President-elect Barack Obama
Democrats have a big election night as America makes history
President-elect Barack Obama smiles during his acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago Tuesday night, November 4, 2008. (Photo: ©Morry Gash/AP Images)
Senator Barack Obama is now President-elect Obama and he has already started building his transition team.
A transition team is the first step in a new President's job. The transition team helps with setting up an agenda and appointing and hiring all the people who will govern in the new administration.
The first appointment came early this morning. Obama asked Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois to serve as his Chief of Staff. Emanuel, who worked in the Clinton administration, has not answered as of press time Wednesday.
Obama is expected to choose several other people who worked for the last Democratic President, Bill Clinton. He is also expected to appoint several Republicans.
Obama won the presidency with 349 electoral votes to McCain's 163. Two states—Missouri and North Carolina—remain too close to call, but the winner only needed 270 to claim the presidency.
An Important Moment in America
The day after the election is a day of celebration for many but also a day of important statements on this historic moment. America has just elected its first African-American President.
President George W. Bush spoke from the Rose Garden Wednesday morning.
"No matter how they cast their votes, all Americans can be proud of the history that was made," Bush said. "It will be a stirring sight to watch Barack Obama; his wife, Michelle; and their two beautiful daughters step over the threshold of the White House."
Republican presidential candidate John McCain made his statement last night, marking the moment and calling on Americans to work together to solve the nation's problems.
"I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating [Obama]," he said, "but offering our next President our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together. . .to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity,. . .[and] leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited."
Balance of Power
Tuesday's ballots contained more than the presidential race. All 435 House members and a third of Senators faced voters. The biggest question after who will be the next President, was which party will have control of the House and Senate. Would Obama have a majority of Democrats to help him get his policies made into laws?
Results show mostly good news for Democrats, who took at least 21 House seats from Republicans on Tuesday (not all the results were in as of Wednesday morning). Democrats were projected to win about 254 seats. Republicans are expected to have about 173 seats.
"It's a signal of the change that the American people want," said the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
Notable Races
Republican Representative Chris Shays was sent packing in Connecticut. New England states in the Northeast no longer have any Republican representation in the House. Shays was seeking his 11th two-year term.
In the Senate, the Democrats added five seats for a total of 56. There are still four undecided races. If the Democrats win all four, they would have a filibuster-proof majority. With 60 votes, they are poised to defeat any Republican initiatives.
One of the most closely watched Senate races is in Minnesota, where comedian Al Franken and incumbent Norm Coleman are practically tied. Only about 500 votes separated the two, with Coleman in the lead. A recount could take until mid December.
A Georgia Senate race could result in a runoff election. Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss is only slightly ahead of challenger Jim Martin, a Democrat. Neither candidate may get a required 50 percent of the vote because a Libertarian candidate siphoned off some votes in the race.
In Alaska, Senator Ted Stevens is in a tight race with Democrat Mark Begich. Stevens, who is 84, was recently convicted on seven felony corruption charges.
Republicans lost high-profile seats in North Carolina and New Hampshire.
Senator Elizabeth Dole, a former Cabinet member and wife of one-time presidential candidate Bob Dole, was defeated by Democratic State Senator Kay Hagan. Until recently, Hagan was not expected to win. Dole ran a viciously negative ad against Hagan that backfired and helped move the State Senator into a federal Senate seat.
In New Hampshire, former Democratic Governor Jeanne Shaheen defeated Republican incumbent Senator John Sununu. The two ran for the Senate Seat in 2002 with a different outcome.
Follow Scholastic News Online and the Scholastic Kids Press Corps throughout the next few months as we cover the transition to a new administration and the upcoming inauguration on January 20, 2009.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
Read today’s story and answer the following question.
 | What are your ideas for how President-elect Obama can help this country? What qualities do you think are most important in a good leader? Tell us on the Scholastic News Online Blog! | |
Scholastic Kid Reporters covered Election Day from their home states across the country. Check out their coverage of Election 2008 at here.
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