect Barack Obama, were
OK
10 NM AR
crats increased their ranks in impact. Withdrawal from Iraq.
aroused by a lot of passionate is-
7 SC 8
5
HI 6
Congress last night, picking up Renewal of the six-decade quest
sues — war, jobs, race — and yet
GA
4 AL
MS
seats from the Canadian to the for national health insurance.
they insisted that no single goal,
15
9
6
TX LA
Mexican borders and ushering The launch of a major govern-
nothing that could be written out
34 9
in a new era of Democratic ment-funded quest for renew-
and measured, defined their ex-
AK
3
power in Washington the party able energy.
pectations for the next adminis-
FL
27
has not seen since the 1960s. Beyond the policies, Obama’s
tration.
In a heavy blow to the GOP, election will stand forever amid
‘‘It’s everything,’’ said a tearful
Democrats collected several the great milestones of America’s
Teri McClain of Seattle.
high-profile Senate seats, oust- racial history, the end of a tortur-
‘‘It’s having a president with a
Election 2008
ing veteran Republican law- ous progression from emancipa-
world view that most Americans
maker John Sununu in New tion to the civil rights movement
can believe in,’’ declared Chris
Hampshire and replacing him to the election of the first black
Godfrey of Des Moines, Iowa.
with former governor Jeanne And yet Obama’s clear-cut vic- ANALYSIS, Page A13
Shaheen. New Mexico and Col-
orado sent two Democratic
Among blacks, joy and
brothers to the Senate, with
Mark Udall taking the Colorado
seat and Tom Udall winning the
tears at journey’s end
race in New Mexico.
In Virginia, Mark Warner
easily defeated James Gilmore,
his GOP opponent, capping a By Michael Levenson busing crisis of the 1970s.
SAUL LOEB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
JIM WATSON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES MARK WILSON/GLOBE STAFF
stunning Democratic showing In St. Petersburg, Fla., Ron
GLOBE STAFF
in the Old Dominion State, Dock spoke of the day he learned
Sixty-six-year-old Jake
Lines were long at polling Emotions ran high in Chicago
John McCain said he gave his
which also voted for Barack that the Rev. Martin Luther King
Coakley picked cotton as a boy in
places across the nation, but
all, while aides said his trouble as tens of thousands poured
Obama — the first time since Jr. had been shot. Dock was 18,
Beaufort, S.C., just as his father
Obama’s prodigious field organ- into Grant Park from near and
began when he declared the
1964 that a Democratic presi- he said, crouching in a rice paddy
and grandfather did before him.
ization helped keep problems to far for Obama’s acceptance
teetering economy sound. A14.
CONGRESS, Page A15 in Vietnam, preparing for a fire-
So yesterday, as he stood amid a
a minimum. A16. speech. A13.
fight. In Alexandria, Va., 83-year-
throng of people hugging, high-
Massachusetts voters reject- old Flossie Parks recalled turning
fiving, and even weeping outside
Sonia Chang-Díaz captured
For breaking news, updated Globe
ed a repeal of the state income 21 and being forced to pay a $3
a Roxbury polling place, he want-
the seat long held by state
stories, and more, visit:
Inside
poll tax for the right to vote.
ed to underscore the significance
tax, decriminalized possession Senator Dianne Wilkerson, who
Features Classified Millions of black voters across
of the day.
of small amounts of marijuana, left the race after being arrest-
B11 Cars, Homes, Stuff,
Business the country turned out to help
‘‘This,’’ he said to a little boy,
and approved a ban on grey- ed on bribery charges. B9.
B17-19 Notices & more J
Deaths elect Barack Obama the first Afri-
patting his head and staring
hound racing. B1.
45333 Coverage, A12-17, B1, B6-10.
A18 g
Editorials
can-American president yester-
deeply into his eyes, ‘‘is history.’’
Senator John F. Kerry easily
B2 TV/Radio, Comics,
Lottery
day, and as they did, they reflect-
At another polling station
won reelection to a fifth term,
C8 Crossword,
Weather
Have a news tip? E-mail ed not just on the course of a
blocks away, Charles Robinson
fending off a challenge by Re-
Sudoku, KenKen,
© Globe Newspaper Co.
newstip@globe.com or call historic campaign, but on the
recalled the racial epithets shout-
Movies, Horoscope publican Jeffrey K. Beatty. B9. 617-929-TIPS (8477). Other history of a nation.
ed at him as a student at South
0 947725 4 contact information, B2. Boston High School during the BLACK VOTE, Page A17
GL A1 01:25 THIRD RED BLUE YELLOW Black