Roy Kilgo examined a ballot as he waited in line today in Charlotte, N.C., one of the states that could prove telling about today's outcome. (AP Photo by Chuck Burton)
by Mark Silva
The first votes of the long-awaited 2008 presidential election have been counted, from the first Election Day polls to open. In Dixville Notch, N.H.
It's Barack Obama 15, John McCain 6.
We guarantee you: That margin will narrow today, with polls now open in half the states. The outcome, which candidate comes out with more popular votes today -- and most importantly, the electoral college majority of 270 -- will take a while to glean tonight.
The vote caps a historic presidential campaign more than two years in the running and the costliest ever. It will conclude with either the election of the first African-American in a nation once riven by slavery and long plagued by racial strife, or with the election of the first female vice president in a nation where women won the right to vote only 88 years ago. Either way, the outcome of the 2008 presidential election would inspire people long denied a place in the national political arena.
It could end with the election of the oldest man ever to win a first term as president: John Sidney McCain III, 72, the senior senator from Arizona, who served a full career in the U.S. Navy - including five-and-a-half years as a prisoner-of-war in Vietnam - before beginning a congressional career that has spanned another quarter century. He is older than Ronald Reagan, then 69, was at his first election.
Or it could end with the selection of one of the youngest American presidents ever - only John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton were younger at election. Barack Hussein Obama II, 47, the junior senator from Illinois, has served less than four years in the Senate and served eight years as a state legislator before that.
But it is much more than age that divides Obama and McCain.
Obama, a Harvard-trained attorney, was born of a white mother from Kansas and black father from Kenya who left the family early on, leaving Obama to be raised largely by his mother and also by his grandmother in Hawaii - a beloved grandmother who passed away on the eve of Election Day.
He never served in the military, but rather served as a community organizer in Chicago and penned a best-selling memoir in his 30s, Dreams from My Father, that helped secure him and his own family financially.
McCain, a third-generation graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, is the son and grandson of four-star admirals who served in the great World Wars. Descended from a long line of Naval and Army commanders before that, he also is the descendant of a Confederate Army officer and slaveholder in Mississippi, William McCain.
He was raised at Naval stations around the world, and became a bomber pilot. He was shot down over Hanoi during his 23rd bombing raid against North Vietnam. His best-known memoir, Faith of My Fathers, was penned with the help of a Senate aide before his first, failing bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000.
Obama, launching a self-styled "audacious'' campaign for the presidency on a cold day in a town square of Springfield, Ill., in February 2007, would go on to raise more money than any presidential candidate in history - more than $600 million - and in the process overrun the candidacy of one of the biggest names in American politics: He defeated Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York for his party's nomination in June.
McCain, never the darling of his own Republican Party for his willingness to confront issues such as campaign financing limitations and immigration reform in cooperation with Democrats, managed to wrest the 2008 nomination from a crowded field of GOP candidates. He had fallen short of nomination in 2000.
He attempted to cast himself as the world-experienced candidate, and his campaign commercials derided Obama as "dangerously unprepared'' to lead. Yet with the naming of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a running mate, the selection of the first-term governor and former mayor of tiny Wasilla for a position potentially "a heartbeat away'' from the presidency undercut his argument about experience.
McCain, dubbing himself as "the original maverick,'' attempted to pivot with a campaign promising change. Yet this was the clarion call that Obama had first made in Springfield and a theme that the Democrat pursued with unwavering consistency - "change that we can believe in.'' And, ironically, Obama tapped a running mate, longtime Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, with decades of experience in Washington.
Obama also campaigned with sweeping promises for an embattled America both at home and abroad: Promising to withdraw U.S. combat forces from Iraq within 16 months of election, and promising to offer health care for millions of Americans lacking it. It would come with costs, Obama conceded - promising tax cuts for 95 percent of all Americans, but tax increases for the wealthiest few to pay for his plans.
And Obama made a concerted effort to saddle McCain with his own party's unpopular retiring president, George W. Bush, holding a 25 percent job approval rating in the latest Gallup Poll - a near all-time low for American presidents since World War II. (Harry Truman fell to 22, Richard Nixon to 24 before resignation.) Obama and his party portrayed McCain simply as "more of the same.''
McCain, asserting that "I am not George Bush,'' attempted to distance himself from his party's president and contend that Obama's tax increases would offer nothing but harm for a stumbling economy. He seized upon the late-campaign comments of a supporter in Ohio, "Joe the Plumber,'' to portray Obama's plans as "socialism.''
But Obama, who had built a deep fundraising base with an Internet campaign capitalizing on energetic support from younger voters, outspent McCain vastly in the most competitive states of the 2008 election. Obama mounted not only a pervasive television campaign, climaxing with a half-hour of prime-time TV in the final week of the contest, but also a field operation of voter registration, campaign canvassers and a get-out-the-vote operation unparalleled in Democratic presidential campaigns.
In the closing weeks of the campaign, Obama concentrated his pitch on states that traditionally had voted Republican, such as Virginia, and states that have served as a bellwether of presidential elections, such as Ohio. McCain attempted to overturn what appeared to be a considerable advantage for Obama in the electoral vote count by focusing his attention on states such as Pennsylvania.
