WASHINGTON – His storied election behind him and weighty problems in his face, Barack Obama turned Wednesday to the task of building an administration in times of crisis as Americans and the world absorbed his history-shattering achievement as the first black leader ascending to the presidency.

Obama enjoyed an everyman day-after in his hometown of Chicago on Wednesday after an electric night of celebration, anchored by his victory rally of 125,000 in Chicago and joyful outpourings of his supporters across the country. The president-elect saw his two young daughters off to school, a simple pleasure he’s missed during nearly two years of virtually nonstop travel, then had a gym workout.

Pressing business came at him fast, with just 76 days until his inauguration as the 44th president.

The nation’s top intelligence officials planned to give him top-secret daily briefings starting Thursday, sharing with him the most critical overnight intelligence as well as other information he has not been allowed to see as a senator or candidate. And Obama planned to give the first of his daily briefings to the media on Thursday as he moves quickly to begin assembling a White House staff and selecting Cabinet nominees.

Obama was asking Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, former political and policy adviser to President Clinton, to be his White House chief of staff, Democratic officials said. John Podesta, who served as Clinton’s chief of staff, was expected to join Obama Senate aide Pete Rouse and campaign adviser Valerie Jarrett in leading the transition team.

President Bush pledged “complete cooperation” in the transition and called Obama’s victory a “triumph of the American story.”

Naming the staggering list of problems he inherits in his decisive defeat of Republican John McCain — two wars and “the worst financial crisis in a century,” among them — Obama sought to restrain the soaring expectations of his supporters late Tuesday night even as he stoked them with impassioned calls for national unity and partisan healing.

“We may not get there in one year or even in one term,” he said. “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.”

Helping him to get there will be a strengthened Democratic majority in both houses of Congress. When Obama becomes the president on Jan. 20, with Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as his vice president, Democrats will control both the White House and Congress for the first time since 1994.

A tide of international goodwill came Obama’s way on Wednesday morning, even as developments made clear how heavy a weight will soon be on his shoulders.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued a congratulatory telegram saying there is “solid positive potential” for the election to improve strained relations between Washington and Moscow, if Obama engages in constructive dialogue.

Yet he appeared to be deliberately provocative hours after the election with sharp criticism of the U.S. and his announcement that Russia will deploy missiles near NATO member Poland in response to U.S. missile defense plans.

In Afghanistan, where villagers said the U.S. bombed a wedding party and killed 37 people, President Hamid Karzai said: “This is my first demand of the new president of the United States — to put an end to civilian casualties.”

Young and charismatic but with little experience on the national level or as an executive, Obama easily defeated McCain, smashing records and remaking history along the way.

Ending an improbable journey that started for Obama a long 21 months ago, he drew a record-breaking $700 million to his campaign account alone. The first African-American destined to sit in the Oval Office, he also was the first Democrat to receive more than 50 percent of the popular vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976. He is the first senator elected to the White House since John F. Kennedy in 1960.

And Obama scored an Electoral College landslide that redrew America’s political dynamics. He won states that reliably voted Republican in presidential elections, such as Indiana and Virginia, which hadn’t supported a Democratic candidate in 44 years. Ohio and Florida, key to President Bush’s twin victories, also went for Obama, as did Pennsylvania, which McCain had deemed crucial for his election hopes.

With most U.S. precincts tallied, the popular vote was 52.3 percent for Obama and 46.4 percent for McCain. But the count in the Electoral College was much more lopsided — 349 to 147 in Obama’s favor as of early Wednesday, with three states still to be decided. Those were North Carolina, Georgia and Missouri.

The nation awakened to the new reality at daybreak, a short night after millions witnessed Obama’s election — an event so rare it could not be called a once-in-a-century happening. Prominent black leaders wept unabashedly in public, rejoicing in the elevation of one of their own, at long last.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who had made two White House bids himself, said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that the tears streaming down his face upon Obama’s victory were about his father and grandmother and “those who paved the fights. And then that Barack’s so majestic.”

Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat and leading player in the civil rights movement with Jackson, said on NBC’s “Today” show: “He’s going to call on us, I believe, to sacrifice. We all must give up something.”

Speaking from Hong Kong, retired Gen. Colin Powell, the black Republican whose endorsement of Obama symbolized the candidate’s bipartisan reach and bolstered him against charges of inexperience, called the senator’s victory “a very very historic occasion.” But he also predicted that Obama would be “a president for all America.”

On Capitol Hill, Democrats ousted incumbent GOP Sens. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John SununuNew Hampshire and captured seats held by retiring Republican senators in Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado. Still, the GOP blocked a complete rout, holding the Kentucky seat of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and a Mississippi seat once held by Trent Lott. of

The Associated Press prematurely declared incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman the winner in a race against Democratic former comedian Al Franken that by state law is subject to a recount based on the 571-vote margin. The party also held onto a Mississippi seat once held by Trent Lott.

In the House, with fewer than a dozen races still undecided, Democrats captured Republican-held seats in the Northeast, South and West and were on a path to pick up as many as 20 seats.

“It is not a mandate for a party or ideology but a mandate for change,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

After the longest and costliest campaign in U.S. history, Obama was propelled to victory by voters dismayed by eight years of Bush’s presidency and deeply anxious about rising unemployment and home foreclosures and a battered stock market that has erased trillions of dollars of savings for Americans.

Six in 10 voters picked the economy as the most important issue facing the nation in an Associated Press exit poll. None of the other top issues — energy, Iraq, terrorism and health care — was selected by more than one in 10. Obama has promised to cut taxes for most Americans, get the United States out of Iraq and expand health care, including mandatory coverage for children.

McCain conceded defeat shortly after 11 p.m. EST, telling supporters outside the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, “The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.”

“This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and the special pride that must be theirs tonight,” McCain said. “These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.”

The son of a Kenyan father and a white mother from Kansas, the 47-year-old Obama has had a startlingly rapid rise, from lawyer and community organizer to state legislator and U.S. senator, now not even four years into his first term.

Almost six in 10 women supported Obama nationwide, while men leaned his way by a narrow margin, according to interviews with voters. Just over half of whites supported McCain, giving him a slim advantage in a group that Bush carried overwhelmingly in 2004.

The results of the AP survey were based on a preliminary partial sample of nearly 10,000 voters in Election Day polls and in telephone interviews over the past week for early voters.

In terms of turnout, America voted in record numbers. It looks like 136.6 million Americans will have voted for president this election, based on 88 percent of the country’s precincts tallied and projections for absentee ballots, said Michael McDonald of George Mason University. Using his methods, that would give 2008 a 64.1 percent turnout rate, the highest since 65.7 percent in 1908, he said.

Update Nov 5: Well it is going fast now and it is official: Barack Obama is the 44th President of the USA.

The election is over, and at 11:15 EST McCain delivered his concession speech in Arizona, with his wife Cindy and running mate Sarah Palin by his side.

He began by silencing boos, congratulating Barack Obama, and saying he’d called the Senator, now President Elect, earlier. He made a call to come together and bridge the separations and put aside differences.

Speaking from Arizona’s Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, McCain told his supporters: “It’s natural tonight to feel some disappointment. Though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.”

He blamed himself for the loss and thanked Sarah Palin, “one of the best campaigners I’ve ever seen.”

He also said, “I don’t know what more we could have done,” and called the campaign, “the great honor of my life.”

McCain said he will get behind his president, President Obama. Source: Huffington Post

So, voters in the USA are almost finished and now it’s time to count votes and i’m not surprised that Barack Obama is in the lead. He won already in some crucial swing-states and in fact it is just a matter of time and then we now for sure:

Barack Obama is the next President of the USA.

Update Nov 4: It is Election Day and the victory for Barack Obama is pretty sure, i think.

