Präsidentschaftswahlen in den Vereinigten Staaten

Präsidentschaftswahlen in den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika

Alle 538 Wahlstimmen des Wahlkollegiums 270 erforderliche Wahlstimmen
Wahlbeteiligung	58,2% [1]
Blau bezeichnet die von Obama / Biden gewonnenen, Rot die von McCain / Palin gewonnenen Staaten. Zahlen geben Wahlstimmen an, die dem Gewinner jedes Staates zugeteilt wurden.

George W. Bush, der amtierende Präsident im Jahr 2008, dessen Amtszeit am 20. Januar 2009 abgelaufen war

Die 2008 war die Präsidentschaftswahl der Vereinigten Staaten die 56. vierteljährlichen Präsidentschaftswahlen. Es wurde am Dienstag, dem 4. November 2008, abgehalten. Das demokratische Ticket von Barack Obama, dem jüngsten Senator aus Illinois, und Joe Biden, dem älteren Senator aus Delaware, besiegten das republikanische Ticket von John McCain, dem älteren Senator aus Arizona, und Sarah Palin, der Gouverneur von Alaska. Obama wurde der erste Afroamerikaner, der jemals zum Präsidenten gewählt wurde.

Der amtierende republikanische Präsident George W. Bush konnte aufgrund der durch die 22. Änderung festgelegten Fristen keine dritte Amtszeit antreten. Da weder Bush noch Vizepräsident Dick Cheney die Präsidentschaft anstrebten, war die Wahl 2008 die erste Wahl seit 1952, bei der weder der amtierende Präsident noch der amtierende Vizepräsident der beiden großen Präsidenten der Präsidentschaftskandidat war. McCain sicherte sich bis März 2008 die Republikaner-Nominierung und besiegte Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee und andere Herausforderer. Die demokratischen Vorwahlen waren durch einen scharfen Wettbewerb zwischen Obama und dem ersten Spitzenreiter Senator Hillary Clinton gekennzeichnet. Clintons Sieg in der New Hampshire-Vorwahl machte sie zur ersten Frau, die die Vorwahlen der Präsidenten einer großen Partei gewann. ^{[nb 1]} Nach einer langen Hauptsaison gewann Obama im Juni 2008 die Nominierung der Demokraten.

Frühe Kampagnen konzentrierten sich stark auf den Irak-Krieg und Bushs Unpopularität. McCain unterstützte den Krieg sowie einen Truppenanstieg, der 2007 begonnen hatte, während Obama den Krieg stark ablehnte. Bush befürwortete McCain, aber die beiden traten nicht zusammen auf, und Bush erschien nicht persönlich auf dem Republican National Convention 2008. Obama setzte sich für das Thema "Washington muss sich ändern" ein, während McCain seine Erfahrung betonte. Die Kampagne war stark von dem Ausbruch einer großen Finanzkrise betroffen, die im September 2008 ihren Höhepunkt erreichte. McCains Entscheidung, seine Kampagne während des Höhepunkts der Finanzkrise auszusetzen, schlug fehl, da die Wähler seine Reaktion als unberechenbar empfanden.

Obama gewann einen entscheidenden Sieg über McCain, gewann das Wahlkollegium und die Volksabstimmung mit beträchtlichem Vorsprung, einschließlich Staaten, die seit 1976 (North Carolina) und 1964 (Indiana und Virginia) nicht für den demokratischen Präsidentschaftskandidaten gestimmt hatten. Obama erhielt den größten Teil der von Lyndon B. Johnson im Jahr 1964 gewonnenen Volksabstimmung. Ab den Präsidentschaftswahlen von 2016 ^[update] ist Obamas Gesamtzahl von 69,5 Millionen Stimmen immer noch die größte Zahl, die je von einem Präsidentschaftskandidaten errungen wurde.

Nominierungen [ edit ]

Nominierung der Demokratischen Partei [ edit

Kandidat

Zurückgezogene Kandidaten [ edit ]

• Hillary Clinton, US-Senatorin aus New York (trat am 7. Juni 2008 zurück und billigte Barack Obama)


• John Edwards, ehemaliger US-Senator aus North Carolina (am 30. Januar 2008 zurückgezogen und Barack Obama gebilligt)


• Bill Richardson, Gouverneur von New Mexico (am 10. Januar 2008 zurückgetreten und Barack Obama gebilligt)


• Dennis Kucinich, US-Abgeordneter aus Ohio (im Januar zurückgetreten) 24, 2008 und billigte Barack Obama)


• Joe Biden, US-Senator aus Delaware (trat am 3. Januar 2008 zurück und billigte Barack Obama)


• Mike Gravel, ehemaliger US-Senator aus Alaska (zog sich am 25. März 2008 zurück.) für die Libertarian Party-Nominierung. Nachdem er die Nominierung verloren hatte, billigte er Jesse Johnson)


• Christop ihr Dodd, US-Senator aus Connecticut (zurückgetreten am 3. Januar 2008 und unterstützte Barack Obama)


• Evan Bayh, US-Senator aus Indiana (trat am 15. Dezember 2007 zurück und befürwortete Hillary Clinton. Später billigte er Barack Obama)


• Tom Vilsack, ehemaliger Gouverneur von Iowa (trat am 23. Februar 2007 zurück und billigte Hillary Clinton. Später billigte er Barack Obama)

• 
  

  

  
  
  


• 
  

  

  
  
  


• 
  

  

  
  
  


• 
  

  

  
  
  


• 
  

  

  
  
  


• 
  

  

  
  
  


• 
  

  

  
  
  


• 
  

  

  
  
  


• 
  

  

  
  
  

Vor den Vorwahlen ]]

Die Medienspekulation hatte fast unmittelbar nach der Veröffentlichung der Präsidentschaftswahlen von 2004 begonnen. Bei den Zwischenwahlen von 2006 erlangten die Demokraten in beiden Häusern des US-Kongresses die Mehrheitsbeteiligung. ^[4] Frühe Umfragen, bevor jemand eine Kandidatur angekündigt hatte, hatten Senatoren Hillary Clinton und Barack Obama als populärste potenzielle demokratische Kandidaten gezeigt. ^[5] Dennoch Die Medien spekulierten auf mehrere andere Kandidaten, darunter Al Gore, den zweiten Platz bei den Wahlen von 2000; John Kerry, der Vizemeister bei den Wahlen von 2004; John Edwards, Kerrys Vizekandidat im Jahr 2004; Senator aus Delaware Joe Biden; Gouverneur von New Mexico, Bill Richardson; Iowa Gouverneur Tom Vilsack; und Indiana Senator Evan Bayh. ^[6]

Edwards war einer der ersten, der am 28. Dezember 2006 offiziell seine Kandidatur für die Präsidentschaft ankündigte. Dies wäre sein zweiter Versuch der Präsidentschaft. ^[7] Clinton kündigte am 20. Januar 2007 die Absicht an, in den demokratischen Vorwahlen zu kandidieren. ^[8] Obama kündigte am 10. Februar in seinem Heimatstaat Illinois seine Kandidatur an. ^[8]

Frühe Vorwahlen und Kauzien [ edit ]

Anfang des Jahres begann die Unterstützung für Barack Obama in den Umfragen zuzunehmen, und er überholte Clinton für den ersten Platz in Iowa. Am Ende gewann er den Caucus in diesem Bundesstaat, John Edwards wurde Zweiter und Clinton Dritter. ^[9] Obamas Sieg wurde hauptsächlich von Caucus-Gängern und Independents angeheizt und zeigte, dass die Wähler ihn als "Kandidaten der Veränderung" sahen. ^[9] Iowa wurde seitdem als der Staat angesehen, der Obamas Wahlkampf gestartet hat und ihn auf den Weg gebracht hat, um sowohl die Nominierung als auch die Präsidentschaft zu gewinnen. ^[10] Nachdem der Iowa-Caucus, Joe Biden und Christopher Dodd, aus dem Nominierungswettbewerb zurückgetreten waren. ^[9]

Obama wurde der neue Spitzenreiter in New Hampshire, als seine Wahlzahlen nach seinem Sieg in Iowa in die Höhe schossen. ^[11] Die Clinton-Kampagne kämpfte nach einer riesigen Niederlage in Iowa und keiner weiteren Strategie frühe Vorwahlen und Caucus. Laut The Vancouver Sun hatten Campaign-Strategen "ein Siegesszenario kartiert, in dem die ehemalige First Lady die Nominierung der Demokratischen Präsidentschaft bis zum Super Tuesday am 5. Februar abschließt." ^[12] Was als eine Wende angesehen wird Punkt für ihre Kampagne, Clinton hatte eine starke Leistung am Saint Anselm College, ABC und Facebook Debatten einige Tage vor der New Hampshire-Vorschule sowie ein emotionales Interview in einer öffentlichen Live-Sendung im Fernsehen. ^[13] Clinton gewann diese Primär von 2% der Stimmen, entgegen den Vorhersagen von Meinungsforschern, die ihren Obama bis zum primären Datum für einige Tage konsequent hinter sich gelassen hatten. ^[11] Clintons Sieg war das erste Mal, dass eine Frau zum ersten Mal eine US-Präsidentschaftspräsidentschaft für eine amerikanische Partei gewann Zwecke der Delegiertenauswahl ^[14]

Am 30. Januar 2008, nach Platz drei in den Vorwahlen von New Hampshire und South Carolina, gab Edwards bekannt, dass er seine Kampagne aussetzen würde. f oder der Präsidentschaft, aber er unterstützte zunächst keine verbleibenden Kandidaten. ^[15][16]

Super Tuesday [ edit ]

Super Tuesday war der 5. Februar 2008 , als die größte Anzahl gleichzeitiger staatlicher Vorwahlen abgehalten wurde. ^[17] Der Super-Dienstag endete letztendlich bei den Demokraten: Obama sammelte 847 Delegierte zu Clintons 834 aus 23 Staaten, die demokratische Vorwahlen hielten. ^[18]

Kalifornien gehörte zu den Super Tuesday Staaten, die den Kandidaten eine große Anzahl von Delegierten zur Verfügung stellen konnten. Obama war in der kalifornischen Wahl um durchschnittlich 6,0% vor dem Primary zurückgeblieben; Am Ende verlor er diesen Staat um 8,3% der Stimmen. ^[19] Einige Analysten zitierten eine große Wahlbeteiligung "Latino", die Clinton als entscheidenden Faktor wählte. ^[20]

The Louisiana, Nebraska , Hawaii, Wisconsin, Amerikanische Jungferninseln, die Vorwahlen von District of Columbia, Maryland und Virginia sowie die Washingtoner und Maine-Caucuses fanden alle nach dem Super Tuesday im Februar statt. Obama gewann sie alle und bescherte ihm zehn Siege in Folge nach dem Super Tuesday. ^[21][22]

Ohio, Texas und Pennsylvania [ edit ]

Am 4. März führten Hillary Clinton Ohio und Rhode Island in den demokratischen Vorwahlen; Einige betrachteten diese Siege, vor allem Ohio, als "Überraschungseinbruch" um 10%, ^[23][24] obwohl sie in beiden Bundesländern im Durchschnitt der Wahlergebnisse lag. ^{[19] [25]} Sie trug auch die Vorwahlen in Texas, aber Obama gewann die am selben Tag veranstalteten Versammlungen in Texas und zog mehr Delegierte des Staates als Clinton ein. ^[26]

Im April hatte nur ein Staat eine Vorwahlen. Dies war am 22. April in Pennsylvania. Obwohl Obama große Anstrengungen unternommen hatte, um Pennsylvania zu gewinnen, gewann Hillary Clinton diese Vorwahlen mit fast 55% der Stimmen um fast 10%. ^[27] Obama hatte Clinton drei zu eins in Pennsylvania ausgegeben, aber sein Kommentar in einer San Francisco-Spendensammlung, wonach Amerikaner aus Kleinstädten an Waffen und Religion "klammern", zog scharfe Kritik an der Clinton-Kampagne und könnte seine Chancen im Keystone-Staat beeinträchtigt haben. ^[28] Darüber hinaus hatte Clinton in Pennsylvania mehrere Vorteile. Während des gesamten Prozesses stützte sie sich auf die Unterstützung älterer, weißer Wähler der Arbeiterklasse. Pennsylvania hatte eine geschlossene Vorschule, was bedeutet, dass nur registrierte Demokraten wählen konnten, und laut Ron Elving von NPR war das etablierte demokratische Wahlvolk "älter, weißer, katholischer und mehr Arbeiterklasse als die meisten bisherigen Vorwahlen. " ^[29] Nach Pennsylvania hatte Obama eine höhere Anzahl von Delegierten und Wählerstimmen als Clinton und war immer noch in einer stärkeren Position, um die Nominierung zu gewinnen. Clinton hatte jedoch die Befürwortung von mehr Superdelegaten als Obama erhalten. ^[27]

Indiana und North Carolina [ edit

Am 6. Mai, North Carolina und Indiana hielt ihre demokratischen Vorwahlen des Präsidenten. Clinton und Obama haben dort vor der Abstimmung aggressiv gekämpft. Polling hatte Obama in North Carolina und Clinton, die in Indiana ähnlich führend waren, ein paar Punkte voraus. ^{[30] [31]} In den tatsächlichen Ergebnissen übertraf Obama die Umfragen in beiden Bundesstaaten um mehrere Punkte und gewann mit deutlichem Vorsprung in North Carolina ^[32] und verlor in Indiana nur um 1,1% (50,56% auf 49,44%). ^[33] Nach diesen Vorwahlen erklärten die meisten Experten, dass Clinton die Nominierung "zunehmend unwahrscheinlich" sei, wenn nicht gar unmöglich. ^[34] Der kleine Sieg in Indiana hielt ihre Kampagne kaum für den nächsten Monat aufrecht. ^[35] Obwohl es ihr gelang, die Mehrheit der verbliebenen Vorwahlen und Delegierten zu gewinnen, reichte es nicht aus, um Obamas beträchtliche Delegiertenführung zu überwinden.

