Barack Obama: "The Task of Perfecting Our Union Moves Forward"

President Obama Victory Speech (right-click to copy direct link)

CHICAGO, IL
Wednesday, November 7, 2012

President Barack Obama (D) spoke to supporters in Chicago after being re-elected with at least 303 electoral votes and a razor-thin majority of the popular vote.

"We are an American family and we rise and fall together as one nation," he told the crowd. "We have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts, for the United States of America, the best is yet to come."

He told his supporters that he had spoken with Gov. Mitt Romney and congratulated him on a hard-fought campaign. He said he would sit down with Romney in the coming weeks to talk about moving the country forward.

"Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated," he said. Big decisions "necessarily stir up passions," he said, "and that won't change after tonight."

"These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty." He vowed to reach out to members of both parties to solve big problems.

The election was called for President Obama shortly after the polls closed on the West Coast, mirroring his 2008 victory path. Obama ultimately won at least 303 electoral votes, well over the 270 needed to win, with Florida still too close to call.

Unlike in 2008, however, the margin for the popular vote was razor thin, with President Obama winning by around 0.7% of the over all vote.

Updated: Wednesday at 10:04am (ET)

2008 Barack Obama Victory Speech

2008 Barack Obama Victory Speech (right-click to copy direct link)

Election Night, 2008

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Sunday, November 4, 2012

Illinois Senator Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election with 53% of the popular vote, while his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, won 46%. Sen. Obama addressed his supporters in Chicago's Grant Park.

Updated: Friday, October 26, 2012 at 11:16am (ET)