In the mean time i found the firts video about the race between John McCain and sarah Palin for the 2012 Election !! Great.

Update Oct 31: Just a few days to go to election Day 2008 on November 4th. But in fact elections are running for weeks now and guess what? Barack Obama is firmly in the lead. In fact John McCain is far behind. I think John helped Barack a lot with his decision to choose hockey mom Sarah Palin.

Furthermore Barack Obama’s campaign team did a tremendous communication job. They used all modern possibilities. You can find Barack Obama on every big Social Network or Community and so he created a very big crowd of supporters. And all these supporters wrote about Barack Obama and they donated money. A lot of money. Roughly $600 million to use for there campaign. You already herad about the Barack Obama Infomercial on television, broadcasted by some really big networks.

So in my opinion it is sure that Barack Obama will be the next President of the USA.

Source and picture: CNN Election 2008

Update Oct 4: So that was a nice week, with the debate between vice-president candidates Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. I think Sarah did a great job specially by not answering the questions. In my opinion was the weakest answer of Sarah her vision on climate change. See the videos.

Update Sept 27: Well, they did it. Mc Cain found some time to come in the middle of the financial crisis as a result of his party politics, as usual explained by mr George Bush himslef. You know the boss of the White House.

The first of three big Presidential Debates took place. See the videos i added. MOst comments i have seen say there was no winner. In my opinion it is clear: The winner of the first Presedential Debate is Barack Obama.

Why? Didn’t you hear what John McCain said about war, about energy, about Iraq, about Iran? No it is clear: 1-0 for Barack Obama.

Update 25-09: Tomorrow, Friday 26th of September the first presidential debate is scheduled at 9pm EST. It will be the first clash between Barack Obama and John McCain on television.

Michelle Obama asks supporters to attend or host Debate Watch Parties and Barack Obama gave a press-conference yesterday in Clearwater, Florida. Obama: Debate is ‘More Important Than Ever’

I agree with that. In the polls so far Obama is on the winning hand with 49% to 44%. A poll by Washington Post/ABC News is even better for Obama de with 52%  and McCain 43%. But you know. These are only polls. The real game is at Election Day 2008, November 4th.

Want to see the debate life? Look here.

Update 24-09: Did you kMichelle Obama asks supporters to attend or host Debate Watch Parties fornow that a lot of John McCain advisor’s have one thing common? No? Well they served George Bush for many years.

So nothing new with John McCain. It’s still the famous old boys network of the Republicans that helped the USA to the worst possible position in history. War in Afghanistan, Irak and the war on terrorism at many other places. Energycrisis in the USA and the rest of the world because Americans use too much oil, gas and other resources. Higher prices of food worldwide. An economical crisis, a financial crisis and a never seen debt for the USA. Even the applauded rescue plan of Paulson for the financials will bring at least 700 billion dollar too the rich people. No solution for all Americans with big financial problems as a result of the financial crisis. No help at all. No real solutions, no change.

The USA and the world need that change. So for that change the USA and the world need Barack Obama supported by many famous and not so famous people. From all over the counrty. See some pictures of Barack’s visit to New Mexico.

But Barack getting more and more support. This time a real nice bunch of artist worked together to make the brandnew CD: Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement. You can listen all 18 songs on the website.

1. Eternity – Lionel Richie 2. Signed Sealed Delivered – Stevie Wonder 3. Waiting On The World To Change – John Mayer 4. American Prayer – Dave Stewart 5. Battle Cry – Shontelle 6. Make It Better – Los Lonely Boys 7. Pride In The Name Of Love – John Legend 8. I Have A Dream – BeBe Winans 9. Am I All Alone – Suai 10. One Is The Magic # – Jill Scott 11. Love & Hope – Ozomatli 12. Looking East – Jackson Browne 13. Out of Our heads – Sheryl Crow 14. Promised Land – Malik Yusef with Kanye West and Adam Levine of Maroon 5 15. Hold On – Yolanda Adams 16. America The Beautiful – Keb’ Mo’ 17. America – Ken Stacey 18. Wide River – Buddy Miller Through their musical contributions, the artists seek to mobilize voters in the final stretch before the November election. Many of the artists involved will also be volunteering their time to promote voter registration. For more information on registering to vote or requesting an absentee ballot, go to: www.VoteforChange.com