Florida und Michigan [ edit ]

Ende 2007 verabschiedeten die beiden Parteien Regeln gegen das Verschieben der Vorwahlen durch die Staaten zu einem früheren Zeitpunkt im Jahr. Für die Republikaner sollte die Strafe für diesen Verstoß der Verlust der Hälfte der Delegierten des Vertragsstaates sein. Die demokratische Strafe war der vollständige Ausschluss von Delegierten aus Staaten, die gegen diese Regeln verstoßen, von der nationalen Versammlung. Die Demokratische Partei erlaubte nur vier Staaten, vor dem 5. Februar 2008 Wahlen abzuhalten. Clinton gewann die Mehrheit der Delegierten und die Stimmen der Bürger beider Staaten (obwohl 40% in Michigan nicht gebunden waren) und führte anschließend einen Kampf um den Sitz aller Delegierten aus Florida und Michigan ^[36]

Es wurde spekuliert, dass der Kampf um die Delegierten bis zur Konvention im August andauern könnte. Am 31. Mai 2008 hat der Ausschuss für Regeln und Statuten der Demokratischen Partei einen Kompromiss bezüglich der Situation der Delegierten in Florida und Michigan erzielt. Das Komitee beschloss, am Kongress im August Delegierte aus Michigan und Florida zu besetzen, aber nur jeweils eine halbe Stimme zu vergeben. ^[37]

Die Nominierung [] ]

2008 DNC während der Aufführung von Stevie Wonder

Der Nominierungsprozess der politischen Parteien (technisch) wird im Juni eines Wahljahres fortgesetzt. In früheren Zyklen wurden die Kandidaten bis zum Ende der Vorwahlen im März effektiv ausgewählt. In diesem Zyklus gewann Barack Obama jedoch nicht genügend Delegierte, um die Nominierung bis zum 3. Juni nach einer 17-monatigen Kampagne gegen Hillary zu sichern Clinton Er hatte einen breiten Vorsprung in den gewonnenen Staaten, während Clinton in mehreren größeren Staaten die Mehrheit errungen hatte. Weil eine Form der proportionalen Vertretung und der Volksabstimmung zu demokratischen Delegiertenwettbewerben führte, waren die Zahlen zwischen Clinton und Obama eng. ^[38] Im Mai behauptete Clinton, bei der Volksabstimmung eine Führung zu haben, aber die Associated Press stellte fest, dass ihre Zahlen in einem engen Szenario "genau" waren. ^[39]

Im Juni nach dem letzten Von den Vorwahlen hatte Obama die demokratische Nominierung für den Präsidenten mit Hilfe mehrerer Super-Delegierten-Befürworter gesichert (die meisten Super-Delegierten hatten sich geweigert, ihre Unterstützung für einen der beiden Kandidaten zu erklären, bis die Vorwahlen abgeschlossen waren). ^[40] Er war der erste Afroamerikaner, der die Ernennung einer großen politischen Partei in den Vereinigten Staaten gewann. ^[41] Mehrere Tage lang weigerte sich Clinton, das Rennen einzuräumen, obwohl sie am 3. Juni in ihrem Heimatstaat New York signalisierte, dass ihre Präsidentschaftswahl endete. ^[42] Sie gab Obama schließlich am 7. Juni die Nominierung zu. Sie versprach dem mutmaßlichen Nominierten volle Unterstützung und versprach, alles zu tun, um ihm zu helfen, gewählt zu werden. ^[43]

Nominierung der Republikanischen Partei [ edit ]

Nicht nur die Wahlen von 2008 waren das erste Mal seit 1952, dass weder der amtierende Präsident noch der amtierende Vizepräsident ein Kandidat bei den Parlamentswahlen waren, sondern auch das erste Mal seit den Wahlen von 1928 dass keiner von beiden die Ernennung seiner Partei zum Präsidenten anstrebte; Da Bush von der Suche nach einer anderen Nominierung befristet war, war der einzige Aspekt, dass Vizepräsident Cheney die Entscheidung getroffen hatte, die republikanische Nominierung nicht zu suchen. ^{[44] [45]} Die Wahlen von 2008 waren auch die dritte Präsidentschaftswahl seit 1896, bei der weder der amtierende Präsident, der amtierende Vizepräsident noch ein gegenwärtiges oder ehemaliges Mitglied des Kabinetts des amtierenden Präsidenten die Nominierung einer der beiden großen Parteien (1920 und 1952) gewann. ^[46] Da keine Mitglieder der Bush-Regierung als Hauptanwärter für die republikanische Nominierung aufkamen, war die republikanische Rasse so offen wie die demokratische.

Kandidat [ edit ]

Zurückgezogene Kandidaten [ edit ]

• 
  
  • Mitt Romney, ehemaliger Gouverneur von Massachusetts (am 7. Februar 2008 niedergelegt) und John McCain gebilligt)
  
  
  • Mike Huckabee, ehemaliger Gouverneur von Arkansas (am 4. März 2008 zurückgetreten und John McCain befürwortet)
  
  
  • Ron Paul, US-Vertreter aus Texas (am 12. Juni 2008 zurückgetreten und befürwortete Chuck Baldwin) [19659025] Rudy Giuliani, ehemaliger Bürgermeister von New York City (zurückgetreten am 30. Januar 2008 und unterstützte John McCain)
  
  
  • Fred Thompson, ehemaliger US-Senator aus Tennessee (zurückgetreten am 22. Januar 2008 und bestätigte John McCain)
  
  
  • Alan Keyes, ehemaliger US-amerikanischer ECOSOC-Botschafter aus Maryland (zog sich am 15. April 2008 zurück, um für die Nominierung der Verfassungspartei zu kandidieren. Nachdem er diese Nominierung verloren hatte, trat er als US-amerikanischer Kandidat für die Unabhängige Partei an.)
  
  
  • Duncan Hunter, US-Vertreter aus Kalifornien (trat zurück am 19. Januar 2008 und billigte Mike Huc Kabee Später billigte er John McCain)
  
  
  • Tom Tancredo, US-Vertreter aus Colorado (zog sich am 20. Dezember 2007 zurück und billigte Mitt Romney. Später billigte er John McCain.)
  
  
  • Sam Brownback, US-Senator aus Kansas (am 18. Oktober 2007 und billigte John McCain)
  
  
  • Tommy Thompson, ehemaliger US-amerikanischer Minister für Gesundheit und menschliche Dienste (zog sich am 12. August 2007 zurück und billigte Rudy Giuliani. Später billigte er John McCain)
  
  
  • Jim Gilmore, ehemaliger Gouverneur von Virginia ( zog sich am 14. Juli 2007 zurück und bestätigte John McCain)
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    
    
  
  

  Vor den Vorwahlen [ edit ]

  
  

  Unmittelbar nach den Zwischenwahlen von 2006 begannen Medienexperten wie über die Demokraten zu spekulieren über mögliche republikanische Präsidentschaftskandidaten im Jahr 2008. ^[5] Im November 2006 führte der ehemalige Bürgermeister von New York City, Rudolph Giuliani, die Wahlen an, dicht gefolgt von dem US-Senator John McCain. ^[47] Die Medien spekulierten, dass Giulianis Wahlentscheidung in Bezug auf Abtreibung und McCains Alter und die Unterstützung des unpopulären Irak-Krieges einen Nachteil für ihre Kandidaturen darstellten. ^[5] Giuliani blieb 2007 mit McCain und dem ehemaligen Tennessee Senator Fred die Spitze der Wahlen Thompson kämpft um den zweiten Platz. ^[48] Der Gouverneur von Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, Giuliani, der ehemalige Massachusetts-Gouverneur Mitt Romney und der texanische Vertreter Ron Paul haben am 28. Januar, 5. Februar, 13. Februar und 12. März ihre Kandidaturen angekündigt. ^{[49] [50] [51] [52]} McCain gab am 1. März 2007 nach mehreren informellen Ankündigungen offiziell seine Kandidatur bekannt. ^[53] Im dritten Quartal 2007 waren Romney, Giuliani, Thompson und Ron Paul die ersten vier GOP-Spendenaktionen (Republikaner). ^[54] Chuck Todd von MSNBC taufte Giuliani und John McCain nach der zweiten republikanischen Präsidentschaftsdebatte Anfang 2007 als Spitzenreiter ein. ^[55]

  
  

  Frühe Vorwahlen / Caucuses [

  
  

  Huckabee Der Gewinner von Iowa hatte wenig bis gar kein Geld und hoffte auf einen dritten Platz in New Hampshire. McCain verdrängte schließlich Rudy Giuliani und Romney als Spitzenreiter in New Hampshire. McCain feierte einen Turnaround-Sieg, ^[56] der von den Panditen abgeschrieben wurde und weniger als einen Monat vor dem Rennen im einstelligen Bereich abstimmte. ^[57]

  Mit den Republikanern Nachdem Michigan und Florida die Hälfte ihrer Delegierten dafür entlassen hatten, dass ihre Vorwahlen gegen die Regeln der Partei in den Januar 2008 verlegt worden waren, fand das Rennen um die Nominierung dort statt. McCain gelang ein kleiner Sieg gegen Huckabee in South Carolina, ^[58] der ihn zu einem größeren und wichtigeren Sieg über Romney in Florida aufstellte, das am 29. Januar einen geschlossenen Vorrang hatte. ^[59] Zu dieser Zeit, nach mehreren Skandalen, keinen Erfolg bei den frühen Vorwahlen und einem dritten Platz in Florida, gab Giuliani aus dem Nominierungsrennen nach und unterstützte John McCain am nächsten Tag. ^[60]

  
  

  Super Tuesday [19659017] [ edit ]

  
  

  McCain wurde im Februar auch vom kalifornischen Gouverneur Arnold Schwarzenegger gebilligt, bevor die kalifornischen Vorwahlen am Super Tuesday stattfanden. Dies gab ihm einen erheblichen Aufschwung in den Umfragen für die wichtigsten Staaten des Staates, ^[61] die die meisten Delegierten aller Staaten auszeichneten. Am Super Tuesday gewann McCain mit 53 Delegierten seinen Heimatstaat Arizona. Er gewann auch fast alle 173 kalifornischen Delegierten, den größten Super-Dienstag-Preis. McCain erzielte auch in sieben anderen Bundesstaaten und gewann 574 Delegierte. ^[62] Huckabee war der "Überraschungskünstler" und gewann 5 Staaten und 218 Delegierte. ^[62] Romney gewann 7 Bundesstaaten und 231 Delegierte. ^[62] Zwei Tage später setzte Romney seine Präsidentschaftskampagne aus und sagte, wenn er im Rennen bleiben würde, würde er "den Start einer nationalen Kampagne verhindern und Senator Clinton oder Obama den Sieg erleichtern." ^[63] Nach seinem Ausscheiden waren Huckabee und Paul die einzigen großen Herausforderer von McCain in den verbleibenden Vorwahlen und Caucuses. Romney unterstützte McCain am 14. Februar. ^[64]

  Louisiana, der Distrikt Columbia, Kansas, Wisconsin und Washington hielten im Februar nach dem Super-Dienstag Vorwahlen. Obwohl McCain große Siege holte, gewann Huckabee Louisiana und Kansas. McCain trug die Washingtoner KPCh knapp über Huckabee und Paul, die eine große Show anhäuften. ^[22] Die Jungferninseln und Puerto Rico schlossen den Februar für die Republikaner. Nach dem Super Tuesday war John McCain klarer Spitzenreiter geworden, aber bis Ende Februar hatte er immer noch nicht genügend Delegierte, um die Nominierung zu sichern. Im März holte John McCain die republikanische Nominierung, nachdem er alle vier Vorwahlen Texas, Ohio, Vermont und Rhode Island besiegt hatte. Damit war er unter den 1.191 Delegierten, die für den Gewinn der GOP-Nominierung erforderlich waren. ^[25] Mike Huckabee gab das Rennen dann McCain zu und ließ Ron Paul, der nur 16 Delegierte hatte, als seinen einzigen verbliebenen Gegner zurück. ^[65] 4 Jahre später wurde Romney Präsidentschaftskandidat der Republikaner, den er dann gegen Barack Obama verlor.
  

  
  

  Weitere Nominierungen [ edit ]

  
  
  

  Zusammen mit der Partei der Demokraten und der Republikaner nannten drei andere Parteien Kandidaten mit Wahlberechtigung in genügend Staaten, um die mindestens 270 Wahlstimmen zu erhalten, die für den Wahlsieg erforderlich waren Wahl. Dies waren die Verfassungspartei, die Grüne Partei und die Libertäre Partei. Daneben führte der unabhängige Kandidat Ralph Nader seine eigene Kampagne durch.
  

  Die Verfassungspartei ernannte den Schriftsteller, Pastor und konservativen Talkshow-Moderator Chuck Baldwin zum Präsidenten und den Anwalt Darrell Castle aus Tennessee zum Vizepräsidenten. ^{[66] [67]} Während seiner Wahlkampagne trat Baldwin gegen den Irak-Krieg, die Sechzehnte Änderung, Roe v. Wade die IRS und die Federal Reserve ^[68]

  Die Grüne Partei nominierte die ehemalige demokratische Vertreterin Cynthia McKinney aus Georgia zum Präsidenten und die politische Aktivistin Rosa Clemente aus New York zum Vizepräsidenten. McKinney setzte sich für eine Plattform ein, die die universelle Gesundheitsfürsorge für Einzelpersonen, den Abzug amerikanischer Truppen aus dem Irak und Afghanistan, Reparationen für Afroamerikaner und die Schaffung einer Friedensabteilung unterstützte. ^[69]

  Die libertäre Partei hat den ehemaligen republikanischen Vertreter Bob Barr aus Georgien zum Präsidenten und seinen ehemaligen Rivalen für die libertäre Nominierung Wayne Allyn Root aus Nevada zum Vizepräsidenten ernannt. Während des Präsidentschaftswahlkampfs 2008 setzte sich Barr für eine Überarbeitung oder Abschaffung der Einkommensteuer ein ^[70] und trat gegen den Krieg im Irak ^[71] und den Patriot Act ^{[72] ein ]}

  
  

  Kandidatengalerie [ edit ]

  
  

  Parteikonventionen [ edit

  
  
  Stätten der nationalen Parteikonventionen von 2008
  
  
  • vom 23. April 26. November 2008: Nationaler Kongress der Verfassungspartei 2008 in Kansas City, Missouri.
  
  
  • 23. – 26. Mai 2008: Libertarian National Convention 2008, abgehalten in Denver, Colorado.
  
  
  • 10. – 13. Juli 2008: 2008 Grün Party National Convention, abgehalten in Chicago, Illinois.
  
  
  • 25. - 28. August 2008: Demokratische nationale Versammlung 2008, abgehalten in Denver, Colorado.
  
