11.04.2008

Barack Obama President-Elect of the United States

Barack Obama passes 270 electoral votes, defeats John McCain, and will become 44th President of the United States.

A breathtaking moment.

264 comments

Alec said...

first

Joey said...

Incredible.

Bozo said...

Yeah, Baby!

Renarudo said...

I just cried.

afrochelle said...

Whoooo hooo!

Wappy said...

God damn this is incredible.

Cesar said...

eight

Paul said...

This time "first" really means something.

K from VA said...

AWESOME!

Ben said...

I've waited for this moment for 2 years now.

Beevik said...

Nate, looks like you were wrong about Indiana. But otherwise you're doin' pretty darn good.

Luke C. said...

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

SLOModels said...

Yes we can!!!

John M. said...

We pulled it off, bitches.

Dave-london said...

nothing is impossible

Shain said...

Absolutely Amazing. I really thought that this day might not come.

Van said...

Praise be. Change has begun.

Thanks to all of you ... for everything you have done.

Let's get to work!

wrisky_1 said...

Congratulations to all of us :)

Daniel said...

sweet jesus YES

Sedi said...

It's official. We win. The country wins. The world wins.

Xtremevillan said...

Wow. Amazing.

PBH said...

almost got it.... so close!

GayIthacan said...

I have NEVER been more proud of my country than I am right now.

oct said...

THIS IS GREAT NEWS FOR BARACK OBAMA!!!!!

YngvaiMalmsteve said...

YEAAHHHHH!!!!!

KMartDad said...

Deal closed.

Zatarra said...

This is GREAT NEWS...FOR JOHN McCAIN!!!111one

Gen Sherman said...

OBAMA! OBAMA! OBAMA!

David said...

A great moment for our country! Thanks Nate - first followed your work at BP and now here - great job! Now time to take a (brief) break and fire up PECOTA.

mikeandmo said...

Yeah baby!!!

Now it's time for MO to go blue ....

Nam Vet Joe From Jersey said...

Life is good

Jess said...

I'm actually tearing up. I'm a girl - I can do that.

ROCK ON.

Elise said...

I'm too tired and numb to cry...give me a few hours...

Proud to have been a tiny part of the best-run campaign in US history...

cvonkleist said...

Not exactly a surprise! But still good news. :)

chris said...

nate, you are the fucking man

tibor75 said...

President Barack HUSSEIN Obama.

His middle name WAS a slur. Now I want it used all the time. I want the racist dipshits, the Sarah Palins, the closet KKK idiots to know that we elected a black man iwth a funny name as President.

Deal with it.

Code J said...

Beautiful - just beautiful.

maykay said...

Finally, America can move in the right direction.
Thank the lord for Barack Obama.

Christopher said...

Yes, we did.

babar said...

Truly momentous. I'm glad they left the call till after the polls closed (If for no other reason than to ensure everyone gets out in Cali and votes against Prop 8). From a casual Australian observer's perspective let me just say.....

YES
WE
CAN!

K from VA said...

Who isn't going to remember this for the rest of your life?

Dave Brodbeck said...

This is a flashbulb memory moment. Well done USA

Luke C. said...

Still hoping for 375+ EVs

Viridian said...

We did it.

It's the beginning of the third millennium.

Marge said...

Absolutely incredible. Get used to saying it bigoted thugs... President Barack Hussein Obama!

Congratulations America!

Thomas said...

HOORAY! THANKS FOR ALL THE REASSURANCES ALONG THE WAY!!

gbrunett said...

No words can express... Congratulations President Elect Barack Obama!

AxmxZ said...

YES.

wv: gazing - INTO THE FUTURE, NATCH!

Paul said...

Alright, Barack, you better fucking deliver.

Cossack said...

As a Canadian, I am proud of the citizens of the United States. Thank You.

brown said...

I have never felt prouder to be a Virginian. The home of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe--we are back on the right side of history.