Update 23-09: Do you know why John McCain likes oil business soo much? See this article: McCain Owns 13 Cars; Obama Owns One (SLIDESHOW)

Update 20-09: Again there are rumours around Sarah Palin about they way she like to use her power. Other people like her public safety chief didn’t like that so much. See this article on NP: Exclusive ABC report questions Palin reason for firing public safety chief

And again John McCain repeated the lie that Alaska is providing 20 percent of USA’s energy. It is clear that John an Sarah are the best couple to destroy the USA completely. They are even worse than George Bush.

Update 14-09: Sarah Palin made recently remarks that directly link the 9/11 attacks to the war in Iraq. Of course she likes war and she is really fantastic to find a nice reason for war. I’m sure when this lady comes to the White House paece in the world will be far away. And you know already it is all God’s Plan, told to you by Sarah Palin. It seems that she has a direct, private and secret line to God and that is very convenient. She always can tell: i did it because God told me it is a holy war, a task of God we have to furfill.

“You’ll be there in service to the same cause of freedom from tyranny and from violence,” Palin said. “You’ll be there to defend the innocent from enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the deaths of thousands of Americans. You’ll be there because American can never go back to that false sense of security that came before September 11, 2001.” Source: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/palin-iraq-and.html

Update 13-09: Did you know that hunting wolves in Alaska got a new dimension lately thanks to Sarah Palin? Sarah Palin spent 400k of state cash to support wolf hunting from planes. An effective way to kill more wolves, very convenient too for the hunters.

The Republican nominee for V.P. — and quickly displacing Gozer The Gozarian as the most despised being in this dimension — successfully defeated an initiative on August 26th that would have banned hunting wolves from airplanes for sport.

Palin organized a campaign, funded with $400K in state money, to defeat Measure 2; using the tired old BS that the rest of the lower-48 don’t “understand rural Alaska.” Exiled Online said it best:

“Alaska isn’t really very hard to understand. It consists of a minority that loves the wilderness and an overwhelmingly Republican majority that wants to squeeze all the cash it can get out of the state before the oil dries up, the fish die out, and the wildlife disappears. Nowhere else does the Republican formula of manipulating the suckers by playing on their silly hatreds and even sillier vanities play out more clearly than in Alaska.”

Source: http://www.ecorazzi.com/2008/09/12/sarah-palin-spent-400k-of-state-cash-to-support-wolf-hunting-from-planes/

Update 10-09: Already heard of the Bridge to Nowhere? Yes, but i found a very nice review about Sarah Palin and her bridge. What did she say? Was it the truth. Parently not. See this article on Think Progress about Lies to Nowhere.

From the day he nominated Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AZ) to be his vice presidential running mate, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and his campaign advisers have been repeating the lie that Palin opposed the infamous Bridge to Nowhere. (In fact, Palin repeatedly expressed strong support for the project.) ThinkProgress has been keeping track of these lies and compiled them here. Please let us know if we’ve missed any, and you can comment on this document here. Source: Think Progress

Update 05-09: It’s getting very scary around Sarah Palin. You may already know she is something special and now we know why. She gets direct information from God.

Sounds great, don’t you think so. See: Palin calls war in Iraq a “task that is from God”. It is good to know that there is at least one person in the world who is informed about God’s Plan.

I hope Sarah Palin can explain this to all families who lost someone in that war. May be those families are convinced after that, but i’m not !

What to think about this?

Update 03-09: More and more news is coming out about Sarah Palin. Ok, she looks nice but is she really a nice lady. I don’t think so. See this article about her favorite sport: hunting.