  
  • 1. - 4. September 2008: Republikanische nationale Versammlung 2008, abgehalten in Saint Paul , Minnesota.

  Allgemeine Wahlkampagne [ edit ]

  
  

  Ausgaben [ e dit ]

  
  

  Irak [ edit ]

  
  

  Der unpopuläre Krieg im Irak war während des Feldzugs vor der Wirtschaftskrise ein zentrales Thema. John McCain unterstützte den Krieg, während Barack Obama dagegen war (Obamas frühe und heftige Opposition gegen den Krieg half ihm, sich während der Vorwahlen gegen die anderen Kandidaten der Demokraten zu behaupten und sich während des Wahlkampfs gegen ein vom Krieg ermüdetes Wahlvolk abzuheben). Obwohl McCain es als Friedenspräsenz meinte, wie die Vereinigten Staaten nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg in Deutschland und Japan behaupteten, ^[73] seine Aussage, dass die Vereinigten Staaten bis zu 50 bis 100 im Irak sein könnten Jahre würden sich als kostspielig erweisen. Obama verwendete es gegen ihn als Teil seiner Strategie, um ihn an den unpopulären Präsidenten Bush zu binden.
  

  Die Unterstützung von John McCain für den von General David Petraeus eingesetzten Truppenanstieg, der einer der zahlreichen Sicherheitsfaktoren im Irak zugeschrieben wurde, hat McCains Haltung in der Wählerschaft möglicherweise verstärkt. McCain (der die Invasion unterstützte) argumentierte, dass seine Unterstützung für den erfolgreichen Anstieg sein überlegenes Urteil zeige. Obama erinnerte die Wähler jedoch schnell daran, dass es keinen "Anstieg" gegeben hätte, wenn es überhaupt keinen Krieg gegeben hätte, was McCains Urteil in Frage stellt.
  

  
  

  Bushs Unbeliebtheit [ edit ]

  
  

  George W. Bush war bis 2006 zunehmend unpopulär geworden. Umfragen zeigten, dass seine Zustimmung bei den amerikanischen Wählern im Durchschnitt bei 30 Prozent lag. ^{[74] [75] [76]} Im März 2008 billigte Bush McCain im Weißen Haus, ^[77] aber Bush machte während der Kampagne keinen einzigen Auftritt für McCain. Auf der GOP Convention 2008 erschien Bush nur per Live-Video. Er entschied sich dafür, wegen Katastrophenereignissen im Golf von Mexiko nach dem Hurrikan Gustav nicht persönlich zu erscheinen. Obwohl er den Krieg im Irak unterstützte, versuchte McCain zu zeigen, dass er sich in vielen anderen wichtigen Fragen wie dem Klimawandel nicht mit Bush geeinigt hatte. Während des gesamten Wahlkampfs widersprach Obama in Anzeigen und bei zahlreichen Wahlkampfaktionen, die McCain in einem Interview behauptet hatte, er habe zu 90% mit Bush abgestimmt, und die Abstimmungsunterlagen des Kongresses unterstützten dies für die Jahre, in denen Bush im Amt war ^[78]

  
  

  Altersausgabe [ edit ]

  
  
  
  
  

  Ähnlich wie bei der Präsidentschaftskampagne von Senator Bob Dole aus dem Jahr 1996 war die Anklageschrift gegen McCain eine seiner weit verbreiteten Anklagen Alter - er wurde im August 72 Jahre alt, und es herrschte große Besorgnis über die Idee, einen Mann zu wählen, der 80 Jahre alt wäre, wenn er zwei volle Amtsperioden abschließen würde (der älteste Präsident, Ronald Reagan, war einen Monat unter 78 gewesen, als er im Januar 1989 sein Amt verlassen). Darüber hinaus litt McCain unter den negativen Folgen seiner Gefangenschaft in Nordvietnam und hatte Berichten zufolge Schwierigkeiten, die Arme über den Kopf zu heben. Insbesondere sein Alter galt als Schuld gegen den jugendlichen Senator Obama, der als erster Generation Xer auf einer großen Parteikarte für den Präsidenten kandidierte. McCain zum Vergleich wurde vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg geboren und gehörte zu der Generation, die den Babyboomern vorausging. Ähnlich wie bei Bob Dole versuchte McCain, diesen Vorwürfen entgegenzuwirken, indem er alle seine medizinischen Unterlagen herausgab, was Obama nicht tat. McCains Ehefrau Cindy wies Bedenken über seine Gesundheit zurück und argumentierte: "Wir waren letzten Sommer im Grand Canyon wandern und [John] waren großartig und hatten keine Schwierigkeiten, mit uns Schritt zu halten." McCain erschien auch bei mehreren Wahlkampfstopps mit seiner immer noch aktiven 95-jährigen Mutter. In einer Rede auf der Ebene des Hauses kritisierte der Pennsylvania-Kongressabgeordnete John Murtha das Alter von McCain mit den Worten: "Seit ich im Kongress bin, sind sieben Präsidenten gekommen und gegangen, und ich sah den Tribut, den die Arbeit für jeden von ihnen hatte." Wenn McCain gewählt würde, wäre er der erste und einzige Präsident gewesen, der in den 1930er Jahren geboren wurde.
  

  Wie die Clinton-Kampagne im Jahr 1996 vermied Obama es, über McCains Alter direkt zu sprechen, sondern zog es vor, seine Ideen und Botschaften einfach als "alt" und "alter Hut" zu bezeichnen. Er appellierte auch stark an die Jugendwähler und hatte während seines Hauptwettbewerbs mit Hillary Clinton gesagt: "Als ich die Fehden zwischen den Clintons und [Newt Gingrich] in den 1990er Jahren beobachtet hatte, erinnerte ich mich an alte Streitigkeiten, die seit langem auf den Universitätsgeländen entstanden sind Es ist Zeit für eine neue Generation. " Obamas aktiver Einsatz eines Blackberry und anderer moderner Technologien stand auch im Widerspruch zu dem Eingeständnis des Senators von Arizona, dass er weder einen Computer noch ein Handy verwendet habe. McCains Dienst in Vietnam war zwar für Babyboomer vermarktbar, wurde jedoch für jüngere Wähler als "unwichtig" bezeichnet.
  

  
  
  

  Obama kämpft als Symbol des Wandels in Cleveland, Ohio, mit einem Zeichen "Change We Need"
  
  

  Obama versprach "allgemeine Gesundheitsfürsorge, Vollbeschäftigung, ein grünes Amerika und ein von seinen Feinden respektiertes Amerika" .^[79]

  Polls regularly found the general electorate as a whole divided more evenly between 'change' and 'experience' as candidate qualities than the Democratic primary electorate, which split in favor of 'change' by a nearly 2-1 margin.^[80] Advantages for McCain and Obama on experience and the ability to bring change, respectively, remained steady through the November 4 election. However, final pre-election polling found that voters considered Obama's inexperience less of an impediment than McCain's association with sitting President George W. Bush,^[81] an association which was rhetorically framed by the Obama campaign throughout the election season as "more of the same".
  

  McCain appeared to undercut his line of attack by picking first-term Alaska governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate.^[82] Palin had been governor only since 2006, and before that had been a council member and mayor of Wasilla. The choice of Palin was controversial, however it appeared to solve two pressing concerns—McCain's age and health since a youthful vice president would succeed him to office if he died or became incapacitated, and appealing to right-wing conservatives, a group that had been comparatively unmoved by McCain. Palin also came off as more down-to-earth and relatable to average Americans than McCain, widely tarbrushed as a "Beltway insider".^[83] However, media interviews suggested that Palin lacked knowledge on certain key issues, and they cast doubt among many voters about her qualifications to be Vice President or President. In this regard, her inexperience was also a liability when McCain's age and health were factored in—there was a higher-than-normal probability of Palin succeeding to the presidency and many moderates and independents chafed at this idea. "One 72 year old heartbeat away from the presidency" became a popular anti-GOP slogan. Late night TV host David Letterman jokingly referred to Palin as resembling "a slutty flight attendant" and even Obama himself on a September 9 speech referred to the Alaska governor's policies as "the equivalent of putting lipstick on a pig". She also came under attack on everything from her 17-year-old daughter giving birth to a child out of wedlock to actively participating in hunting moose and other animals.^[84] Because of Palin's conservative views, there was also concern that she would alienate independents and moderates, two groups that pundits observed McCain would need to win the election.^[85]

  
  

  Economy[edit]

  
  

  Polls taken in the last few months of the presidential campaign and exit polls conducted on Election Day showed the economy as the top concern for voters.^[86][87] In the fall of 2008, many news sources were reporting that the economy was suffering its most serious downturn since the Great Depression.^[88] During this period, John McCain's election prospects fell with several politically costly comments about the economy.
  

  On August 20, John McCain said in an interview with Politico that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, owned; "I think—I'll have my staff get to you," he told the media outlet.^[89] Both on the stump and in Obama's political ad, "Seven", the gaffe was used to portray McCain as somebody unable to relate to the concerns of ordinary Americans. This out-of-touch image was further cultivated when, on September 15, the day of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, at a morning rally in Jacksonville, Florida, McCain declared that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong," despite what he described as "tremendous turmoil in our financial markets and Wall Street."^[90] With the perception among voters to the contrary, the comment appeared to cost McCain politically.
  

  On September 24, 2008, after the onset of the 2008 global financial crisis, McCain announced that he was suspending his campaign to return to Washington so he could help craft a $700 billion bailout package for the troubled financial industry, and he stated that he would not debate Obama until Congress passed the bailout bill.^[91] Despite this decision, McCain was portrayed as somebody not playing a significant role in the negotiations for the first version of the bill, which fell short of passage in the House. He eventually decided to attend the first presidential debate on September 26, despite Congress' lack of immediate action on the bill. His ineffectiveness in the negotiations and his reversal in decision to attend the debates were seized upon to portray McCain as erratic in his response to the economy. Days later, a second version of the original bailout bill was passed by both the House and Senate, with Obama, his vice presidential running mate Joe Biden, and McCain all voting for the measure (Hillary Clinton would as well).^[92]

  All the aforementioned remarks and campaign issues hurt McCain's standing with voters. All these also occurred after the onset of the economic crisis and after McCain's poll numbers had started to fall. Although sound bites of all of these "missteps" were played repeatedly on national television, many pundits and analysts say that the actual financial crisis and economic conditions caused McCain's large drop in support in mid-September and severely damaged his campaign.^[93][94]

  
  

  Health care[edit]

  
  

  John McCain's proposals focused on open-market competition rather than government funding or control. At the heart of his plan were tax credits – $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families who do not subscribe to or do not have access to health care through their employer. To help people who are denied coverage by insurance companies due to pre-existing conditions, McCain proposed working with states to create what he calls a "Guaranteed Access Plan".^[95]

  Barack Obama called for universal health care. His health care plan proposed creating a National Health Insurance Exchange that would include both private insurance plans and a Medicare-like government run option. Coverage would be guaranteed regardless of health status, and premiums would not vary based on health status either. It would have required parents to cover their children, but did not require adults to buy insurance.
  

  Critics of McCain's plan argued that it would not significantly reduce the number of uninsured Americans, would increase costs, reduce consumer protections and lead to less generous benefit packages.^[96] Critics of Obama's plan argued that it would increase federal regulation of private health insurance without addressing the underlying incentives behind rising health care spending.^[97][98] Mark Pauly suggested that a combination of the two approaches would work better than either one alone.^[99]

  A poll released in early November 2008 found that voters supporting Obama listed health care as their second priority; voters supporting McCain listed it as fourth, tied with the war in Iraq. Affordability was the primary health care priority among both sets of voters. Obama voters were more likely than McCain voters to believe government can do much about health care costs.^[100]

  
  

  Debates[edit]

  
  
  
  
  Sites of the 2008 general election debates
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Debates among candidates for the 2008 U.S. presidential election

  No.	Date	Time	Host	City	Moderators	Participants	Viewership (Millions)
  P1	Friday, September 26, 2008	9:00 pm EDT	University of Mississippi	Oxford, Mississippi	Jim Lehrer	Senator Barack Obama Senator John McCain	52.4[101]
  VP	Friday, October 3, 2008	9:00 pm EDT	Washington University in St. Louis	St. Louis, Missouri	Gwen Ifill	Senator Joe Biden Governor Sarah Palin	69.9[101]
  P2	Tuesday, October 7, 2008	9:00 pm EDT	Belmont University	Nashville, Tennessee	Tom Brokaw	Senator Barack Obama Senator John McCain	63.2[101]
  P3	Wednesday, October 15, 2008	9:00 pm EDT	Hofstra University	Hempstead, New York	Bob Schieffer	Senator Barack Obama Senator John McCain	56.5[101]

  ^[102][103]

  Another debate was sponsored by the Columbia University political union and took place there on October 19. All candidates who could theoretically win the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election were invited, and Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, and Chuck Baldwin agreed to attend. Amy Goodman, principal host of Democracy Now!moderated. It was broadcast on cable by C-SPAN and on the Internet by Break-the-Matrix.^[104]

  
  

  Campaign costs[edit]

  
  
  

  The reported cost of campaigning for president has increased significantly in recent years. One source reported that if the costs for both Democratic and Republican campaigns were added together (for the presidential primary election, general election, and the political conventions), the costs have more than doubled in only eight years ($448.9 million in 1996, $649.5 million in 2000, and $1.01 billion in 2004).^[105] In January 2007, Federal Election Commission Chairman Michael E. Toner estimated that the 2008 race would be a $1 billion election, and that to be taken seriously, a candidate would have needed to raise at least $100 million by the end of 2007.^[106]

  
  

  Expense summary[edit]

  
  

  According to required campaign filings as reported by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), 148 candidates for all parties collectively raised $1,644,712,232 and spent $1,601,104,696 for the primary and general campaigns combined through November 24, 2008. The amounts raised and spent by the major candidates, according to the same source, were as follows:
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Candidate (party)	Amount raised	Amount spent	Votes	Average spent per vote
  Barack Obama (D)	$778,642,962	$760,370,195	69,498,516	$10.94
  John McCain (R)	$379,006,485	$346,666,422	59,948,323	$5.78
  Ralph Nader (I)	$4,496,180	$4,187,628	739,034	$5.67
  Bob Barr (L)	$1,383,681	$1,345,202	523,715	$2.57
  Chuck Baldwin (C)	$261,673	$234,309	199,750	$1.17
  Cynthia McKinney (G)	$240,130	$238,968	161,797	$1.48
  Excludes spending by independent expenditure concerns. Source: Federal Election Commission[107]

  Notable expressions and phrases[edit]

  
  
  • Drill, baby, drill: Republican self-described energy policy
  
  
  • Yes We Can: Obama's campaign slogan
  
  
  • That one: McCain's reference to Obama during the 2nd debate.
  
