Shortly after Barack Obama was announced the president-elect of the United States, a large crowd gathered outside of the White House to celebrate. The casual victory party closed a nearly two-year campaign season with chants, embraces and high fives. From the White House, Ruth Reader reports.
Obama supporters chanted along with the jarring sound of car horns in praise of Barack Obama's election to be president of the United States. People from all around Washington met at the White House to express their enthusiasm.
"It just shows how much power each person's vote has," one Obama supporter said. "I think people are going to the polls en mass and, hopefully, this is something that will continue for elections to come."
Mr. Obama is the first African American to become president of the United States. For many in the African American community, his victory struck an emotional cord.
"We are definitely witnessing history right now," another supporter said. "I feel like I honestly, when they announced that Barack Obama was going to be the president of the United States I honestly definitely felt like crying. I felt like it's a movement as far as the United States the fact that they were going to elect a black President. I feel like it makes a huger amount of strides for us."
Although young people made up the majority of those collecting in front of the White House, stroller-pushing mothers and fathers made up a significant part of this diverse crowd. This Virginia woman came into Washington with her three children and husband, because she says they simply had to be there.
"I came to the White House because there was nowhere else I could be to celebrate this moment," she said. "We live 20 miles from here and we jumped in the car when we saw the 297 votes and I just couldn't imagine being anywhere else."
Her 11-year-old son also felt enthusiastic about Mr. Obama's win, despite the fact that he is too young to vote.
"I'm happy that Barack Obama is in the White House now, because nobody never thought this was gonna happen and it's amazing," he said.
Hundreds of people gathered in front of the White House to celebrate a historic moment and the promise of change.
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