Newsweek reported that Palin is “a lifelong hunter and strong proponent of Second Amendment rights.” As a member of the NRA, she has been quoted saying, “We hunt as much as we can, and I’m proud to say our freezer is full of wild game we harvested here in Alaska.” And the serial-killing intentions run in the family too! It turns out her own parents had just returned from hunting caribou when they discovered that she had been tapped as Sen. John McCain’s running mate. WOW!

Sounds to me like Mrs. Palin is about 3 seconds away from getting herself a total PETA smackdown. What do you think? Will Palin’s gun fetish turn you into an Obama supporter? Source: Ecorazzi

Update 30-08: So Barack Obama knows his opponents in the race to the White House. Ok, she isn’t 83 as i guessed before, but the 44 year old Sarah Palin is the running mate of John McCain.

And guess what? She thinks the best solution for the energy problems of the USA is in her homestate Alaska. Lots of oil and other recources in the ground. The most promising opportunities to solve the energyproblems are in Alaska. Great!! Destroy nature, go-on with oil-drilling, pump-up as much as possible and don’t worry about climate.

And guess again? Her husband works for BP. Unbelievable. Furthermore Sarah likes hunting and of course she is a proud member of the National Rifle Association. Always comfartable when she should visit all war locations where American soldiers doing their duty. Their duty?? For what? To secure oil and gas till the USA are ready to exploitate the Alaska resources.

So can we expect any change from McCain-Palin? I don’t think so. What do you think about this?

Update 29-08: Yesterday Barack Obama officially accepted the nominee at the Democratic Convention. Al Gore speeched also yesterday and told agian why he is supporting Barack Obama. You can read his full speech here. Added new videos with the most important speakers at the Democratic National Convention.

Now Barack Obama is officially choosen as the Democratic candidate for the elections on Novembre 4th for the next president of the USA it is time to look to the candidates.

Americans can choose for Barack Obama and Joe Biden (Democrats), John McCain and ?? ( i expect a 83 year old lady), Bob Barr and Root, Cynthia McKinney and Clemente and there is also again mister Ralp Nader and Gonzalez. May be there are others, but i think my list is complete.

So Americans have some choice you could say. But is there really a choice? On lots of issues there is not much difference in the view of the candidates. I look only to Obama and McCain, because the other candidates can never win the election and they will never be the next president of the usa. That is clear in my opinion.

Why should Barack Obama be the next President of the USA. In my opinion it is clear that we need a change. We really need a change on a lot of issues. Albert Einstein knew that already a long time ago: ‘Today’s problems cannot be solved if we still think the way we thought when we created them’

Of course Einstein is right and that is the main reason why i believe that we really need a change and the only serious candidate to bring that change is Barack Obama. Or do you expect that a 72 years old men like John McCain is coming with new idea’s, new solutions, an other way of thinking. No, you’re kidding.

Barack Obama is on the right way. Ok, may be he is not so expierenced as McCain but he is much younger, in better condition and he has support from those who started to think in a different way, looking for real solutions for the biggest problems we have ever had in the world.

Wars we had before and we have still wars that kill many people, mostly innocent people. A war is ridiculous, it is stupid and there are never winners, only losers after the war is ended. Most wars go about money, about oil or about religion. All those issues are not important enough for a war. But the leaders of the world still fight with each other.

Instead of fighting about not that important issues they should work together on the biggest problem we ever had. The climate problem, i’m talking about and the energy problems in the world are just a part of that.

Barack Obama has the support of Al Gore, you know from an Unconvienent Truth and Bill Clinton with his own Climate Initiative. Both of them are convinced from our problems. Both of them are looking for other solutions than just pump up more oil. Drilling to oil before the coast of the USA is a bad idea. Looking for recources on the North Pole or on Antartica is also no solution. It is just going on in the same way.

No, we need a worldwide change, an other approach of the issues that really make the difference in the world. Barack Obama is in my opinion the best choice. He is the man that can make a real change. The world is at the moment on a lot of issues depending on the USA, but the country is in fact bankrupt. Nicely done by the Bush Family. And where did al that money go to? War, war, war.