  
  • Lipstick on a pig: Obama used this phrase to insinuate that any changes that McCain was advocating from the policies of George W. Bush would only be slight modifications of Bush's policies but the underlying policies would be the same, and in Obama's opinion, bad. Some called it sexist, claiming it was a reference to Sarah Palin, who cracked a joke during the Republican convention that the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick.^[108]

  Internet campaigns[edit]

  
  

  Fundraising[edit]

  
  
  

  Howard Dean collected large contributions through the Internet in his 2004 primary run. In 2008, candidates went even further to reach out to Internet users through their own sites and such sites as YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook.^[109][110]

  On December 16, 2007, Ron Paul collected $6 million, more money on a single day through Internet donations than any presidential candidate in US history.^{[111][112][113]}

  
  

  Promotion[edit]

  
  

  Not only did the Internet allow candidates to raise money, but also it gave them a tool to appeal to newer and younger demographics. Political pundits were now evaluating candidates based on their social media following.
  Senator Barack Obama's victory is credited to his competitive edge in social media and Internet following. Obama had over 2 million American supporters on Facebook and 100,000 followers on Twitter, while McCain attracted only 600,000 Facebook supporters (likes) and 4,600 followers on Twitter. Obama's YouTube channel held 115,000 subscribers and more than 97 million video views. Obama had maintained a similar advantage over Senator Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Primary.^[114]

  Obama's edge in social media was crucial to the election outcome. According to a study by the Pew Internet and American Life project, 35 percent of Americans relied on online video for election news. Ten percent of Americans used social networking sites to learn about the election.^[115] The 2008 election showed huge increases in Internet use.
  

  Another study done after the election gave a lot of insight on young voters. Thirty-seven percent of Americans ages 18–24 got election news from social networking sites. Almost a quarter of Americans saw something about the election in an online video.^[116] YouTube and other online video outlets allowed candidates to advertise in ways like never before. The Republican Party in particular was criticized for not adequately using social media and other means to reach young voters.
  

  Anonymous and semi-anonymous smear campaigns, traditionally done with fliers and push calling, also spread to the Internet.^[117] Organizations specializing in the production and distribution of viral material, such as Brave New Films, emerged; such organizations have been said to be having a growing influence on American politics.^[118]

  
  

  Controversies[edit]

  
  

  Voter suppression[edit]

  
  

  Allegations of voter list purges using unlawful criteria caused controversy in at least six swing states: Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina.^[119] On October 5, 2008 the Republican Lt. Governor of Montana, John Bohlinger, accused the Montana Republican Party of vote caging to purge 6,000 voters from three counties which trend Democratic.^[120] Allegations arose in Michigan that the Republican Party planned to challenge the eligibility of voters based on lists of foreclosed homes.^[121] The campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama filed a lawsuit challenging this. The House Judiciary Committee wrote to the Department of Justice requesting an investigation.^[122]

  Libertarian candidate Bob Barr filed a lawsuit in Texas to have Obama and McCain removed from the ballot in that state.^[123] His campaign alleged that both the candidates had missed the August 26 deadline to file, and were present on the ballot contrary to Texas election law. Neither Obama, or McCain at the time of the deadline had been confirmed as the candidate for their respective parties. The Texas Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit without explanation.^[124]

  In Ohio, identified by both parties as a key state, allegations surfaced from both Republicans and Democrats that individuals from out of state were moving to the state temporarily and attempting to vote despite not meeting the state's requirement of permanent residency for more than 29 days. The Franklin County Board of Elections referred 55 cases of possible voting irregularities to the local prosecutor.^[125] Three groups attracted particular notice: 'Vote from Home,' 'Vote Today Ohio,' and 'Drop Everything and Come to Ohio.' Vote from Home attracted the most attention when thirteen of the group's members moved to the same location in eastern Columbus. Members of the group organized by Marc Gustafson, including several Marshall and Rhodes scholars studying at Oxford University, settled with Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien to have their challenged ballots withdrawn.^[126][127] The Obama campaign and others alleged that members of the McCain campaign had also voted without properly establishing residency.^[125] Since 1953, only six people in Ohio have gone to prison for illegal voting.^[128]

  
  

  Media bias[edit]

  
  

  Republicans and independents leveled significant criticism at media outlets' coverage of the presidential election season. An October 22, 2008 Pew Research Center poll estimated 70% of registered voters believed journalists wanted Barack Obama to win the election, as opposed to 9% for John McCain.^[129] Another Pew survey, conducted after the election, found that 67% of voters thought that the press fairly covered Obama, versus 30% who viewed the coverage as unfair. Regarding McCain, 53% of voters viewed his press coverage as fair versus 44% who characterized it as unfair. Among affiliated Democrats, 83% believed the press fairly covered Obama; just 22% of Republicans thought the press was fair to McCain.^[130]

  At the February debate, Tim Russert of NBC News was criticized for what some perceived as disproportionately tough questioning of Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton.^[131] Among the questions, Russert had asked Clinton, but not Obama, to provide the name of the new Russian President (Dmitry Medvedev).^[131] This was later parodied on Saturday Night Live. In October 2007, liberal commentators accused Russert of harassing Clinton over the issue of supporting drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants.^[132]

  On April 16, ABC News hosted a debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos were criticized by viewers, bloggers and media critics for the poor quality of their questions.^[131][132] Many viewers said they considered some of the questions irrelevant when measured against the importance of the faltering economy or the Iraq War. Included in that category were continued questions about Obama's former pastor, Senator Hillary Clinton's assertion that she had to duck sniper fire in Bosnia more than a decade ago, and Senator Obama's not wearing an American flag pin.^[131] The moderators focused on campaign gaffes and some believed they focused too much on Obama.^[132] Stephanopoulos defended their performance, saying "Senator Obama was the front-runner" and the questions were "not inappropriate or irrelevant at all."^[131][132]

  In an op-ed published on April 27, 2008 in The New York TimesElizabeth Edwards wrote that the media covered much more of "the rancor of the campaign" and "amount of money spent" than "the candidates' priorities, policies and principles."^[133] Author Erica Jong commented that "our press has become a sea of triviality, meanness and irrelevant chatter."^[134] A Gallup poll released on May 29, 2008 also estimated that more Americans felt the media was being harder on Hillary Clinton than they were towards Barack Obama. Time magazine columnist Mark Halperin stated that the media during the 2008 election had a "blind, almost slavish" worship of Obama.^[135]

  The Project for Excellence in Journalism and Harvard University's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy conducted a study of 5,374 media narratives and assertions about the presidential candidates from January 1 through March 9, 2008. The study found that Obama received 69% favorable coverage and Clinton received 67%, compared to only 43% favorable media coverage of McCain.^[136] Another study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University found the media coverage of Obama to be 72% negative from June 8 to July 21 compared to 57% negative for McCain.^[137] An October 29 study found 29% of stories about Obama to be negative, compared to 57% of stories about McCain being negative.^[138]

  
  

  Conduct[edit]

  
  
  

  Final poll closing times on Election Day.

    7:30PM EST [00:30 UTC] (3)

    8PM EST [01:00 UTC] (15+DC)

    8:30PM EST [01:30 UTC] (1)

    9PM EST [02:00 UTC] (15)

    10PM EST [03:00 UTC] (4)

    11PM EST [04:00 UTC] (5)

    1AM EST [06:00 UTC] (1)

  
  

  Election Day was on November 4, 2008. The majority of states allowed early voting, with all states allowing some form of absentee voting.^[139] Voters cast votes for listed presidential candidates but were actually selecting representatives for their state's Electoral College slate.
  

  A McCain victory quickly became improbable as Obama amassed early wins in his home state of Illinois, the Northeast, and the critical battleground states of Ohio (which no Republican has ever been elected President without winning) and Pennsylvania by 9:30 PM Eastern Standard Time.^[140] Obama won the entire Northeast by comfortable margins and the Great Lakes states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota by double digits. McCain held on to traditionally Republican states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska (though notably, Obama did win an electoral vote from Nebraska's 2nd congressional district), Kansas, Oklahoma, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and his home state of Arizona. McCain, unlike Bush in 2000 and 2004, failed to win all the southern states: Obama won Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia. Obama also won the hotly contested states of Iowa and New Mexico, which Al Gore had won in 2000 and George W. Bush in 2004. Also, for only the second time since 1940 (1964 being the other), Indiana went Democratic, giving Obama all eight Great Lakes states, the first time a presidential candidate had won all of them since Richard Nixon in 1972.
  

  CNN and Fox News called Virginia for Obama shortly before 11:00 PM, leaving him only 50 electoral votes shy of victory with only six West Coast states (California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and Hawaii) still voting. All American networks called the election in favor of Obama at 11:00 PM as the polls closed on the West Coast. Obama was immediately declared the winner in California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii, McCain won Idaho, and the Electoral College totals were updated to 297 for Obama and 146 for McCain (270 are needed to win). McCain gave a concession speech half an hour later in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.^[141] Obama appeared just before midnight Eastern Time in Grant Park, Chicago, in front of a crowd of 250,000 people to deliver his victory speech.^[142]

  
  
  

  Cartogram of the Electoral Votes for 2008 United States presidential election, each square representing one electoral vote. The map shows the impact of winning swing states. Nebraska, being one of two states that are not winner-take-all, for the first time had its votes split, with its second congressional district voting for Obama.
  
  

  Following Obama's speech, spontaneous street parties broke out in cities across the United States including Philadelphia, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Boston, Los Angeles, Portland, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Denver, Atlanta, Madison, and New York City^[143] and around the world in London; Bonn; Berlin; Obama, Japan; Toronto; Rio de Janeiro; Sydney; and Nairobi.^[144]

  Later on election night, after Obama was named the winner, he picked up several more wins in swing states in which the polls had shown a close race. These included Florida, Indiana, Virginia, and the western states of Colorado and Nevada. All of these states had been carried by Bush in 2004. North Carolina and the bellwether state of Missouri remained undecided for several days. Eventually Obama was declared the winner in North Carolina and McCain in Missouri, with Obama pulling out a rare win in Nebraska's 2nd congressional district. This put the projected electoral vote count at 365 for Obama and 173 for McCain. Obama's victories in the populous swing states of Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Virginia contributed to his decisive win. The presidential electors cast their ballots for President and Vice President, and Congress tallied these votes on January 8, 2009.^[145]

  
  

  Turnout[edit]

  
  
  

  An Obama sign displayed at a home in Arlington, VA, on November 1, 2008.
  
  

  The voter turnout for this election was broadly predicted to be high by American standards,^[146][147] and a record number of votes were cast.^[148] The final tally of total votes counted was 131.3 million, compared to 122.3 million in 2004 (which also boasted the highest record since 1968, the last presidential election before the voting age was lowered to 18). Expressed as a percentage of eligible voters, 131.2 million votes could reflect a turnout as high as 63.0% of eligible voters, which would be the highest since 1960.^[149][150] This 63.0% turnout rate is based on an estimated eligible voter population of 208,323,000.^[150] Another estimate puts the eligible voter population at 213,313,508, resulting in a turnout rate of 61.6%, which would be the highest turnout rate since 1968.^[151]

  Broken down by age group, voters under 35 voted for Obama by a large majority with McCain most popular among voters over 60. Voters between 35 and 59 were nearly split 50/50 between the two candidates.
  

  American University's Center for the Study of the American Electorate released a report on November 6, 2008, two days after the election, which concluded that the anticipated increase in turnout had failed to materialize.^[149] That report was the basis for some news articles that indicated voter turnout failed to meet expectations.^[152][153] When the remaining votes were counted after the release of the report, the total number of votes cast in the presidential election was raised to 131.2 million, which surpassed the American University report's preliminary estimate of 126.5 to 128.5 million voters by a factor of between 2% and 4%.
  

  The election saw increased participation from African Americans, who made up 11.1% of the electorate in 2004, versus 13.0% in 2008.^[154] According to exit polls, over 95% of African Americans voted for Obama. This played a critical role in Southern states such as North Carolina. 74% of North Carolina's registered African American voters turned out, as opposed to 69% of North Carolinians in general, with Obama carrying 100% (with rounding) of African-American females and African Americans age 18 to 29, according to exit polling.^[155] This was also the case in Virginia, where much higher turnout among African Americans propelled Obama to victory in the former Republican stronghold.^[156] Even in southern states in which Obama was unsuccessful, such as Georgia and Mississippi, due to large African American turnout he was much more competitive than John Kerry in 2004.^[157][158]

  
  

  Ballot access[edit]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Presidential ticket	Party	Ballot access[159]	Votes
  Obama / Biden	Democratic	50+DC	69,498,516
  McCain / Palin	Republican	50+DC	59,948,323
  Nader / Gonzalez	Independent	45+DC	739,034
  Barr / Root	Libertarian	45	523,715
  Baldwin / Castle	Constitution	37	199,750
  McKinney / Clemente	Green	32 + DC	161,797
  Others—total		(see below)	242,685

  No other candidate had ballot access in enough states to win 270 electoral votes. All six candidates appeared on the ballot for a majority of the voters, while the 17 other listed candidates were available to no more than 30% of the voters.^[160]

  The following candidates and parties had ballot listing or write-in status in more than one state:^[161]

  
  
  • Alan Keyes (America's Independent Party) received 47,746 votes; listed in three states: Colorado and Florida, plus California (listed as American Independent), and also had write-in status in Kentucky, Ohio, Texas, and Utah.
  
  
  • Ron Paul received 42,426 votes; listed in Louisiana (Louisiana Taxpayers) and in Montana (Constitution), with write-in status in California.
  
  
  • Gloria La Riva (Party for Socialism and Liberation) received 6,808 votes^[162] nationally; listed in 12 states: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
  
  
  • Brian Moore (Socialist Party, see Brian Moore presidential campaign, 2008) received 6,538 votes; listed in eight states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, New Jersey, Ohio, and Wisconsin, and Tennessee (independent) and Vermont (Liberty Union). He also filed for write-in status in 17 other states: Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.
  