IL_Grimacѐ said...

This is great news for America! I am so happy right now. Just ecstatic. I've been pushing for this for so long I almost can't believe it's really happening. You got a nation behind you buddy, get out there and make us proud.

UnfriendlyGhost said...

Oh hell yes! Well done America, good luck and god bless PRESIDENT OBAMA!

Gen Sherman said...

Call it now! MO Blue. I know it is.

wv: recroot, We will now recroot the beat of this nation and make it better.

aria said...

Yes we did it.

:`````````````````````)

Bex of Ambridge said...

Oh I am bawling my eyes out - it must feel truly special to be an American today.

Miro said...

OH WOW WE DID IT!

WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW

Zechaplunga said...

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!

Congratulations America, the whole world is proud of you again

wv: Hoofuckingray!

Nicole78 said...

OMG...WE DID IT! I will never forget this night. This is absolutely incredible and I've got tears streaming down my face. Change is coming!

MrTheMike said...

Congratulations Barack. History is made.

bubba said...

Thank G-d. The National Nightmare is over!!!

Matthias said...

congratulations from germany!!!!!

Evan said...

Hell yes!!

I've got goose bumps.

Now the work begins and all of America needs to work to support this man. Continued divisive politics will not get this country back on track. That is why I voted for this man.

brycem said...

Amazing...America did it...

Here's to the next four (eight hopefully) years. Change, here we come!

Mike said...

Absolutely amazing...Texans for Obama are so freakin' proud right now.

Rich said...

the world wins.

ShutUpRob said...

Hooray! The first legitimate election in the United States in 12 years!

Clinton -- 42nd President
Bush -- Illegitimate Interregnum (aka Bush Zero)
Obama -- 43rd President.

monkeysuncle said...

booya

jslater said...

A great night, and thanks to Nate, Sean, and Marty for having such a great site to get and share news.

Misty said...

Nate - I love you so hard for being right. :)

Christopher said...

And let's give FiveThirtyEight an air high-five for cutting through the punditry and misleading disinformation throughout this process. It wasn't a surprise to me who was going to win tonight and it's because of the accuracy of FiveThirtyEight. Good work, all...

Jeremy said...

Yes we can!

Yes we can!

littlejimmy said...

Absolutely fantastic.

Congratulations to the United States of America and to President Obama from Yorkshire, England.

Time to heal some wounds.

neuroskeptic said...

The polls are closing! Momentum! Joe! Socialism! Arab! Real America!

Jay Schulkin said...

ooooobbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Victoria said...

What a day.

It's great to see how far America has come.

Nam Vet Joe From Jersey said...

In all my years I have never seen such a reaction to an election---the outpouring of sheer joy

macrowiz49 said...

To Obama: SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!

Linda said...

That's it - I'm not moving back to Europe. The US is now officially my country!!!

ubergirlelijah said...

GOD BLESS PRESIDENT OBAMA!! GOD BLESS THE AUDACITY OF HOPE!!

AJT said...

So happy ...

Eddie B said...

Technically, there is still a chance Cheney is #44.

DogBitez said...

As a mother of a prime draft age son... I'm f-ing crying like mad. This is so good. Goddamn America! You beautiful bitch, you!

99 Days said...

This is an amazing event. I'm glad to have taken an active part. Congratulations, everyone, this night belongs to us all.

Jeff said...

I never felt more proud to be a part of something in my life

Erik Garcia said...

Barack me Obamadeus

grandpa john said...

God does answer prayers, we have our country and honor back.

Peter said...

WE FINALLY GOT SOMETHING RIGHT!!!!!!!!

OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!

peterpoe said...

YEAH!!!

Norbert said...

After all these eight long years....
Y A Y !!
Give ourselves a pat on our backs for having made the right choice this time!

Katherine said...

I burst into tears when they called it at 11. I never thought I'd be so profoundly proud and relieved to see my country do something so damn right.

