Obama wins U.S. presidency; McCain concedesCBC reports:
Democratic candidate Barack Obama made history on Tuesday with a victory over rival John McCain to be elected the first black president of the United States at a time when the nation is engulfed in two wars abroad and domestic economic turmoil.
Shortly after several U.S. media outlets projected Obama captured at least the required minimum of 270 electoral votes, McCain told supporters in Phoenix that he called the Illinois senator to concede the election. "A little while ago, I had the honour of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him," McCain said to loud boos from the crowd. "Please. To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love. In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance."
Obama's electoral vote tally included wins in the coveted states of Pennsylvania and Ohio, which has backed the victorious presidential candidate since 1964 and no Republican president has been elected to office without winning the state. READ MORE
Democrats to fall short of super Senate majority
Reuters reports:
(Washington) Democrats appear certain to fall short in Tuesday's elections of obtaining a U.S. Senate majority big enough to clear Republican procedural hurdles that can kill legislation, senior party aides said. The aides said Democrats will likely gain at least six or seven seats, but not the nine needed to hit a "filibuster-proof majority" of 60 in the 100-member chamber. Still, aides said they expect a big enough Democratic majority to pressure Republicans to negotiate more and block legislation less often.
Analysis: Next up after Obama win, governing
Associated Press/ Liz Sidoti writes:
WASHINGTON – Now the hard part. Barack Obama essentially came out of nowhere, beat the Democratic establishment, conquered doubts about his experience and overcame questions about his race to be elected the first black president after a grueling campaign that lasted nearly two years. As president-elect, he faces three immediate challenges: confronting the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, determining the next steps in two lingering wars, and leading his Democrats, including liberals expecting that the change he promises will come instantly. It won't.
On the heels of a campaign in which cash wasn't a concern, Obama must tackle all of those tasks with no room in the budget as the nation heads for a painful, perhaps long-lasting, recession. No new president has faced so much since Franklin Delano Roosevelt — and even he didn't have two wars on his plate. Roosevelt had four months to come up with programs to address the Great Depression before he took office on March 4, 1933. READ MORE