  
  • Róger Calero (Socialist Workers Party) received 5,151 votes; listed in ten states. He was listed by name in Delaware, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. James Harris was listed as his stand-in in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, and Washington, and also had write-in status in California.
  
  
  • Charles Jay (Boston Tea Party) received 2,422 votes; listed in Colorado and Florida, and in Tennessee (as independent), with write-in status in Arizona, Montana, and Utah.
  
  
  • Tom Stevens (Objectivist) received 755 votes; listed in Colorado and Florida.
  
  
  • Gene Amondson (Prohibition) received 653 votes; listed in Colorado, Florida, and Louisiana.
  
  
  • Jonathan Allen (Heartquake) received 483 votes; listed only in Colorado, with write-in status in Arizona, Georgia, Montana, Texas, and other states.

  The following candidates (parties) were listed on the ballot in only one state:
  

  
  

  In Nevada, 6,267 votes were cast for "None Of These Candidates".^[163] In the three states that officially keep track of "blank" votes for President, 103,193 votes were recorded as "blank".^[164] More than 100,000 write-in votes were cast and recorded for a scattering of other candidates, including 62 votes for "Santa Claus" (in ten states) and 11 votes for "Mickey Mouse" (in five states).^[165]

  According to the Federal Election Commission, an unusually high number of "miscellaneous" write-ins were cast for president in 2008, including 112,597 tallied in the 17 states that record votes for non-listed candidates.^[166] There were more presidential candidates on the ballot than at any other time in U. S. history, except for the 1992 election, which also had 23 candidates listed in at least one state.
  

  
  

  Results[edit]

  
  

  Popular vote totals are from the official Federal Election Commission report. The results of the electoral vote were certified by Congress on January 8, 2009.^[145]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Presidential candidate	Party	Home state	Popular vote		Electoral vote	Running mate
  			Count	Percentage		Vice-presidential candidate	Home state	Electoral vote
  Barack Hussein Obama II	Democratic	Illinois	69,498,516	52.93%	365	Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.	Delaware	365
  John Sidney McCain	Republican	Arizona	59,948,323	45.65%	173	Sarah Louise Palin	Alaska	173
  Ralph Nader	Independent	Connecticut	739,034	0.56%	0	Matt Gonzalez	California	0
  Bob Barr	Libertarian	Georgia	523,715	0.40%	0	Wayne Allyn Root	Nevada	0
  Chuck Baldwin	Constitution	Florida	199,750	0.15%	0	Darrell Castle	Tennessee	0
  Cynthia McKinney	Green	Georgia	161,797	0.12%	0	Rosa Clemente	North Carolina	0
  Alan Keyes	America's Independent Party	New York	47,941	0.04%	0	Wiley S. Drake, Sr.	Colorado	0
  Other			242,685	0.18%	—	Other		—
  Total			131,313,820	100%	538			538
  Needed to win					270			270

  Popular vote Obama   52.93% McCain   45.65% Nader   0.56% Barr   0.40% Baldwin   0.15% McKinney   0.12% Keyes   0.04% Others   0.18%

  Electoral vote Obama   67.84% McCain   32.16%

  Results by state[edit]

  
  
  

  The following table records the official vote tallies for each state for those presidential candidates who were listed on ballots in enough states to have a theoretical chance for a majority in the Electoral College. State popular vote results are from the official Federal Election Commission report. The column labeled "Margin" shows Obama's margin of victory over McCain (the margin is negative for states and districts won by McCain).
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  		Barack Obama Democratic			John McCain Republican			Ralph Nader Independent			Bob Barr Libertarian			Chuck Baldwin Constitution			Cynthia McKinney Green			Others			Margin		State Total
  State	electoral votes	#	%	electoral votes	#	%	electoral votes	#	%	electoral votes	#	%	electoral votes	#	%	electoral votes	#	%	electoral votes	#	%	electoral votes	#	%	#
  Alabama	9	813,479	38.74%	-	1,266,546	60.32%	9	6,788	0.32%	-	4,991	0.24%	-	4,310	0.21%	-	0	0.00%	-	3,705	0.18%	-	-453,067	-21.58%	2,099,819	AL
  Alaska	3	123,594	37.89%	-	193,841	59.42%	3	3,783	1.16%	-	1,589	0.49%	-	1,660	0.51%	-	0	0.00%	-	1,730	0.53%	-	-70,247	-21.54%	326,197	AK
  Arizona	10	1,034,707	45.12%	-	1,230,111	53.64%	10	11,301	0.49%	-	12,555	0.55%	-	1,371	0.06%	-	3,406	0.15%	-	24	0.00%	-	-195,404	-8.52%	2,293,475	AZ
  Arkansas	6	422,310	38.86%	-	638,017	58.72%	6	12,882	1.19%	-	4,776	0.44%	-	4,023	0.37%	-	3,470	0.32%	-	1,139	0.10%	-	-215,707	-19.85%	1,086,617	AR
  California	55	8,274,473	61.01%	55	5,011,781	36.95%	-	108,381	0.80%	-	67,582	0.50%	-	3,145	0.02%	-	38,774	0.29%	-	57,764	0.43%	-	3,262,692	24.06%	13,561,900	CA
  Colorado	9	1,288,633	53.66%	9	1,073,629	44.71%	-	13,352	0.56%	-	10,898	0.45%	-	6,233	0.26%	-	2,822	0.12%	-	5,895	0.25%	-	215,004	8.95%	2,401,462	CO
  Connecticut	7	997,772	60.59%	7	629,428	38.22%	-	19,162	1.16%	-	0	0.00%	-	311	0.02%	-	90	0.01%	-	34	0.00%	-	368,344	22.37%	1,646,797	CT
  Delaware	3	255,459	61.94%	3	152,374	36.95%	-	2,401	0.58%	-	1,109	0.27%	-	626	0.15%	-	385	0.09%	-	58	0.01%	-	103,085	25.00%	412,412	DE
  District of Columbia	3	245,800	92.46%	3	17,367	6.53%	-	958	0.36%	-	0	0.00%	-	0	0.00%	-	590	0.22%	-	1,138	0.43%	-	228,433	85.92%	265,853	DC
  Florida	27	4,282,074	51.03%	27	4,045,624	48.22%	-	28,124	0.34%	-	17,218	0.21%	-	7,915	0.09%	-	2,887	0.03%	-	6,902	0.08%	-	236,450	2.82%	8,390,744	FL
  Georgia	15	1,844,123	46.99%	-	2,048,759	52.20%	15	1,158	0.03%	-	28,731	0.73%	-	1,402	0.04%	-	250	0.01%	-	63	0.00%	-	-204,636	-5.21%	3,924,486	GA
  Hawaii	4	325,871	71.85%	4	120,566	26.58%	-	3,825	0.84%	-	1,314	0.29%	-	1,013	0.22%	-	979	0.22%	-	0	0.00%	-	205,305	45.26%	453,568	HI
  Idaho	4	236,440	36.09%	-	403,012	61.52%	4	7,175	1.10%	-	3,658	0.56%	-	4,747	0.72%	-	39	0.01%	-	51	0.01%	-	-166,572	-25.43%	655,122	ID
  Illinois	21	3,419,348	61.92%	21	2,031,179	36.78%	-	30,948	0.56%	-	19,642	0.36%	-	8,256	0.15%	-	11,838	0.21%	-	1,160	0.02%	-	1,388,169	25.14%	5,522,371	IL
  Indiana	11	1,374,039	49.95%	11	1,345,648	48.91%	-	909	0.03%	-	29,257	1.06%	-	1,024	0.04%	-	87	0.00%	-	90	0.00%	-	28,391	1.03%	2,751,054	IN
  Iowa	7	828,940	53.93%	7	682,379	44.39%	-	8,014	0.52%	-	4,590	0.30%	-	4,445	0.29%	-	1,423	0.09%	-	7,332	0.48%	-	146,561	9.53%	1,537,123	IA
  Kansas	6	514,765	41.65%	-	699,655	56.61%	6	10,527	0.85%	-	6,706	0.54%	-	4,148	0.34%	-	35	0.00%	-	36	0.00%	-	-184,890	-14.96%	1,235,872	KS
  Kentucky	8	751,985	41.17%	-	1,048,462	57.40%	8	15,378	0.84%	-	5,989	0.33%	-	4,694	0.26%	-	0	0.00%	-	112	0.01%	-	-296,477	-16.23%	1,826,620	KY
  Louisiana	9	782,989	39.93%	-	1,148,275	58.56%	9	6,997	0.36%	-	0	0.00%	-	2,581	0.13%	-	9,187	0.47%	-	10,732	0.55%	-	-365,286	-18.63%	1,960,761	LA
  Maine★	4	421,923	57.71%	4	295,273	40.38%	-	10,636	1.45%	-	251	0.03%	-	177	0.02%	-	2,900	0.40%	-	3	0.00%	-	126,650	17.32%	731,163	ME
  Maryland	10	1,629,467	61.92%	10	959,862	36.47%	-	14,713	0.56%	-	9,842	0.37%	-	3,760	0.14%	-	4,747	0.18%	-	9,205	0.35%	-	669,605	25.44%	2,631,596	MD
  Massachusetts	12	1,904,097	61.80%	12	1,108,854	35.99%	-	28,841	0.94%	-	13,189	0.43%	-	4,971	0.16%	-	6,550	0.21%	-	14,483	0.47%	-	795,243	25.81%	3,080,985	MA
  Michigan	17	2,872,579	57.43%	17	2,048,639	40.96%	-	33,085	0.66%	-	23,716	0.47%	-	14,685	0.29%	-	8,892	0.18%	-	170	0.00%	-	823,940	16.47%	5,001,766	MI
  Minnesota	10	1,573,354	54.06%	10	1,275,409	43.82%	-	30,152	1.04%	-	9,174	0.32%	-	6,787	0.23%	-	5,174	0.18%	-	10,319	0.35%	-	297,945	10.24%	2,910,369	MN
  Mississippi	6	554,662	43.00%	-	724,597	56.18%	6	4,011	0.31%	-	2,529	0.20%	-	2,551	0.20%	-	1,034	0.08%	-	481	0.04%	-	-169,935	-13.17%	1,289,865	MS
  Missouri	11	1,441,911	49.29%	-	1,445,814	49.43%	11	17,813	0.61%	-	11,386	0.39%	-	8,201	0.28%	-	80	0.00%	-	0	0.00%	-	-3,903	-0.13%	2,925,205	MO
  Montana	3	231,667	47.25%	-	242,763	49.51%	3	3,686	0.75%	-	1,355	0.28%	-	143	0.03%	-	23	0.00%	-	10,665	2.18%	-	-11,096	-2.26%	490,302	MT
  Nebraska★	5	333,319	41.60%	1	452,979	56.53%	4	5,406	0.67%	-	2,740	0.34%	-	2,972	0.37%	-	1,028	0.13%	-	2,837	0.35%	-	-119,660	-14.93%	801,281	NE
  Nevada	5	533,736	55.15%	5	412,827	42.65%	-	6,150	0.64%	-	4,263	0.44%	-	3,194	0.33%	-	1,411	0.15%	-	6,267	0.65%	-	120,909	12.49%	967,848	NV
  New Hampshire	4	384,826	54.13%	4	316,534	44.52%	-	3,503	0.49%	-	2,217	0.31%	-	226	0.03%	-	40	0.01%	-	3,624	0.51%	-	68,292	9.61%	710,970	NH
  New Jersey	15	2,215,422	57.27%	15	1,613,207	41.70%	-	21,298	0.55%	-	8,441	0.22%	-	3,956	0.10%	-	3,636	0.09%	-	2,277	0.06%	-	602,215	15.57%	3,868,237	NJ
  New Mexico	5	472,422	56.91%	5	346,832	41.78%	-	5,327	0.64%	-	2,428	0.29%	-	1,597	0.19%	-	1,552	0.19%	-	0	0.00%	-	125,590	15.13%	830,158	NM
  New York	31	4,804,945	62.88%	31	2,752,771	36.03%	-	41,249	0.54%	-	19,596	0.26%	-	634	0.01%	-	12,801	0.17%	-	8,935	0.12%	-	2,052,174	26.86%	7,640,931	NY
  North Carolina	15	2,142,651	49.70%	15	2,128,474	49.38%	-	1,448	0.03%	-	25,722	0.60%	-	0	0.00%	-	158	0.00%	-	12,336	0.29%	-	14,177	0.33%	4,310,789	NC
  North Dakota	3	141,278	44.62%	-	168,601	53.25%	3	4,189	1.32%	-	1,354	0.43%	-	1,199	0.38%	-	0	0.00%	-	0	0.00%	-	-27,323	-8.63%	316,621	ND
  Ohio	20	2,940,044	51.50%	20	2,677,820	46.91%	-	42,337	0.74%	-	19,917	0.35%	-	12,565	0.22%	-	8,518	0.15%	-	7,149	0.13%	-	262,224	4.59%	5,708,350	OH
  Oklahoma	7	502,496	34.35%	-	960,165	65.65%	7	0	0.00%	-	0	0.00%	-	0	0.00%	-	0	0.00%	-	0	0.00%	-	-457,669	-31.29%	1,462,661	OK
  Oregon	7	1,037,291	56.75%	7	738,475	40.40%	-	18,614	1.02%	-	7,635	0.42%	-	7,693	0.42%	-	4,543	0.25%	-	13,613	0.74%	-	298,816	16.35%	1,827,864	OR
  Pennsylvania	21	3,276,363	54.49%	21	2,655,885	44.17%	-	42,977	0.71%	-	19,912	0.33%	-	1,092	0.02%	-	0	0.00%	-	17,043	0.28%	-	620,478	10.32%	6,013,272	PA
  Rhode Island	4	296,571	62.86%	4	165,391	35.06%	-	4,829	1.02%	-	1,382	0.29%	-	675	0.14%	-	797	0.17%	-	2,121	0.45%	-	131,180	27.81%	471,766	RI
  South Carolina	8	862,449	44.90%	-	1,034,896	53.87%	8	5,053	0.26%	-	7,283	0.38%	-	6,827	0.36%	-	4,461	0.23%	-	0	0.00%	-	-172,447	-8.98%	1,920,969	SC
  South Dakota	3	170,924	44.75%	-	203,054	53.16%	3	4,267	1.12%	-	1,835	0.48%	-	1,895	0.50%	-	0	0.00%	-	0	0.00%	-	-32,130	-8.41%	381,975	SD
  Tennessee	11	1,087,437	41.83%	-	1,479,178	56.90%	11	11,560	0.44%	-	8,547	0.33%	-	8,191	0.32%	-	2,499	0.10%	-	2,337	0.09%	-	-391,741	-15.07%	2,599,749	TN
  Texas	34	3,528,633	43.68%	-	4,479,328	55.45%	34	5,751	0.07%	-	56,116	0.69%	-	5,708	0.07%	-	909	0.01%	-	1,350	0.02%	-	-950,695	-11.77%	8,077,795	TX
  Utah	5	327,670	34.41%	-	596,030	62.58%	5	8,416	0.88%	-	6,966	0.73%	-	12,012	1.26%	-	982	0.10%	-	294	0.03%	-	-268,360	-28.18%	952,370	UT
  Vermont	3	219,262	67.46%	3	98,974	30.45%	-	3,339	1.03%	-	1,067	0.33%	-	500	0.15%	-	66	0.02%	-	1,838	0.57%	-	120,288	37.01%	325,046	VT
  Virginia	13	1,959,532	52.63%	13	1,725,005	46.33%	-	11,483	0.31%	-	11,067	0.30%	-	7,474	0.20%	-	2,344	0.06%	-	6,355	0.17%	-	234,527	6.30%	3,723,260	VA
  Washington	11	1,750,848	57.65%	11	1,229,216	40.48%	-	29,489	0.97%	-	12,728	0.42%	-	9,432	0.31%	-	3,819	0.13%	-	1,346	0.04%	-	521,632	17.18%	3,036,878	WA
  West Virginia	5	303,857	42.59%	-	397,466	55.71%	5	7,219	1.01%	-	0	0.00%	-	2,465	0.35%	-	2,355	0.33%	-	89	0.01%	-	-93,609	-13.12%	713,451	WV
  Wisconsin	10	1,677,211	56.22%	10	1,262,393	42.31%	-	17,605	0.59%	-	8,858	0.30%	-	5,072	0.17%	-	4,216	0.14%	-	8,062	0.27%	-	414,818	13.90%	2,983,417	WI
  Wyoming	3	82,868	32.54%	-	164,958	64.78%	3	2,525	0.99%	-	1,594	0.63%	-	1,192	0.47%	-	0	0.00%	-	1,521	0.60%	-	-82,090	-32.24%	254,658	WY
  U.S. Total	538	69,498,516	52.93%	365	59,948,323	45.65%	173	739,034	0.56%	-	523,715	0.40%	-	199,750	0.15%	-	161,797	0.12%	-	242,685	0.18%	-	9,550,193	7.27%	131,313,820	US