Yes we can.

Subterranean said...

Jess - I'm crying too, and laughing, and feeling far out of my depth and beautifully blessed...oh my...

BHO is the face of a new humanism, a new world...a man who, literally and metaphorically, has single-handedly made compassion and wisdom the new black.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.

Michael said...

I've been waiting for this moment for eight years. we got robbed the past two elections and i'm so glad it didn't happen again. i love this moment. Woots for being one of the good votes in VA!!

Virginia said...

I am crying tears of joy. This is the most momentous occasion of my life - I wish I could say something that would adequately express how much hope has been restored in the world today.

Maab said...

WE DID IT!

Thank you so much Nate, Sean, and Brett. I have been following this site since the primaries and I am so grateful!

America's first black President.

Barack HUSSEIN Obama.

Kat said...

It's official! And I'm in tears! This is a wonderous day!

PA John said...

God bless America.

TrueBlueDem said...

WoooooooHooooooo!

That's all I can think to say!

GayIthacan said...

SO FLAD to FINALLY see McCain's WIN PERCENTAGE reach ZERO!!!!!!

0.00%!!!!!!!!!

Michael said...

just want to remember this.

Rossana said...

Yes we can!!! Finally.... I am so proud of my country!!

Joanna said...

YES! YES! THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO VOTED! This is amazing. This... this changes everything.
Congratulations, everyone!

Fizz Byers said...

Tomorrow the world will wake up and say, THEY DID IT!!!!!!
http://www.popduds.com

Sabertooth said...

I am truly lost for words. This is a good day for America!!!

PeteKent, Mule Rider and all those bigots have been proved wrong. We have taken back OUR country.

Hank E Pants said...

What a terrific night. I'm so proud I could share this with my kids tonight. Look at that party in Grant Park.......

Wow........

NotYourBlog said...

McCain conceded!!

CRLIndoland said...

I am so fucking excited I cannot contain my self. Thank you so much all of you for all your support, your hard work, your passion, your ability to get people to open their minds for something good, something better. I am so proud of the US. I am so proud of being an american. I love this wonderful process of democracy.

Vinny said...

I concede. Good job, libs, you elected Hussein.

However, expect backlash. Just like Bush got backlash, so will Hussein and Pelosi. Enjoy your reign while you can.

PALIN '12

bobnsj said...

In all of our celebration, and damn it I am celebrating too, have you noticed that all the networks have finally caught on to the point that Nate made all through this campaign that it is really 51 state elections that matter and that the national vote (and the daily trackers that measure it) are really irrelevant. There has hardly been any talk about the "popular vote" even though it is about 51-38.

igwespike said...

President Obama. Best. Landslide. Ever. Thank you!!

BarleyMan said...

Happy! Nice to see the good guy win for a change.

Good luck Obama. We're here to help you!

Mason Bryant said...

America, you've made me proud.

David said...

Hope is restored, my brothers and sisters.

-SA said...

Wooooo!

Lee said...

FUCK YEAH!!!

From an Aussie!

manonthemoon said...

To everyone who knocked on doors, picked up a phone, drove people to the polls, encouraged family & friends, worked night & day to make this happen - thank you. You should be very proud. You just changed the world.

Vinny said...

P.S. my last post was a joke.

GO AMERICA!!!

Michael said...

CONGRATULATIONS SENATOR OBAMA!!!

Although I am a staunch conservative Republican, I wish you the very best in the next 4 years. This nation is in bad shape right now, and I wish you the very best in fixing it.

Congrats Democrats. Over the past 6 months we butted heads, but remember one thing, we aren't R's or D's...

WE ARE AMERICANS!

CONGRATS OBAMA.
Hard Fought Battle McCain!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

President *ELECT* Barack Obama

Sean said...

Real Joe's surprise???

Anyone???

Joe?

Al said...

