Obama Sweeps Presidential Election

Obama Sweeps Presidential Election

Barack Obama becomes the first black 44th U.S. President

By H. Nelson Goodson
El Conquistador Newspaper
3206 W. National Ave.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53215
414-383-1000
conquistador@bizwi.rr.com
November 5, 2008

Milwaukee- On Wednesday, President George W. Bush congratulated President-elect Barack Obama for “an impressive victory” and extended an invitation to the White House for Obama and his family. President Bush has promised a smooth and rapid transition for Obama’s team. A statement also released on Wednesday by the Republican National Hispanic Assembly in Washington D.C. said, “we wish to extent our congratulations to Senator Obama and his family on his historic victory last night. During his victory speech, he spoke of reconciliation and unification as a people and we hope that concept will guide his words and deeds moving forward.”
The election commission in the City of Milwaukee projected that between 75% to 80% of eligible voters had cast their votes. An estimated 80 % of Latinos nationwide voted for President-elect Obama. A report states Obama struggled to win Hispanic votes during Democratic primaries in California and other states, but on Tuesday he drew two-thirds (66%) of the Hispanic vote, a 13-point improvement over Kerry in 2004. He also gained seven points among African American voters (95% vs. 88% for Kerry), and managed to slightly improve on Kerry's share of the white vote (43% vs. 41% for Kerry). His biggest breakthrough came in Florida, where he won 57% of the Latino vote. Obama's margins were much larger in other states with big Latino populations. He carried 78% in New Jersey, 76% of the Latino vote in Nevada, 74% in California, and 73% in Colorado, according to exit polls from the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.
Last Tuesday night, thousands of volunteers, public officials and supporters celebrated their victory in electing the country’s first Democratic African-American President-elect, U.S. Senator Barack Obama from Illinois. Obama was declared the winner by 10:00 p.m. and Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes went for Obama shortly after the polls closed at 8:00 p.m. Also, U.S. Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware was elected the nations new Vice President for 2009. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin victory party was held at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Milwaukee. Obama and Biden buttons commemorating the election night victory party were given out to those attending, but the date on the buttons read, “I was there, November 8th, 2008.” The date was a misprint, but people took them to commemorate the historical election.
Obama the next 44th U.S. President will be sworn in on January 20th. Democrats became the majority in Congress by gaining 16 seats and the U.S. Senate by gaining 5 seats. President elect Obama will now have control of both houses. Since 1994, democrats had failed to take the presidency and control of both houses.
Obama received 349 and Republican U.S. Senator John McCain from Arizona received 161 electoral votes contributed to 6 traditional Republican states voting for a Democratic president. McCain and running mate Governor Sarah Palin from Alaska conceded early when it was projected Obama had received more then the 270 electoral votes needed to be elected president. McCain said, “The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly,” and congratulated Obama.
Obama addressing about 6,500 supporters inside Grant Park and more than 250,000 people throughout area and adjacent streets in Chicago said, “Change has come...So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder. If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a 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.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you. I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to this cause.t grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth.
This is your victory...This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can,” President elect Obama said.
Throughout our nation, Obama’s presidential victory is a sign of great hope to many Americans that our children can become who they want to become. Change has taken place and our nation can now move forward.
Photo courtesy of Urbannetwork.com