May be it is time to see that a war is no solution and you know that John McCain already said that the war can go on for the next 100 years. As long as neccessairy to leave the war as a winner. Sorry mister McCain, that will not happen, because there is never a winner of any war, unless you forget all people (soldiers and civilians) who died in that war. For what? For oil? For nothing?

So the USA need Barack Obama for a change and the world need the USA for a change. The climate problems are a litter bigger than the wars in the world. Wars stops mostly by some borders and it is always far from home. We hear about it, we see about it, but we are not in that war, unless you’re a soldier.

Climate problems have no borders. Carbon dioxide is in the air and it goes everywhere. Climate is changing fast. We are getting more and more extreme weather. Extreme weather will lead to more problems, deaths, damage and so on. What we need is a worldwide change and the USA should lead the way and as far as i can see it should be Barack Obama to be the next President of the USA.

What do you think??

Barack Obama has made history by beating Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination and becoming the first African-American with a viable chance of winning the White House.

Obama’s victory effectively brought to an end Clinton’s bid to become the first US female president.

It also confirms Obama’s reputation as a political giant-slayer, who after less than four years in the US Senate brought down the couple credited with creating the Democrats’ most powerful political machine.

Obama will now face the Republican John McCain for the prize of the presidency in the November 4 general election.

//<![CDATA[
//]]>
<object classid=”clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000″ codebase=”http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0″ width=”300″ height=”25″ id=”audioplayer” align=”middle” > <param name=”allowScriptAccess” value=”always” /> <param name=”movie” value=’http://static.guim.co.uk/static/64502/original/common/flash/guMiniPlayer.swf’ /> <param name=”FlashVars” value=”linktext=Suzanne Goldenberg on Barack Obama’s victory in the Democratic race to be president&publication_date=&file=http://download.guardian.co.uk/audio/1212561706553/5777/gdn.new.080604.ad.Suzanne_Goldenberg.mp3&popupurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/audio/2008/jun/04/suzanne.goldenberg.barack.obama?popup=true&popupheight=232&popupwidth=500&duration=201&audioid=334571550″ /> <param name=”quality” value=”high” /> <param name=”bgcolor” value=”#ffffff” /> <param name=”wmode” value=”transparent” /> <embed src=’http://static.guim.co.uk/static/64502/original/common/flash/guMiniPlayer.swf’ quality=”high” bgcolor=”#ffffff” width=”300″ height=”25″ name=”audioplayer” align=”middle” allowScriptAccess=”always” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” pluginspage=”http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer” FlashVars=”linktext=Suzanne Goldenberg on Barack Obama’s victory in the Democratic race to be president&publication_date=&file=http://download.guardian.co.uk/audio/1212561706553/5777/gdn.new.080604.ad.Suzanne_Goldenberg.mp3&popupurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/audio/2008/jun/04/suzanne.goldenberg.barack.obama?popup=true&popupheight=232&popupwidth=500&duration=201&audioid=334571550″ /> </object>

insertAudioPlayer(“300″, “25″, “http://static.guim.co.uk/static/64502/original/common/flash/guMiniPlayer.swf”, “linktext=Suzanne Goldenberg on Barack Obama’s victory in the Democratic race to be president&publication_date=&file=http://download.guardian.co.uk/audio/1212561706553/5777/gdn.new.080604.ad.Suzanne_Goldenberg.mp3&popupurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/audio/2008/jun/04/suzanne.goldenberg.barack.obama?popup=true&popupheight=232&popupwidth=500&duration=201&audioid=334571550″);

Suzanne Goldenberg on Barack Obama’s victory Link to this audio

After a 54-contest, five-month-long fight, Obama started the day 45 delegates short of the 2,118 he needed to cross the finishing line. A steady shift of support towards Obama throughout the day turned into a flood. Among those announcing their endorsements was the former president Jimmy Carter. A number of Clinton supporters also defected to Obama.