And in the early returns, the ability of Obama to claim a victory in Virginia, which has not voted Republican in a presidential election since 1964, or the ability of McCain to overturn Obama's advantage in pre-election opinion polls in Pennsylvania, would speak volumes about where this historic contest was heading.
• 
Comments
What I find different between the two campaigns is how the media has treated the candidates.
The media has identified every gaffe and misstep that John McCain has committed and played them time and time again.
The media has mocked and belittled Sarah Palin and the American people have heard it so many times that she is a laughing stock to many.
But when it comes to Barack Obama the media has treated him like the second coming of the messiah. The American people still know little about him or his past relationships.
Then we have Joe Biden who commits a gaffe every time he speaks but they are almost never repeated by the media.
Mark Penn was correct when he stated"the biggest loser in this election will be the media".
Posted by: Pat H | November 4, 2008 7:46 AM
You guarantee a close finish. I expect Senator Obama to win with a good lead.
God Bless President Obama!
Posted by: John Peirson | November 4, 2008 8:13 AM
First: I think Virginia has voted Republican every year since 1964 and LBJ's absolute ownership of the race.
Second: I dunno that it's gonna tighten up that much. Based on everything you see, one campaign has a message that speaks to a lot of people and one has a message that speaks to the same old people, and not as many of them as it used to.
PS: Pat H: Palin has earned every bit of ridicule she has garnered. She was a sad pick to energize the base, but she is a sad, venal person with no apparent qualification to be president. I have not seen many people on the national stage that I am more confounded by or disappointed in. And the choice speaks volumes about John McCain.
Posted by: ML Harris | November 4, 2008 8:34 AM
The press is corrupt and if this reprobate characterless egomaniac wins, they will have obfuscated and lied and deceived enough people to have elevated some fringe candidate to presidency...
From Obama's Berlin Speech: "We cannot to continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we have set. We have got to have a civilian national security force that is just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded." He added, "People of all ages, stations, and skills will be asked to serve."
In my opinion, Obama's "civilian national security force" will be used to enforce speech codes, the "FAIRNESS DOCTRINE" and DRACONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, right here on our own soil in violation of POSSE COMITATAS.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=69601
This man Obama is a truly scary demagogue who deserves to be questioned much more than he was. It is sad that our press is corrupt in this country and no longer can be trusted to do this job satisfactorily. It doesn't mean you should not investigate these things for yourself. It does not mean Obama did not say this. It's recorded on video everywhere for posterity.
Posted by: NH | November 4, 2008 8:35 AM
Mark Penn was correct when he stated"the biggest loser in this election will be the media".
Posted by: Pat H | November 4, 2008 7:46 AM
I find the "biggest losers" to be the one who make claims against the media. In this day and age there are enough outlets for information to research the issues for yourselves. Those waiting to be forcefed bias from both sides have not used the tools available for them to make an informed decision.
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | November 4, 2008 8:50 AM
Eh.
Maybe one candidate simply screws up more than the other one?
Maybe a lot of these 'past relationships' hold little, if any, journalistic weight?
Sorry, McCain has run one of the most incompetent campaigns in history...and he deserves the bad coverage.
Posted by: American | November 4, 2008 8:54 AM
Obama will weaken our military, raise our taxes, and provide no leadership for this economic crisis. He will also perpetuate class warfare.
McCain will be victorious in the war(s), create jobs by helping small business, and strengthen our weakening economy. A rising tide floats all boats as Kennedy said and McCain believes.
The Choice is obvious. Vote McCain
Posted by: Don | November 4, 2008 9:00 AM
holy pro mccain article batman!
god bless mr. obama
Posted by: mark | November 4, 2008 9:01 AM
This is the first time I've seen McCain's middle name used, but how many times has Barack's middle name been thrown around?
Talk about bias.
Posted by: RomanB | November 4, 2008 9:09 AM
I predict that the majority of the voters will be able to see through the manufactured fear promoted by the GOP and will vote for Obama.
Posted by: Independent | November 4, 2008 9:22 AM
Regardless of the eventual winner for president, the big loser this year is the media, which has proven to be entirely corrupt in it's non-stop fawning and covering for Obama. Never again will Americans trust the media.
Posted by: Jenn | November 4, 2008 9:27 AM
NH,
You are a crazy loon! How on earth can you interpret Obama's comments about needing to balance our Military power as creating a domestic ideological enforcement mechanism? You need to get off the kool-aid. I wish Obama were as crazy left-wing as you suggest, but he isn't. It just seems that way because you're a right-wing crazy.
Obama is a centrist, even by skewed domestic standards.
Posted by: Brad | November 4, 2008 9:44 AM
There are blatant lies in here. The most obvious, the financial security of the Obama's hinging on Dreams of My Father. Did we all forget that Mrs. Obama is a highly paid attorney? She was actually Barack's senior when he first started practicing law! Geeze.
Posted by: Kevin | November 4, 2008 9:48 AM
We don't need crazyness right now...
interested to see how the day pans out.
