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 Barack
Obama
only needed 270 electoral votes to win
the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, but
he found enough supporters to earn him
over 340 votes in the electoral college.
Conventional swing states like Ohio and
Florida voted early in Obama's favor and
he even managed to win over historically
republican states like Virginia and Indiana.
His lead came early on Tuesday, November
4, and within a few short hours of poll
closings, Obama solidified his place as
the 44th President of the United States
and the first African-American to sit
in the Oval Office.
Although
his race did not play a major role in
his campaign, the effect on the African-American
population was difficult to ignore. Black
politicians and leaders wept as they watched
Obama win the Presidency, many reflecting
on Black history and rejoicing in the
future of African-Americans in society
and politics. With record numbers at the
poles and overwhelming support from all
areas of politics and voters, it was clear
that Obama appealed to not only the black
voters, but all of America.
Barack
Obama started his campaign for president
almost two years prior to this election
and drew funding and support in excess
of $700 million, a record for campaign
donations. Critics and supporters alike
agree that his staff used the funds wisely
and that Obama chose his advisors well.
Having won both the popular vote as well
as the electoral vote (a first for Democrats
since Jimmy Carter in 1976), Obama must
now choose his White House staff of advisors.
Within
days of his election, Obama met with White
House officials and began choosing the
select group of individuals who will help
advise him once he takes office. According
to his staff, Obama started making these
decisions many weeks ago and his advanced
planning came to fruition within days
of his election when he asked Illinois
Representative Rahm Emanuel to be his
White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel, a
long time friend and supporter of Obama
and former advisor to President Clinton,
accepted the offer.
Obama
will be stepping into the Presidency with
a Democratic majority in Congress, a first
over a decade. While both the McCain and
Obama campaigns boasted governmental change,
many critics claim that one reason for
overwhelming democratic votes are due
to the unpopularity of of the current
Republican Bush administration.
With
less than three months until his inauguration,
Obama has quickly taken steps to prepare
himself for the challenges ahead. The
election came at a decisive time in American
history: George W. Bush will be leaving
office in the middle of an economic crisis,
pressing environmental changes, and two
wars still in play, giving Obama a difficult
beginning to his first term.
Shortly
after Obama accepted his victory, he received
a call from President Bush welcoming him
to the White House and promising an easy
transition. In his speech to the American
people, Obama once again promised change
but also said that the "the road
ahead will be long. Our climb will be
steep".
Read the Barack
Obama Speech that he gave after
becoming president.
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