He was four short as polls closed in the South Dakota and Montana primaries, the last two contests. But South Dakota pushed him over the line in terms of delegates – even though he lost the state to Clinton.

To deafening applause, he told a 20,000-strong victory rally in St Paul, Minnesota: “Tonight, we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another – a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Because of you, tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.

He was generous towards Clinton. “Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honour to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton,” he said.

The crowd was responsive to the conciliatory message, loudly cheering Clinton three or four times.

Clinton, surrounded by Bill and daughter Chelsea, at a party in New York for campaign workers from round the country, also held out the prospect of reconciliation: “It has been an honour to contest these primaries with him, just as it is an honor to call him my friend.”

Although several Obama supporters in St Paul said they expected Clinton to behave graciously, she refused to concede or suspend her campaign.

Instead, Clinton said she wanted time to reflect before making her next move. “In the coming days, I’ll be consulting with supporters and party leaders to determine how to move forward with the best interests of our party and our country guiding my way,” she said.

In a sign of hard bargaining with Obama’s team over the next few days, she said she had won the votes of 18m Americans and she wanted their views respected.

One concession she may be seeking is a joint ticket with Obama, with her as vice-presidential candidate, a position she may feel entitled to after securing so many votes.

Holed up at her home in Chappaqua, New York, during the day, she and Bill Clinton discussed options over the phone with a host of aides and supporters. One of four members of Congress who spoke to her urging her to press for the vice-president slot reported her saying: “I am open to it.”

She also will negotiate about the transfer of her staff to Obama’s campaign team, about help with her campaign debts, the possibility of jobs in his administration if he wins the presidency and incorporation of some of her policy positions, particularly on healthcare.

She finished the primary season strongly, winning the South Dakota primary, the one blot on Obama’s night. It had been a state he had been predicted to win. With 100% of the votes counted in South Dakota, she had 54,179 (55%) to his 43,726 (45%).

Obama won Montana. With only 99% of the vote counted, he had 101,811 (57%) and she took 74,550 (41%).

One reason why South Dakota voted differently from its neighbour is that voting in Montana was open to all, and independents, who tend to swing behind Obama, turned out in force for him. But South Dakota was restricted to party members, among whom Clinton has tended to do better.

Obama’s main strategist, David Axelrod, said that losing South Dakota had not taken the shine off the night. “Not at all. We won 34, 35 contests. There is no shame in splitting the night with a very strong candidate,” he said.

He also made it clear the general election is on – no matter what Clinton says or does. “One campaign ends today and another begins. We are very excited for that.”

McCain, in a speech in Louisiana, formally declared the general election to be underway: “Tonight, we can say with confidence the primary season is over, and the general election campaign has begun.” He described Obama as a formidable opponent and offered extravagant praise for Clinton – a sign that he would fight Obama hard for the support of women voters.

McCain added that voters would face a clear choice next November.

Obama deliberately chose St Paul to launch his general election campaign because of the symbolism of the location: it will be the same site at which the Republican convention will formally nominate McCain in September.

In St Paul, people began lining up as early as 10am outside the arena where Obama was to hold his late-night rally. They came with folding chairs, blankets and spread out on the pavement playing card games.

Several said they were compelled by the sense of history about the occasion. “To have an African American running for president and to be there for the nomination, it is a historic thing,” said Laurie Zahn, a teacher who was at the rally with her 21-year-old daughter.

Some had originally counted themselves Clinton supporters. Ruth O’Neill was a reluctant convert, a former Clinton supporter who was persuaded to switch sides by her 16-year-old son. “This is the first time I would put on an Obama shirt,” she said. “But my son was right: he kept saying if she had this much trouble running her campaign how could she run the country.”

A few passersby cheered as they passed the long line. One man started shouting out Obama’s trademark chant from across the road: “Fired up, ready to go.”