When it becomes obvious that he just supports the same NWO as the rest of them and look at his wife posts- wow- we will finally see we are all as stupid as W. Yahoo- he must be cool cuz he lives in Da house... Malcolm is rolling over in his grave- I personally am puking.

Justin said...

I knew he was the favorite...but for this to actually happen...I'm literally crying with tears of joy...finally the Bush admin comes to a close. And it couldn't come soon enough!!

Brian said...

I am not ashamed to admit that my eyes have welled up a little bit. I'm a 31 year old, white man in Texas, and I've never been this happy to hear the news. Here's to a new and better America for everyone!!

raghuramcs said...

This is an amazing day!!!!!!!!


America proves herself to be the beacon of Democracy!!!!

I AM SOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!

KIC said...

Crying here too. I can't understand how important this is, and yet I think I have a tiny glimmer. I am so proud.

Charles M. Kozierok said...

Congrats to Obama and us all.

And congrats to Nate and Sean and Bretty for their hard work on 538.

Richard said...

I'm not even an american - but I could almost cry. With joy that is.

The Law said...

this is so amazing. i've never been so proud to be an American!

Me2U said...

ohhh my god
thank goodness
can't wait until January 20th
america will be the beautiful again

hotcocogal said...

I can't stop crying.

What joy!!!

John McCain is my Love Child! said...

Congrats to all who contributed.

Too torn up to celebrate...it'll take some days to sink in.


50 State Strategy MOTHERFUCKERS!

arun said...

I love you West Coast !!!!!

A proud Fake Virginian

CRLIndoland said...

Thank you Nate, Sean and Bretty. Wonderful website that changed everything. :-)

Kathy said...

I am weeping with joy!!! OMG!!!!!

zebra450 said...

Yes!!

Barrack we love you!!

Christopher said...

"You can always count on Americans to do the right thing, after all other options have been exhausted"
Winston Churchill

LJay said...

WE DID IT BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1st time in my life that i'm proud to be american

Andy JS said...

I hope Barack wins Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Virginia, Missouri, Nevada, Colorado.

beamman said...

God bless America! God bless our President-Elect!

I'm sure that history will show this has been the easy part. So many issues, so many problems, so much to do and accomplish with so many financial, social, foreign-policy and other obstacles.

Barack Obama has a chance to transform America and the world. He needs to be great. He needs to be like Jackie Robinson, and be far superior in every way; in doing so, he will help bring down the last barriers.

I remember having similar high hopes when Bill Clinton won. But I remember the sinking feeling when, 3 days later, I saw this photo of him on a golf course, smugly chomping on a cigar pitching a shot out of a sand trap. Obama cannot--MUST not--prove to be just another political tool.

He has to be better. We are rolling the dice here. If (as I hope) it comes up 7's, we have a chance for greatness!

booond said...

It is not enough to win the election. We must win the governance. Let's get it done.

Ryan said...

McCain was RIGHT! GOD chose the best man for the job! Way to go big O!

Lyle said...

Welcome, Obama fanatics, to four years of business as usual on Capitol hill; and congratulations on bringing "Change" by electing someone who has voted straight party-line during his whole career. This is going to be fun.

NotYourBlog said...

Colorado called

Did anyone see the shots of Jesse Jackson crying at Grant Park?

ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEERED: THANK YOU!

Witt said...

dear 538 staff... your distribution of possible outcomes is incorrect!

Justin said...

God I really cannot stop crying...I am so happy. This is the first time I think I have actually cried out of joy..thank you everybody for you support, your love, and most of all your vote. Thank you!!!!!!!!!

WVBill said...

I'm a redneck from West Virginia. I just got off the phone with my boss, a black man who grew up in Arkansas. We're both pushing 60. Neither of us dreamed, even five years ago, we would see this in our lifetimes.

The civil rights act of 1964 was in our youth. Equal opportunity did not exist when we were teenagers. Many of you, white and black, have no idea what you have done with your sweat.

