Politics

NEW YORK (CBS) ― In an extraordinary moment in America's history, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has won the 2008 presidential election and will become the 44th president of the United States and the country's first African-American leader.

"Because of what we did on this day, in this election, in this defining moment, change has come to America," Obama told 125,000 supporters gathered in Chicago's Grant Park to celebrate his victory.

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," he added.

"A new dawn of American leadership is at hand," Obama said.

Obama's victory comes on the strength of projected wins in battleground states that went to President George W. Bush four years ago - among them Ohio, Florida, Virginia, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Iowa - as well as a victory in Pennsylvania, a state that John McCain had hoped to turn blue to buoy his bid for an upset victory.

As the results came in Tuesday evening, a senior aide told CBS News the McCain camp was hoping for a "miracle," but the Arizona senator was not able to defy expectations in one of the worst election years for Republicans in decades.

"We have come to the end of a long journey," McCain said in a concession speech late Tuesday night. "The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."

"Let there be no reason now for any American not to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on earth," he added, lauding the historic nature of Obama's victory for African-Americans.

McCain told disappointed supporters he had called Obama to congratulate him on his victory, and called on them to support the president elect.

According to Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs, Obama thanked McCain for his graciousness and said he had waged a tough race on the phone call, which took place at 11 PM Eastern Time.

President George W. Bush also called Obama this evening to congratulate him on his victory, the Obama campaign said. The president also called McCain, the White House said, telling the Republican nominee, "John, you gave it your all."

Hillary Clinton, the New York senator whom Obama defeated in a tough Democratic primary battle, released a statement saying that she looks forward "to doing all that I can to support President Obama and Vice President Biden in the difficult work that lies ahead."

She said that under their leadership, as well as that of a Democratic Congress, "we will chart a better course to build a new economy and rebuild our leadership in the world."

"The road ahead will be long," Obama said in his remarks. "Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there."

Obama cited challenges ahead, among them "two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century."

In addition to the above states, CBS News estimates that Obama will win California, New York, Washington, Michigan, Oregon, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont, Illinois, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, Hawaii, Connecticut, Maine, Delaware, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia.

McCain will take Alaska, Texas, Arizona, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Utah, West Virginia, South Dakota, Arkansas, Alabama, Idaho, Tennessee, Kansas, North Dakota, Wyoming and Oklahoma, the network projects.

Obama is now estimated to take at least 338 electoral votes, while McCain has 156. 270 electoral votes are needed to take the White House.

Women came out strong for Obama, according to exit polls, backing the Democratic nominee 56 percent to 42 percent. Obama also had a slight edge among men.

The Democratic nominee did not win white voters, the exit polls suggest. The voting block - which made up three in four total voters - broke for McCain 54 percent to 44 percent. But black voters, who made up 13 percent of voters, voted overwhelmingly for Obama, 96 percent to 3 percent.

Hispanics backed Obama over McCain by a margin of 67 percent to 30 percent, while young people (age 18 to 29), who made up 18 percent of voters, favored Obama 68 percent to 30 percent.

Independents also backed Obama by a small margin. The Illinois senator won 20 percent of conservatives.

There is some evidence that GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin may have hurt the Republican ticket. Less than half of voters in exit polls said the Alaska governor is qualified to be president, if necessary. Two-thirds said Palin's Democratic counterpart Joe Biden is qualified to step into the role.

And six in 10 said McCain's choice of Palin was a factor in their vote, including four in 10 who described it as an important factor.

Exit polls also show widespread pessimism among the electorate concerning the economy and the country's leadership. Three in four voters say the U.S. is on the wrong track, while voters gave high disapproval ratings to both President Bush (72 percent) and Congress (74 percent).

Fifty-one percent strongly disapprove of Mr. Bush, and 83 percent of this group backed Obama.

More than six in 10 voters cite the economy as the most important issue in their vote - far outdistancing any other topic. Pre-election polls showed Obama with a consistent advantage over McCain when it comes to voter perception of how he would handle the economy.

Lines stretched around buildings and crossed city blocks as people waited to cast ballots across the country Tuesday. There were reports of waits of up to six-and-a-half hours in Missouri and four hours in Manhattan.

But many voters persevered, and elections officials predicted a record turnout nationwide Tuesday. Even in reliably Republican states where Obama had little chance of winning the presidential vote, unprecedented numbers of registrations and early votes were tallied. There were reports of likely record turnout in places where neither candidate bothered to campaign.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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