President-elect Barack Obama came out victorious at the conclusion of an election that broke historical boundaries and lasted roughly two years.
Nov. 4, 2008, will go down in history as the day the United States elected its first black president.
As the polls began to close, results rolled in and important swing states such as Ohio and Virgina began to turn blue, it became clear Obama would win the presidency.
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,"" Obama said during his acceptance speech in Chicago.
Obama thanked all the voters who waited in long lines for hours to vote, acknowledged all the gains the nation has made over the past century toward civil rights and called for the nation to make even more progress.
Local Democratic leaders gathered at the Monona Terrace Tuesday night to watch the election results, and broke out in cheers when Obama was announced the winner.
Gov. Jim Doyle said Wisconsin, which Obama won with 56 percent of the vote with 96 percent of precincts reporting, did its part to contribute to Obama's victory.
""We have worked so hard for this night, and because of us in this room and so many across this country who have worked so hard, we will have a new president of the United States who will be one of the great presidents of all time,"" Doyle said.
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., said Obama's victory is inspiring.
""I think that Senator Obama's victory '¦ sends such strong messages,"" Baldwin said. ""Tomorrow children across the country will wake up and say I can be anything I want to be and do anything I want to do.""
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Joe Wineke expressed excitement about Democrats controlling the presidency, both houses of Congress and the state Assembly and Senate.
""I'm feeling as the chair of the Democratic Party '¦ hey, it doesn't get any better than this,"" Wineke said.
UW-Madison sophomore Cameron Thierry, president of the Black Student Union, said he is excited about being part of the generation that elected the first black president.
""It's unexplainable '¦ it just shows that change is possible and as a country we have come a long way so far,"" he said.
Thierry said the country still has steps to go toward equality, but noted how black Americans have gone from not having the right to vote, to having an African American on the ballot, to having a black president.
""This is big, this is big,"" he said.
Students watching the election results in the Rathskeller at the Memorial Union also shouted and cheered as CNN announced Obama as the nation's next president.
UW-Madison junior Mallory Warren ""quit [her] homework for the night to watch."" As for the new president, Warren said she is ""pumped"" for Obama to take office.
""Usually we vote for the lesser of two evils. This time people are pro-Obama. He can change a lot of things,"" UW-Madison senior Shira Weiner said.
UW-Madison senior Annie Kleinert said she got what she wanted for her birthday Tuesday when Obama won the presidency, and said she enjoys the politically charged atmosphere of Madison.
""It's been awesome to be on campus, [with] all of the excitement surrounding the election,"" Kleinert said.
