Barack Obama becomes 44th President of America

Barack Obama become 44th President of America. In a victory speech at midnight when the results indicated an epochal change, Obama paid rich tributes to the country, the system, and the society that made it all possible: "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," Obama told 125,000 jubilant supporters in Chicago, the finale of the many 100,000 plus rallies that reflected "Obamania" and easily explained the landslide. It was a crushing victory for the young senator of composite racial and complex social background who has already evoked universal admiration for his poise and serenity. Needing 270 electoral votes out of 538 to win the White House, he has cruised to 349, capturing at least half a dozen traditionally Republican states previously won by George Bush in 2004, in addition to the Democratic strongholds on either coast. McCain has only won 159 electoral votes, all of them in the narrowed down Republican heartland. Results in three states are still awaited.
The Congressional victories were not the rout of Republicans it was expected to be, suggesting large parts of the country were holding back from giving unbridled power to Democrats. Still, the last time Democrats held the reins of power with such comfortable majority in all three wings of government was in 1976 when Jimmy Carter won handsomely against Gerald Ford and Democrats won both Houses of Congress by big margins.