  
  

  ^★Maine and Nebraska each allow for their electoral votes to be split between candidates. In both states, two electoral votes are awarded to the winner of the statewide race and one electoral vote is awarded to the winner of each congressional district. The following table records the official presidential vote tallies for Maine and Nebraska's congressional districts.^[167][168]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  District	Electors	Obama	%	McCain	%	Nader	%	Barr	%	Baldwin	%	McKinney	%	Other	%	Margin	%	Total
  Maine's 1st congressional district	1	232,145	60.51%	144,604	37.69%	5,263	1.37%					1,362	0.36%	252	0.07%	87,541	22.82%	383,626
  Maine's 2nd congressional district	1	189,778	54.61%	150,669	43.35%	5,373	1.55%					1,538	0.44%	179	0.05%	39,109	11.25%	347,537
  Nebraska's 1st congressional district	1	121,411	44.33%	148,179	54.10%	1,963	0.72%	922	0.34%	1,024	0.37%	394	0.14%			-26,768	-9.77%	273,893
  Nebraska's 2nd congressional district	1	138,809	49.97%	135,439	48.75%	1,628	0.59%	1,014	0.36%	599	0.22%	320	0.12%			3,370	1.21%	277,809
  Nebraska's 3rd congressional district	1	73,099	29.63%	169,361	68.64%	1,815	0.74%	804	0.33%	1,349	0.55%	314	0.13%			-96,262	-39.01%	246,742

  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    

    
    

    Popular vote by county. Red represents counties that went for McCain, Blue represents counties that went for Obama. Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont had all counties go to Obama. Oklahoma had all counties go to McCain.
    

    
    

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    

    
    

    Presidential popular votes by county as a scale from red/Republican to blue/Democratic.
    

    
    

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    

    
    

    Cartogram of popular vote with each county rescaled in proportion to its population. Deeper blue represents a Democratic majority, brighter red represents a Republican majority.^[169]

    
    

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    

    
    

    Voting shifts per county from the 2004 to the 2008 election. Darker blue indicates the county voted more Democratic. Darker red indicates the county voted more Republican.
    

    
    

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    

    
    

    Results by county, shaded according to winning candidate's percentage of the vote
    

    
    

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    

    
    

    Change in vote margins at the county level from the 2004 election to the 2008 election. Obama made dramatic gains in every region of the country except for Arizona, Appalachia, and the inner South, where McCain improved over Bush.
    

    
    

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    

    
    

    
    

    2008 United States Presidential Election, Results by Congressional District
    

    
    

    
    
  
  

  Close states/districts[edit]

  
  
  

  States/districts in the 2008 United States Presidential election in which the margin of victory was less than 5%. Blue states/districts went for Obama, red for McCain. Yellow states were won by either candidate by 5% or more. Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia and Iowa were won by Bush in 2004 but were won by Obama by a margin of more than 5% in 2008.
  
  

  Red font color denotes states won by Republican John McCain; blue denotes those won by Democrat Barack Obama.
  

  States/districts in which the margin of victory was under 1% (26 electoral votes):
  

  
  
  1. Missouri 0.13%
  
  
  2. North Carolina 0.33%

  States/districts in which the margin of victory was under 5% (62 electoral votes):
  

  
  
  1. Indiana 1.03%
  
  
  2. Nebraska's 2nd congressional district 1.21%
  
  
  3. Montana 2.26%
  
  
  4. Florida 2.82%
  
  
  5. Ohio 4.59%

  States/districts in which margin of victory was more than 5% but less than 10% (73 electoral votes):
  

  
  
  1. Georgia 5.21%
  
  
  2. Virginia 6.30%
  
  
  3. South Dakota 8.41%
  
  
  4. Arizona 8.52%
  
  
  5. North Dakota 8.63%
  
  
  6. Colorado 8.95% (tipping point state)
  
  
  7. South Carolina 8.98%
  
  
  8. Iowa 9.53%
  
  
  9. New Hampshire 9.61%
  
  
  10. Nebraska's 1st congressional district 9.77%

  International reaction[edit]

  
  
  

  The American presidential election was followed closely internationally.^[170] When it was clear that Obama was victorious, many world leaders sent congratulations and well wishes to the President-elect.^[171]

  
  

  Voter demographics[edit]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  The 2008 presidential vote by demographic subgroup
  Demographic subgroup	Obama	McCain	Other	% of total vote
  Total vote	53	46	1	100
  Ideology
  Liberals	89	10	1	22
  Moderates	60	39	1	44
  Conservatives	20	78	2	34
  Party
  Democrats	89	10	1	39
  Republicans	9	90	1	32
  Independents	52	44	4	29
  Gender
  Men	49	48	3	47
  Women	56	43	1	53
  Marital status
  Married	47	52	1	66
  Non-married	65	33	2	34
  Race
  White	43	55	2	74
  Black	95	4	1	13
  Asian	62	35	3	2
  Other	66	31	3	2
  Hispanic	67	31	2	9
  Religion
  Protestant	45	54	1	54
  Catholic	54	45	1	27
  Jewish	78	21	1	2
  Other	73	22	5	6
  None	75	23	2	12
  Religious service attendance
  More than weekly	43	55	2	12
  Weekly	43	55	2	27
  Monthly	53	46	1	15
  A few times a year	59	39	2	28
  Never	67	30	3	16
  White evangelical or born-again Christian?
  White evangelical or born-again Christian	24	74	2	26
  Everyone else	62	36	2	74
  Age
  18–24 years old	66	32	2	10
  25–29 years old	66	31	3	8
  30–39 years old	54	44	2	18
  40–49 years old	49	49	2	21
  50–64 years old	50	49	1	27
  65 and older	45	53	2	16
  Age by race
  Whites 18–29 years old	54	44	2	11
  Whites 30–44 years old	41	57	2	20
  Whites 45–64 years old	42	56	2	30
  Whites 65 and older	40	58	2	13
  Blacks 18–29 years old	95	4	1	3
  Blacks 30–44 years old	96	4	n/a	4
  Blacks 45–64 years old	96	3	1	4
  Blacks 65 and older	94	6	n/a	1
  Latinos 18–29 years old	76	19	5	3
  Latinos 30–44 years old	63	36	1	3
  Latinos 45–64 years old	58	40	2	2
  Latinos 65 and older	68	30	2	1
  Others	64	33	3	5
  First time voter?
  First time voter	69	30	1	11
  Everyone else	50	48	2	89
  Sexual orientation
  Gay, lesbian, or bisexual	70	27	3	4
  Heterosexual	53	45	2	96
  Education
  Not a high school graduate	63	35	2	4
  High school graduate	52	46	2	20
  Some college education	51	47	2	31
  College graduate	50	48	2	28
  Postgraduate education	58	40	2	17
  Education by race/ethnicity
  White college graduates	47	51	2	35
  White no college degree	40	58	2	39
  Non-white college graduates	75	22	3	9
  Non-white no college degree	83	16	1	16
  Family income
  Under $15,000	73	25	2	6
  $15,000–30,000	60	37	3	12
  $30,000–50,000	55	43	2	19
  $50,000–75,000	48	49	3	21
  $75,000–100,000	51	48	1	15
  $100,000–150,000	48	51	1	14
  $150,000–200,000	48	50	1	6
  Over $200,000	52	46	2	6
  Union households
  Union	59	39	2	21
  Non-union	51	47	2	79
  Military service
  Veterans	44	54	2	15
  Non-veterans	54	44	2	85
  Region
  Northeast	59	40	1	21
  Midwest	54	44	2	24
  South	45	54	1	32
  West	57	40	3	23
  Community size
  Urban	63	35	2	30
  Suburban	50	48	2	49
  Rural	45	53	2	21

  Source: Exit polls conducted by Edison Research of Somerville, New Jersey, for the National Election Pool, a consortium of ABC News, Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and NBC News.^[172]

  
  

  Analysis[edit]

  
  

  Obama, having a Caucasian mother and Kenyan father of the Luo ethnic group,^[173] became the first African American as well as the first bi-racial president.^[174] Although he may have been the first black president to win an election, Obama was not the first African American to run for president. Shirley Chisolm, Jesse Jackson, Lenora Fulani, Carol Moseley Braun, Alan Keyes, and Al Sharpton all at some point were in the process for presidential nomination.^[175] The Obama-Biden ticket was also the first winning ticket in American history on which neither candidate was a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant; Biden is Roman Catholic and is the first Roman Catholic to be elected Vice President; all other tickets with Catholic vice presidential candidates had been defeated (1964, 1972, 1984).^[176] Obama and Biden were the first President and Vice President elected from the Senate since 1960 (John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson) (in the previous election cycle (2004) Democrats also nominated two sitting Senators, John Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina, but they lost to incumbents Bush and Cheney), Obama became the first Northern Democratic president since Kennedy, and the Obama-Biden ticket was the first winning Democratic ticket to feature two Northerners since 1940 (Franklin D. Roosevelt/Henry A. Wallace). Also, Obama became the first Democratic candidate to win a majority of the popular vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976, the first to win a majority of both votes and states since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, and the first Northern Democrat to win a majority of both votes and states since Franklin Roosevelt in 1944. This was the first presidential election since 1952 in which neither of the major party candidates was either the incumbent President or Vice-President.
  

  
  
  

  Swing by state. States are listed by (increasing) percentage of Democratic votes, showing how the share of the vote changed between 2004 and 2008. Excluding the candidates' home states, only five states trended more Republican: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia.
  
  

  Prior to the election, commentators discussed whether Senator Obama would be able to redraw the electoral map by winning states that had been voting for Republican candidates in recent decades.^[177] In many ways, he was successful. He won every region of the country by double digits except the South, which John McCain won by nine percent. Obama won Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, and Virginia in the South (region as defined by the US Census Bureau). McCain won most of the Deep South, where white voters have supported Republican candidates by large margins in the last few decades.^[178] Obama also defied political bellwethers, becoming the first person to win the presidency while losing Missouri since 1956 (as well as the first Democrat ever to do so) and while losing Kentucky and Tennessee since 1960. He was the first Democrat to win without Arkansas since that state joined the Union in 1836 and the first Democrat to win the presidency without winning West Virginia since 1916. Because one West Virginia elector voted for the Democrat in 1916, Obama was the first Democrat to win without any electors from the state since its founding in 1863. Indiana and Virginia voted for the Democratic nominee for the first time since 1964. Although Obama did not win other normally Republican states such as Georgia and Montana (which were won by Bill Clinton in 1992), he nonetheless was competitive in both. He lost Montana by just under 3% and Georgia by slightly more than 5%. Also notably, Barack Obama won all of the 2004 swing states (states that either Kerry or Bush won by less than 5%) by a margin of 8.5 percent or more except for Ohio, which the Democrat carried by 4.5 percent.
  

  Obama was the first presidential candidate to split the electoral votes from Nebraska. Together with Maine, which would not split its votes until 2016, Nebraska is one of two states that split their electoral votes, two going to the statewide popular vote winner and the rest going to the winner of each respective congressional district (Nebraska has three, and Maine has two). Obama won the electoral vote from Nebraska's 2nd congressional district, which contains the city of Omaha. Nebraska's other four electoral votes went to John McCain.
  

  As of 2016^[update]this election is the last time that Indiana, Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District and North Carolina voted Democratic.
  