The irony is that the bigots were right: things will never be the same, and to that I say, Amen.

Andrew said...

This is without a doubt one of the moments I have been proudest to be an American. Now it's time to get to work fixing the mess we've been left.

YES. WE. CAN.

reststop1119 said...

releshing in this awesome teary and joyful moment in history. prous to be a chicagoan and looking forward to my commute into the Loop tomorrow. should be crazy good.

Christopher said...

Congratulations to the President-elect.

I wish him luck, and hope that he is who he claims to be.

Bozo said...

Call Florida for Obama!

Most of the outstanding precincts are in Palm Beach County and Hillsborough. Hillsborough is leaning Obama, PBC is heavy Obama.

Bill (Pa) said...

"The work begins anew; the hope rises again; and the dream lives on!" - Senator Edward Kennedy

PorridgeGun said...

I've been waiting to post this for months...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qKvBWLknFuQ&feature=related

Nam Vet Joe From Jersey said...

Florida for Obama-pour it on

Yvonne said...

Amazing. Everything is good now.

YES WE CAN

anbruch said...

Sean said...

Real Joe's surprise???

Anyone???

Joe?


I think Blogger must have eaten it...

Owen said...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!

OhioObserver said...

300+ ---- now that's what they truly call a mandate! *grin*

Go Obama!

Thanks Nate and all, for all of your hard work in cutting through the crap and keeping it real! This site has kept me sane in the past couple of weeks.... great job!

Fetal said...

People in downtown seattle are goin nuts!

What a proud moment in American history !!


Wooohoo!!!!!!

One$Earned said...

Nate, your pre-election projection
map looks like the actual 'Called
States' map.

That's remarkable, I'm a fan.

Potion said...

TOLD YOU that FL would go blue. I've waited eight years for this.

~FL PUMA

LJay said...

we might win INDY
dunno bout NC

longwire said...

There is no power like the power of the people cause the power of the people don't stop!

Subterranean said...

GRRROOUUUNNNNDDD GGGAAAAAMMMMEEEEE!

Blue_in_CO said...

WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!! (and CO goes blue :) )

Matthew said...

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rjblakel said...

This is *awesome*!

Ben said...

One of the great moments in US history.

Marcus said...

This is the country, I served in the USN for, This is the country I trust in, this is the best of America.

PorridgeGun said...

Jesse Jackson in tears. And I do mean TEARS.

Mr. November said...
This post has been removed by the author.
me_you said...

Such a great time to be alive, such an awesome moment to witness, to be a part of... he was the best candidate and now it truly doesn't matter if you're black or white.

David said...

Hang on everyone-It is still possible to hit 375!

PeteKent said...

Congratulations, President-Elect Obama!

Now on to the difficult task of governing.

In truth Bush hands over a nation with much of its troubles in theory behind us. The War in Iraq has been won. Now Obama has only have to manage the Peace and consolidate the victory and make it stick. Afghanistan must be dealt with, but the commanders in the field are wise men and Obama would be foolish not to take their counsel.

On the economy, Bush and the Congress have done what they could to shore up Wall Street. Much dislocation is yet to come, a deep recession is taking hold and a quick stimulus will not get us out of it. The Fed's accomodationist monetary policy cannot be relied on much longer to stimulate things as rates are as low as they can go and cheap money and inflation threaten. This will be Obama's toughest task -- how to turn the economy around.

He will likely not raise taxes any time soon and he will have to abandon thoughts of a sea change in health care until he can get a grip on the deficit.

If he is smart, he will pursue a pro-growth economic policy and he will need to do something to stimulate jobs and growth. That is unlikely to involve the kind of redistributionist economics of the kind that appalled Joe the Plumber. He may have to steal a page out of Ronald Reagan's playbook.

Putin and Ahmandiajad (sp!) will test him and hopefully he will react with resolve and not with weakness. He has already won the Goodwill of the World; he need not show weakness to curry favor.