Funny that McCain acknowledged the alien endorsement!
http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/11/03/mccain-touts-alien-endorsement/
Posted by: Leslie | November 4, 2008 10:04 AM
Nov. 4, 2008 Independence Day!!!
Posted by: Amalthea | November 4, 2008 10:34 AM
Two things stand out about this election. One, how low the "democratic" has fallen in morality, two, how the press shamelessly parrots the democrats' lines.
Case in point - One of America's core beliefs is the right to the secret ballot. The democrats totally support the unionists recent and current attempts to ELIMINATE the secret ballot, which would give them "Big Brother" power over their members, allowing intimidation, harassment, and recriminations. Have you heard ANY democrat or "news" reporter speak out against this blatant attempt to curtail freedom in America (or "Rev." Wright, Ayers, Rezko, "Redistributing the Wealth", etc.?) No, and you WON'T! The unions and the democrats are in bed together, along with their press groupies! They HATE freedom, they LOVE only the power to CONTROL. If you vote for Obama, you're voting AGAINST the secret ballot, AGAINST one more of our traditional American freedoms! One step closer to one-party Socialism!
Posted by: lightnin | November 4, 2008 10:42 AM
There was no way McCain was going to win this race. The ONLY reason. OBAMA
Posted by: fernando canavati | November 4, 2008 10:55 AM
As we now head into the last day of having to listen to these neo-con mouthpieces for the RNC, I’ll make my prediction. Obama will win by 10% of the electorate, and go over the top by 270+ electoral votes before 10pm. Yes this could be construed as counting my chickens before they hatch, but watch to see what happens when the poles start closing. Right now I’ll have to head over to the poll to cast my vote (not that I have any doubt that Obama will win here), but because I haven’t missed a vote since I’ve been old enough to do so. By the way, I hope that Sarah Palin didn’t waste money on a round trip ticket to Alaska, because she won’t be needing to return to the lower 48.
Posted by: Rory M | November 4, 2008 11:00 AM
History is being made today. Let the McCain supporters have their last chance to engage in their outdated, divisive rant. Tomorrow is a new day for America, and they will also benefit from Obama's Presidency, whether they want to or not.
Posted by: Bob | November 4, 2008 11:02 AM
My problem with Obama is totally on policy.
He has said himself that his cap and trade system will cause electricity costs to skyrocket. How is this good for those who are on a limited and fixed budget?
Cap and trade will raise the cost of all electricity and also gasoline. We just saw how an increase in the cost of gasoline effected the cost of food and other purchased goods. What will increase in the cost of all electricity do?
So, I just do not see how people think this is good.
I wonder what will happen when American businesses get hit with these higher costs of electricity due to cap and trade. I wonder what happens to the steel industry when it gets hit with cap and trade. I wonder what will happen to the already hurting automobile industry when it gets hit with higher steel costs.
Posted by: Heather | November 4, 2008 11:56 AM
I'm not so sure the election will be close.
Just a general comment about the tone of comments and email blogs. Will there ever be a time we can disagree without being disagreeable?
Things like "reprobate characterless egomaniac" just amaze me. Didn't your mom and dad teach you to treat people with respect? You know, the golden rule.
Posted by: Brian | November 4, 2008 12:01 PM
Both McCaine and Obama are fancy hood ornaments on the same ugly old machines. Our foreign policy will remain "bombs and bribes." They will continue to wreck our economy. The answer to every problem will remain more government power.
Worst of all, we do this to ourselves again and again. Americans hate freedom. Morons.
Posted by: Sturdi | November 4, 2008 12:02 PM
Cmon. Media bias? How about unbelievably poor campaign by John McCain and team? His dramatic swing to the right helped only to alienate moderates. His selection of Sarah Palin only took away his Obama inexperience angle. His facial expressions during the debates made him seem unhinged and his overtly mean-spirited negative attacks made him seem like more of the same that we had from W. John McCain lost this campaign and the media had nothing to do with it.
Posted by: Pat H is already a sore loser | November 4, 2008 12:24 PM
"The media has mocked and belittled Sarah Palin and the American people have heard it so many times that she is a laughing stock to many."
Oh, Please! Sarah Palin made herself a laughingstock. Sure, the press was happy to help her along, but her inablity to answer simple interview questions (what newspaper do you read?) and her ridiculous responses to questions about the economy and foriegn policy can't be blamed on the media. She was not qualified and she cost McCain votes in the end.
Posted by: Tom O | November 4, 2008 12:34 PM
Other reports say the town has only 20 registered voters
but 21 votes were cast.
Is Acorn at work here?
Posted by: Raven | November 4, 2008 12:41 PM
Funny how no one on the right was complaining when the majority of the media was blindly following and supporting President Bush after 9/11.
Posted by: Peter | November 4, 2008 2:08 PM
I am 13 years old.
I went with my cousin on Halloween asking them something.
I asked if they had registered to vote.
I got some interesting results.
http://vbykm.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/have-you-retested-to-vote-asking-that-people-on-halloween/
Posted by: KM | November 4, 2008 7:44 PM
I am doing a project and i was wondering can you give the notes on the numbers each person won for the state.ex alabama-Obama McCain
3 8
thank you
Posted by: Nevershi | November 4, 2008 10:47 PM