  This election exhibited the continuation of some of the polarization trends evident in the 2000 and 2004 elections.^[179] McCain won whites 55–43 percent, while Obama won blacks 95–4 percent,^[180] Hispanics 67–31 percent, and Asians 62–35 percent. Voters aged 18–29 voted for Obama by 66–32 percent while elderly voters backed McCain 53–45 percent.^[181] The 25-year age gap between McCain and Obama was the widest in U.S. presidential election history among the top two candidates.^[182]

  
  

  See also[edit]

  
  

  Opinion polling[edit]

  
  
  
  
  

  1. ^ Shirley Chisholm had previously won a contest in New Jersey in 1972 that was a no-delegate-awarding, presidential preference ballot in which the major candidates were not listed; the actual delegate selection vote went to George McGovern.^[2][3]
     
  
  
  
  

  References[edit]

  
  
  
  

  1. ^ "Official 2008 Presidential General Election Results" (PDF). fec.gov. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
     
  
  
  2. ^ Sullivan, Ronald (June 7, 1972). "Dakotan Beats Humphrey By a Big Margin in Jersey" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 1.
     
  
  
  3. ^ "Sanford Is Withdrawing From N.J." The Times-News. Hendersonville, North Carolina. Associated Press. May 13, 1972. p. 12.
     
  
  
  4. ^ Kuhnhenn, Jim (November 9, 2006). "Democrats win control of Congress". Washington Post. AP. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
     
  
  
  5. ^ ^{a b c} Borger, Julian (November 11, 2006). "Now the real race begins..." London: The Guardian. Retrieved June 7, 2009.
     
  
  
  6. ^ Hughes, John (November 15, 2006). "With midterms over, all eyes turn to the 2008 presidential race". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved June 7, 2009.
     
  
  
  7. ^ Balz, Dan (December 29, 2006). "Edwards Formally Joins 2008 Presidential Race". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 7, 2009.^{[permanent dead link]}
     
  
  
  8. ^ ^{a b} Taggert, Carlee (February 15, 2007). "Tough choice for 2008 Democratic nominee". The Stentor. Retrieved June 7, 2009.^{[permanent dead link]}
     
  
  
  9. ^ ^{a b c} Crowley, Candy; Malveaux, Suzanne; Yellin, Jessica (January 4, 2008). "Obama wins Iowa as candidate for change". CNN. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
     
  
  
  10. ^ Steinhauser, Paul (April 22, 2009). "Back to where it began: Obama visits Iowa". CNN. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  11. ^ ^{a b} "2008 New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Primary". Pollster.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  12. ^ Alberts, Sheldon (June 7, 2008). "Overconfidence, bad strategy doomed Clinton campaign". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on June 11, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  13. ^ Hannah Strange & Philippe Naughton (January 9, 2008). "Hillary Clinton: my teary moment won me New Hampshire". The Times. London. Retrieved March 14, 2008. See also: "Hillary tears up in New Hampshire Primary 2008" (Video). YouTube.
      
  
  
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference ReferenceA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
      
  
  
  15. ^ "Edwards exits presidential race". CBS-Nachrichten. January 30, 2008. Retrieved January 30, 2008.
      
  
  
  16. ^ Holland, Steve (January 30, 2008). "Giuliani, Edwards quit White House Race". Reuters. Retrieved January 30, 2008.
      
  
  
  17. ^
      Greene, Richard Allen (May 30, 2007). "States jostle for primary power". BBC News. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
      
  
  
  18. ^
      "Presidential primary and caucus dates" (PDF). Stateline.org. Pew Research Center. August 30, 2007. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2008. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
      
  
  
  19. ^ ^{a b} Nate Silver (August 11, 2008). "The Persistent Myth of the Bradley Effect".
      
  
  
  20. ^ Frank D. Russo (February 6, 2008). "Clinton Win in California Larger Than Polls Predicted Because of Huge Latino Turnout". Archived from the original on March 13, 2008. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
      
  
  
  21. ^ "Election Center 2008: Primary Results from Maine". CNN. February 10, 2008. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
      
  
  
  22. ^ ^{a b} "2008 Primary Results". MSNBC. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
      
  
  
  23. ^ "Clinton comeback: Fight goes on". The Seattle Times. March 5, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2008.
      
  
  
  24. ^ "2008 Presidential election results". Archived from the original on July 26, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
      
  
  
  25. ^ ^{a b} "Clinton wins key primaries, CNN projects; McCain clinches nod". CNN. March 5, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2008.
      
  
  
  26. ^ "Election Center 2008 Primaries and Caucuses: Results: Democratic Scorecard". CNN. August 20, 2008.
      
  
  
  27. ^ ^{a b} Jensen, Kristin; Dodge, Catherine (April 23, 2008). "Clinton Wins Pennsylvania Vote; Obama Retains Control (Update6)". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  28. ^ Oinounou, Mosheh; Bruns, Aaron (April 12, 2008). "Obama on Guns and Religion: 'I Didn't Say It as Well as I Should Have'". Fox News. Archived from the original on February 20, 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  29. ^ Elving, Ron (April 23, 2008). "Analysis: Clinton Needed Pennsylvania to Carry On". NPR. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  30. ^ "Election 2008 – North Carolina Democratic Primary". RealClearPolitics. May 1, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
      
  
  
  31. ^ "Election 2008 – Indiana Democratic Primary". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
      
  
  
  32. ^ "NC—Election Results". North Carolina State Board of Elections. May 7, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  33. ^ "Indiana Primary Election, May 6, 2008". Indiana Secretary of State. August 22, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  34. ^ Rutenberg, Jim (May 8, 2008). "Pundits Declare the Race Over". The New York Times. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  35. ^ "NBC: Obama takes N.C. - Decision '08- msnbc.com". Msnbc.msn.com. May 7, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
      
  
  
  36. ^ Hertzberg, Hendrik (June 2, 2008). "Memory Lapse". The New Yorker. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  37. ^ "Florida, Michigan get all delegates, but each gets half vote". CNN.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2008.
      
  
  
  38. ^ Jackson, John S.; Barbara Leavitt Brown (October 12, 1991). "The 1992 primary: proportional representation for Illinois Democrats". Illinois Issues. University of Illinois at Springfield. Retrieved May 18, 2008.
      
  
  
  39. ^ "Fact check: Clinton vote claims under scrutiny". USA Today. Associated Press. May 15, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
      
  
  
  40. ^ "Obama claims Democratic nomination—Decision '08- msnbc.com". Msnbc.msn.com. June 4, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
      
  
  
  41. ^ Zeleny, Jeff (June 4, 2008). "Obama Clinches Nomination; First Black Candidate to Lead a Major Party Ticket". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
      
  
  
  42. ^ "Historic night: Obama clinches nomination—Bill Nichols and Ben Smith". Politico.com. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
      
  
  
  43. ^ "ABC News: Clinton Concedes Democratic Nomination; Obama Leads Party in Fall". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
      
  
  
  44. ^ Harnden, Toby (November 13, 2007). "The top US conservatives and liberals". London: Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
      
  
  
  45. ^ Charles G. Dawes, 30th Vice President (1925–1929) Archived November 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Senate.
      
  
  
  46. ^ Jones, Charles O. (September 2008). "Vice Presidents and Other Heirs Apparent: The Historical Experience of Experience". Presidential Studies Quarterly. 38 (3): 422–432. JSTOR 41219688.
      
  
  
  47. ^ Vardi, Nathan (November 14, 2006). "President Rudy Giuliani?". Forbes. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  48. ^ "White House 2008: Republican Nomination". Pollingreport.com. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  49. ^ Romano, Lois (January 29, 2007). "Huckabee Announces Presidential Bit". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  50. ^ Balz, Dan; Cillizza, Chris (February 6, 2007). "Giuliani Announces He's In '08 Presidential Race". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  51. ^ Gonyea, Don (February 13, 2007). "Romney Announces His Candidacy for 2008". NPR. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  52. ^ Martin, Gary (March 12, 2007). "Paul formally launches presidential bid". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on March 15, 2007. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
      
  
  
  53. ^ Parker, Jennifer (April 25, 2007). "The Art of the Presidential Rollout". ABC News. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  54. ^ "Paul Raises More Than $3.5M in One Day".
      
  
  
  55. ^ Todd, Chuck (May 15, 2007). "Winners & Losers". MSNBC. Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  56. ^ "Clinton and McCain the comeback kids". CNN. January 8, 2008. Retrieved January 8, 2008.
      
  
  
  57. ^ Robin Toner & Marjorie Connelly (January 14, 2008). "New poll finds McCain reshaping GOP race". MSNBC. New York Times. Retrieved March 14, 2008. See also: "John McCain: Ultimate Survivor". The Star (South Africa). March 6, 2008. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
      
  
  
  58. ^ "Election Center 2008: Primary Results for South Carolina". CNN. January 19, 2008. Retrieved January 19, 2008.
      
  
  
  59. ^ "McCain wins Florida, CNN projects". CNN. January 29, 2008. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  60. ^ Montopoli, Brian (January 29, 2008). "For Giuliani, A Disappointing Fade To Exit". CBS News. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  61. ^ "Schwarzenegger backs McCain for president". CNN. January 31, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
      
  
  
  62. ^ ^{a b c} Johnson, Wesley (February 6, 2008). "Super Tuesday results state by state". London: The Independent. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  63. ^ King, John (February 7, 2008). "Romney suspends presidential campaign". CNN.
      
  
  
  64. ^ "Romney endorses McCain for GOP nomination". CNN. February 14, 2008. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
      
  
  
  65. ^ "Huckabee bows to 'inevitable,' ends GOP run". CNN. March 5, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2008.
      
  
  
  66. ^ Mannies, Jo (April 26, 2008). "At KC convention, Constitution Party picks pastor for president". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on May 30, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
      
  
  
  67. ^ Montana News Association (May 22, 2008). "BALDWIN 2008 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF". Montana News Association. Archived from the original on May 1, 2011. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
      
  
  
  68. ^ Simon, Scott (October 18, 2008). "Chuck Baldwin On His Run For President". NPR. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
      
  
  
  69. ^ Scott, Jeffry (July 12, 2008). "McKinney wins Green Party nomination". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
      
  
  
  70. ^ "Bob Barr: 'We must both reduce and simplify taxes'". Independent Political Report. June 5, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
      
  
  
  71. ^ Galloway, Jim (March 26, 2008). "Bob Barr thinking 'very serious' thoughts about a presidential race, Iraq, and torture". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
      
  
  
  72. ^ Walker, Jesse (December 2003). "Bob Barr, Civil Libertarian. The right wing of the ACLU". Reason Magazine. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
      
  
  
  73. ^ Hendrik Hertzberg (January 4, 2008). "A Hundred Years' War?". The New Yorker.; video at "Make It 100". YouTube.
      
  
  
  74. ^ Cite error: The named reference gallup.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
      
  
  
  75. ^ Steinhauser, Paul (March 19, 2008). "Poll: Bush's popularity hits new low". CNN. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
      
  
  
  76. ^ "Confidence sinks to lowest since 2002 as fear tightens its hold on US consumers". International Herald Tribune. April 11, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
      
  
  
  77. ^ "Bush says he wants McCain to win presidency". CNN. March 5, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
      
  
  
  78. ^ Baker, Peter; Abramowitz last3 A Mazhintue, Michael (February 9, 2008). "History and Necessity Unite Bush, McCain". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
      
  
  
  79. ^ Simba, M. (2009). "The Obama Campaign 2008: A Historical Overview". Western Journal of Black Studies33(3), 186–191. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
      
  
  
  80. ^ Perry Bacon; Jennifer Agiesta (June 9, 2008). "Change vs. Experience All Over Again". The Washington Post.
      
  
  
  81. ^ "Obama Ends Campaign Ahead In Ohio And Pennsylvania, Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll Finds". Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. Archived from the original on November 6, 2008.
      
  
  
  82. ^ James Joyner (August 29, 2008). "Sarah Palin – John McCain's VP Choice". Outsidethebeltway.com. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
      
  
  
  83. ^ "Christian evangelicals send McCain a message". NBC-Nachrichten. Associated Press. February 12, 2008. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
      
  
  
  84. ^ "Palin gets media savaging after faltering interview". AFP. September 26, 2008. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
      
  
  
  85. ^ "Sarah Palin seen as beacon of hope as defeat at poll looms". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on October 17, 2008.
      
  
  
  86. ^ "Gallup's Quick Read on the Election". Gallup.com. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
      
  
  
  87. ^ "Exit polls: Obama wins big among young, minority voters". CNN.com. November 4, 2008. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
      
  
  
  88. ^ "Investors Bail Out: The D word going cheap". www.nationalpost.com. September 16, 2008. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
      
  
  
  89. ^ Martin, Jonathan; Allen, Mike (August 21, 2008). "McCain unsure how many houses he owns". Politico. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
      
  
  
  90. ^ Aigner-Treworgy, Adam (September 15, 2008). "McCain: Economy still 'strong'". MSNBC. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
      
  
  
  91. ^ "Obama, McCain Meet In Mississippi". WAPT.com. December 29, 2008. Archived from the original on May 1, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
      
  
  
  92. ^ "U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes: 110th Congress, 2nd Session". Senate.gov. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
      
  
  
  93. ^ Schnur, Dan (November 3, 2008). "What caused McCain's poll numbers to fall?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
      
  
  
  94. ^ Nichols, Hans (October 15, 2008). "McCain May Have Last Chance to Overcome Economy in Final Debate". Bloomberg. Retrieved January 29, 2009.
      
  
  
  95. ^ Robert E. Moffit and Nina Owcharenko, "The McCain Health Care Plan: More Power to Families," The Heritage Foundation, October 15, 2008
      
  
  
  96. ^ Thomas Buchmueller, Sherry A. Glied, Anne Royalty, and Katherine Swartz, "Cost And Coverage Implications Of The McCain Plan To Restructure Health Insurance," Health AffairsSeptember 16, 2008
      
  
  
  97. ^ Joseph Antos, Gail Wilensky, and Hanns Kuttner, "The Obama Plan: More Regulation, Unsustainable Spending," Health AffairsSeptember 16, 2008
      
  
  
  98. ^ Robert E. Moffit and Nina Owcharenko, "The Obama Health Care Plan: More Power to Washington," Archived October 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine The Heritage Foundation, October 15, 2008
      
  
  
  99. ^ Mark V. Pauly, "Blending Better Ingredients For Health Reform," Health AffairsSeptember 16, 2008
      
  
  
  100. ^ Robert J . Blendon, Drew E. Altman, John M. Benson, Mollyann Brodie, Tami Buhr, Claudia Deane, and Sasha Buscho, "Voters and Health Reform in the 2008 Presidential Election," New England Journal of Medicine 359;19, November 6, 2008
       
  
  
  101. ^ ^{a b c d} "CPD: 2008 Debates". www.debates.org. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
       
  
  
  102. ^ "Vice presidential debate, Oct. 2, 2008". MSNBC. October 3, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
       
  
  
  103. ^ Parker, Jennifer (September 23, 2008). "Obama, McCain Prep for Presidential Debates". ABC News. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
       
  
  
  104. ^ "Free and Equal". Freeandequal.org. Archived from the original on October 19, 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2008.
       