I wish him well and I have my doubts, but he must be given his due.

I am sure McCain will sound like a statesman.

corey :: yeroc.org said...

Finally.

I have no words.

Todd U said...
This post has been removed by the author.
jwhit said...

That rush of air was all the Obama supporters finally breathing again.

Hallelujah!!

Jan
in Melbourne with tears of joy running down her face.

Brian said...

McCain fanatics can't even keep from booing during his concession speech. What a bunch a poor losers.

KIC said...

He's a man. But he is a good man and I think a man with the exact background, almost like he was made for this, at this moment. I kept thinking that over and over when I read Dream of My Father. We must be the right people to help him. We have a great responsibility to also be HIS keeper. We can't forget that.

Subterranean said...

john mccain is my love child! asserted:

"50 State Strategy MOTHERFUCKERS!"

QFMFT.

Evan Dwight, Vice Undersecretary for National Insecurity said...

OBAMA. It's done!

Thank you, America, this is wonderful!

Shane said...

Has any one else noticed that we had two million early votes in Georgia and right now we only have 2.5 million votes counted. I know the polls were busy today. What am I missing?

Wildgift said...

We are all in tears.

History unfolding.

Nate, thanks for getting us through this.

PorridgeGun said...

Here's comes the scumbag...


Fortunately he's made to look classy in comparison to the disgusting bigots and racists in the crowd.

Daniel K said...

I can't believe it. It has actually happened. We did it. FiveThirtyEight was completely accurate all along. Way to go guys.

Now McCain is giving his speech on TV. His supporters booed loudly when he announced that he congratulated Obama on his win. But McCain silenced them and offered a heartfelt speech. McCain will be respected after all.

Andrew said...

The Morgan Freeman Effect

Obama looked WAY more like POTUS to everyone under 35.

Long time lurker etc.

wv: wakesit - what O has done.

Jackie said...

slightly o/t ;) but for those who care: exit polls (boo, I know) suggest that CA prop 8 (gay marriage ban) is going to fail by a decent margin.

The good news just keeps on coming...

Steve said...

Applause for McCain for starting his concession speech, and gesturing down the "boo" cries when he mentioned Obama's name. I like his speech so far -- the first McCain speech I've liked in quite a while.

apober said...

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal...

We can do it.

The Field Marshall said...

For those of you wondering about NC, they still have yet to post a single vote from here in Wilson County or nearby Franklin County.

Lindsey said...

This is the best day for the United States in my lifetime. I'm 45.

Adrienne said...

Goosebumps and tears of joy.

Potion said...

Crowd still yelling nasty things during McCain's speech. What small-minded, petty people his campaign attracted.

~FL PUMA

Thad said...

Nice speech by McCain, I have to say. Some honor remanins.

Lani said...

The election is in the refrigerator. The door's closed, the light's out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard, and the Jell-O's jiggling

PorridgeGun said...

Why are they clapping??? He's a muslim terrorist commie nazi. Remember, wingnuts?

Margaret said...

Congrats President Elect Obama from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas!!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

goatdan said...

Best McCain speech this election. For Obama's sake, thank god he didn't speak like this during the run up to today.

Seriously, damn. Old John, where have you been? I missed you.

John McCain is my Love Child! said...

I'm bathing in the tears of all those booing at the concession....

Michael said...

McCain at his finest right now..

Congrats Obama.
Nice Job McCain.

A Tribute from a Republican to Obama:
President *ELECT* Barack Obama

cher said...

One of the happiest moments in my 63 years. God Bless America

dualycha

doing a chacha

Ben Lillie said...

Again, thanks so much to Nate and Sean and Brett for being such remarkably insightful commentators and analysts. In particular, Brett has show himself to be a fantastic Photographer, and Nate a fantastic statistician (oh yeah, also Sean's quite a good good writer and good quoter of Kerouac :) ). I would never have made it through the election without you three.