  
  
  105. ^ Kennedy, Helen (January 14, 2007). "Wanna be Prez? First get $100M". New York Daily News. Retrieved February 1, 2007.
       
  
  
  106. ^ Kirkpatrick, David (January 23, 2007). "Death Knell May Be Near for Public Election Funds". The New York Times. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
       
  
  
  107. ^ "Financial Summary Report Search Results". fec.gov. Archived from the original on December 8, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
       
  
  
  108. ^ "Obama rejects 'lipstick' charge". BBC. September 10, 2008.
       
  
  
  109. ^ "Questions, not answers, highlight YouTube debate". CNN. July 24, 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
       
  
  
  110. ^ Stephanie Garry (June 8, 2007). "Candidates court young voters online". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
       
  
  
  111. ^ Kenneth Vogel (December 17, 2007). "'Money bomb': Ron Paul raises $6 million in 24-hour period". USA Today. The Politico. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
       
  
  
  112. ^ "Breaking News: Ron Paul campaign donors set a record". Los Angeles Times. December 17, 2007. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
       
  
  
  113. ^ Larry Fester (November 5, 2007). "Ron Paul makes fund raising history". USA Daily. Archived from the original on January 12, 2008.
       
  
  
  114. ^ Fraser, Matthew. "Barack Obama and the Facebook Election". US News & World Report. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
       
  
  
  115. ^ Metzgar, Emily & Albert Maruggi. "Social Media and the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election". Journal of New Communications Research.
       
  
  
  116. ^ Cain Miller, Claire (7 Nov 2008). "How Obama's Internet Campaign Changed Politics". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
       
  
  
  117. ^ Reid, Tim (November 23, 2007). "Palmetto Bugs: Slingers of Slime Step it up in SC". New York Post. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
       
  
  
  118. ^ Rutenberg, Jim (June 29, 2008). "Political Freelancers Use Web to Join the Attack". New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2008.
       
  
  
  119. ^ Ian Urbina (October 9, 2008). "States' Actions to Block Voters Appear Illegal". The New York Times. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
       
  
  
  120. ^ John Bohlinger (October 5, 2008). "Republicans crossed line with voter purge attempt". The Montana Standard. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
       
  
  
  121. ^ "Lose your house, lose your vote". Michigan Messenger. September 10, 2008. Archived from the original on September 23, 2008.
       
  
  
  122. ^ "Conyers Calls on McCain to Immediately Halt Republican Vote Suppression Efforts". House of Representatives. September 19, 2008. Archived from the original on September 24, 2008.
       
  
  
  123. ^ Hoppe, Christy (September 19, 2008). "Libertarian Bob Barr sues to have McCain, Obama cast off Texas' ballot". Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on September 21, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
       
  
  
  124. ^ Young, Adam (September 24, 2008). "Texas court: McCain, Obama to remain on ballot". Daily Toreador. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
       
  
  
  125. ^ ^{a b} Niquette, Mark (November 16, 2009). "Mark Niquette, "Vote-Fraud Cases Linger from 2008," Columbus Dispatch, November 16, 2008."". Dispatchpolitics.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
       
  
  
  126. ^ Niquette, Mark (October 22, 2008). "Mark Niquette and Jill Riepenhoff, "'Voters' Flocking to Ohio," Columbus Dispatch, October 22, 2008". Dispatchpolitics.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
       
  
  
  127. ^ Jeane Macintosh, "Gotham-to-Ohio Vote Scam Eyed," Archived December 12, 2011, at the Wayback Machine New York Post, October 20, 2008; Resume of group leader with statement about Marshall scholars membership posted here "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 14, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2011.CS1 maint: Ar chived copy as title (link)
       
  
  
  128. ^ Riepenhoff, Jill (October 19, 2008). "Jill Riepenhoff, "Illegal Voters, or Just Getting Out the Vote?" Columbus Dispatch, October 19, 2008". Dispatchpolitics.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
       
  
  
  129. ^ "Most Voters Say Media Wants Obama to Win". The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. October 22, 2008.
       
  
  
  130. ^ High Marks for the Campaign, a High Bar for Obama Pew Research Center. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
       
  
  
  131. ^ ^{a b c d e} Steinberg, Jacques (April 18, 2008). "Who Lost the Debate? Moderators, Many Say". The New York Times. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
       
  
  
  132. ^ ^{a b c d} Kurtz, Howard (April 18, 2008). "The Backlash Against ABC". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
       
  
  
  133. ^ Elizabeth Edwards (April 28, 2008). "Op-ed: Bowling 1, Health Care 0". New York Times.
       
  
  
  134. ^ Jong, Erica (May 5, 2008). "Inspiration Versus Degradation". The Huffington Post.
       
  
  
  135. ^ "Public Says Media Harder on Clinton Than Obama, McCain". Gallup.com. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
       
  
  
  136. ^ "Character and the Primaries of 2008". The Project for Excellence in Journalism. May 29, 2008.
       
  
  
  137. ^ "MEDIA BASH BARACK (NOT A TYPO)". Center for Media and Public Affairs. July 28, 2008. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008.
       
  
  
  138. ^ "The Color of News". Project for Excellence in Journalism. October 29, 2008.
       
  
  
  139. ^ Absentee and Early Voting Laws Archived December 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, from the Early Voting Information Center at Reed College
       
  
  
  140. ^ "NBC calls Ohio for Obama—First Read—msnbc.com". Firstread.msnbc.msn.com. November 4, 2008. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
       
  
  
  141. ^ Fouhy, Beth (November 5, 2008). "McCain concedes presidency, congratulates Obama". Tucson Citizen. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
       
  
  
  142. ^ Meincke, Paul (November 5, 2008). "Chicago could benefit from Obama election". Chicago: WLS-TV. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
       
  
  
  143. ^ "Scenes of joy across the US—Local News—News—General". The Canberra Times. November 5, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
       
  
  
  144. ^ Naughton, Philippe (November 5, 2008). "World celebrates Barack Obama victory". London: Times Online. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
       
  
  
  145. ^ ^{a b} "United States House of Representatives floor summary for Jan 8, 2009". Clerk.house.gov. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
       
  
  
  146. ^ "Expected High Voter Turnout Has Government Officials, Watchdog Groups on Alert". Fox News. November 3, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2008. "The main thing that we all know is that there's going to be a huge turnout. There are going to be long lines, and any problems that occur will exacerbate because of those lines," said Robert M. Brandon, president of the Fair Elections Legal Network.
       
  
  
  147. ^ Urbina, Ian (November 3, 2008). "Voting experts say high turnout may add to problems at the polls". The New York Times. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
       
  
  
  148. ^ Alban, Debra (November 7, 2008). "Number of votes cast set record, but voter turnout percentage didn't". CNN. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
       
  
  
  149. ^ ^{a b} "Much-hyped Turnout Record Fails to Materialize" (PDF) (Press release). Center for the Study of the American Electorate, American University. November 6, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
       
  
  
  150. ^ ^{a b} "African-Americans, Anger, Fear and Youth Propel Turnout to Highest Level Since 1964" (PDF) (Press release). Center for the Study of the American Electorate, American University. Retrieved December 18, 2008.
       
  
  
  151. ^ "2008 General Election Turnout Vote". Elections.gmu.edu. March 31, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
       
  
  
  152. ^ "Report: '08 turnout same as or only slightly higher than '04". CNN. November 6, 2008.
       
  
  
  153. ^ "That huge voter turnout? Didn't happen". Politico. November 8, 2008.
       
  
  
  154. ^ "America Goes to the Polls". Archived from the original on April 16, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
       
  
  
  155. ^ "How Black Democrats won North Carolina and the Election: Massive Turnout, Week of November 13–19, 2008". The Wilmington Journal. November 24, 2008. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010.
       
  
  
  156. ^ The New York Times (November 4, 2008). "2008 Presidential Race: Virginia—Election Guide—The New York Times". Election Guide 2008 – The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
       
  
  
  157. ^ The New York Times (November 4, 2008). "2008 Presidential Race: Georgia—Election Guide—The New York Times". Election Guide 2008 – The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
       
  
  
  158. ^ The New York Times (November 4, 2008). "2008 Presidential Race: Mississippi—Election Guide—The New York Times". Election Guide 2008 – The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
       
  
  
  159. ^ "2008 PETITIONING FOR PRESIDENT". Ballot-access.org. October 23, 2008. Archived from the original on November 3, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
       
  
  
  160. ^ "Ballot Access News – November 1, 2008". Ballot-access.org. March 18, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
       
  
  
  161. ^ "Ballot Access News—November 1, 2008". Ballot-access.org. March 18, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
       
  
  
  162. ^ "12/12/92". Ballot-access.org. December 22, 2008. Archived from the original on February 4, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
       
  
  
  163. ^ "2008 Official Statewide General Election Results for Nevada". Nvsos.gov. November 4, 2008. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
       
  
  
  164. ^ "2008 Presidential Election by State". Thegreenpapers.com. January 8, 2009. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
       
  
  
  165. ^ "2008 Presidential Election by State". Thegreenpapers.com. January 8, 2009. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
       
  
  
  166. ^ "Ballot Access News – February 1, 2009". Ballot-access.org. February 1, 2009. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
       
  
  
  167. ^ "Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, Elections Division". Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
       
  
  
  168. ^ "Official Results of Nebraska General Election – November 4, 2008" (PDF). Retrieved December 2, 2012.
       
  
  
  169. ^ "Election maps". www-personal.umich.edu.
       
  
  
  170. ^ Coleman, Joseph (November 5, 2008). "World hopes U.S. election heralds new era". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 17, 2009.
       
  
  
  171. ^ "World leaders hail Obama triumph". BBC News. November 5, 2008. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
       
  
  
  172. ^ "National Exit Poll". CNN. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
       
  
  
  173. ^ Kilner, Derek (June 4, 2008). "Kenyans Welcome Obama's Democratic Party Nomination". VOA News. Archived from the original on July 26, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2008.
       
  
  
  174. ^ Wallsten, Peter (November 5, 2008). "White Americans play major role in electing the first black president". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
       
  
  
  175. ^ "African-Americans Who Ran for President". socialstudiesforkids.com. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
       
  
  
  176. ^ "America.gov". America.gov. November 7, 2008. Archived from the original on August 5, 2009. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
       
  
  
  177. ^ "Obama Over the Top: How New Voters Could Redraw The Electoral Map". Progress Illinois. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
       
  
  
  178. ^ Exit Polls, The New York TimesNovember 5, 2008.
       
  
  
  179. ^ Cost, Jay (November 20, 2008). "HorseRaceBlog—Electoral Polarization Continues Under Obama". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
       
  
  
  180. ^ Kuhn, David Paul (November 5, 2008). "Exit polls: How Obama won". Politico. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
       
  
  
  181. ^ "Exit poll". CNN. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
       
  
  
  182. ^ Hunt, Albert R. (February 3, 2008). "Obama vs. McCain would be dream match". The New York Times.
       
  
  
  
  

  Further reading[edit]

  
  
  
  

  • Plouffe, David. The Audacity to Win. 2009
  
  
  • Balz, Dan, and Haynes Johnson. The Battle for America 2008: The Story of an Extraordinary Election (2009), by leading reporters with inside information
  
  
  • Crotty, William. "Policy and Politics: The Bush Administration and the 2008 Presidential Election," Polity, July 2009, Vol. 41 Issue 3, pp 282–311 online
  
  
  • Curtis, Mark. Age of Obama: A Reporter's Journey With Clinton, McCain and Obama in the Making of the President in 2008 (2009)
  
  
  • Gidlow, Liette. Obama, Clinton, Palin: Making History in Election 2000 (2012)
  
  
  • Nelson, Michael. The Elections of 2008 (2009), factual summary except and text search
  
  
  • Sussman, Glen. "Choosing a New Direction: The Presidential Election of 2008," White House Studies, 2009, Vol. 9 Issue 1, pp 1–20
  
  
  • Wolffe, Richard. Renegade: The Making of a President (2010) excerpt and text search, narrative

  Voters[edit]

  
  

  • Abramson, Paul R., John H. Aldrich, and David W. Rohde. Change and Continuity in the 2008 Elections (2009) excerpt and text search
  
  
  • Corwin E. Smidt and others. The Disappearing God Gap? Religion in the 2008 Presidential Election (Oxford University Press; 2010) 278 pages. Finds that the gap between church-attending traditionalists and other voters is not closing, as has been claimed, but is changing in significant ways; draws on survey data from voters who were interviewed in the spring of 2008 and then again after the election.
  
  
  • Crespino, Joseph. "The U.S. South and the 2008 Election," Southern Spaces (2008) online
  
  
  • Jessee, Stephen A. "Voter Ideology and Candidate Positioning in the 2008 Presidential Election," American Politics Research, March 2010, Vol. 38 Issue 2, pp 195–210
  
  
  • Kenski, Kate, Bruce W. Hardy, and Kathleen Hall Jamieson. The Obama Victory: How Media, Money, and Message Shaped the 2008 Election (Oxford University Press; 2010) 378 pages. Draws on interviews with key campaign advisors as well as the National Annenberg Election Survey. excerpt and text search
  
  
  • Sabato, Larry. The Year of Obama: How Barack Obama Won the White House (2009)
  
  
  • Stempel III, Guido H. and Thomas K. Hargrove, eds. The 21st-Century Voter: Who Votes, How They Vote, and Why They Vote (2 vol. 2015).
  
  
  • Todd, Chuck, and Sheldon Gawiser. How Barack Obama Won: A State-by-State Guide to the Historic 2008 Presidential Election (2009) excerpt and text search
  
  

  External links[edit]

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Life and politics Presidency Books Speeches Elections Illinois State Senate election, 1996, 1998, 2002 Illinois's 1st congressional district election, 2000 United States Senate election, 2004 Democratic presidential primaries, 2008 2012 Democratic National Convention, 2008 2012 Presidential campaign, 2008 Presidential election, 2008 Presidential campaign, 2012 Presidential election, 2012 Family