Obama: Campaign Made Me a Better President

Obama: Campaign Made Me a Better President

President Barack Obama hugs his daughters Malia (R) and Sasha (2L) as First lady Michelle Obama looks on during his election night victory rally in Chicago

NEWSDAY.COM

President Barack Obama has won re-election to a second term, overcoming voter doubts about the slow economic recovery on his watch to defeat Republican Mitt Romney.

Obama took the stage to thank his supporters in Chicago shortly after 1:30 Wednesday morning, reports .

"Tonight in this election you, the American people remind us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back," he said. "We know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come."

In a reference to the bitterness of the campaign Obama said, "we may have battled fiercely, but it's only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future."

He singled out his campaign team for special praise, telling them, "no matter what you do or where you go from here, you will carry the memory of the history we made together," he said. "You lifted me up the whole way and i will always be grateful for everything you've done and all the incredible work that you've put in."

Looking forward, Obama was optimistic.

"A decade of war is ending. A long campaign is now over," he said. "And whether I earned your vote or not, i have listened to you, I have learned from you, and you've made me a better president."

In a grinding, marathon election battle, Obama -- who made history four years ago when he was elected as the nation's first African-American president -- outdueled Romney -- a wealthy businessman-turned-politician -- in critical battleground states including Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Obama aides said after midnight Romney conceded in a phone call to Obama. About 12:55 a.m., the defeated challenger took the stage at his Boston headquarters for a five-minute speech.

"I have just called President Obama to congratulate him on his victory," Romney said. "This is a time of great challenges to America, and I pray the president will be successful in guiding our nation."

He thanked his wife Ann -- "She would have been a wonderful first lady" -- his five sons who did "tireless work" for his campaign, and said, "At a time like this we can't risk partisan bickering and posturing."

On Tuesday, the Republican nominee had written a 1,118-word victory speech that he thought would conclude his years-long quest for the presidency. His concession speech took five minutes.

Romney's running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), received a consolation prize -- re-election to his House seat.

A crowd of about 10,000 in Chicago awaited Obama's victory speech. Wild cheers erupted there after the networks made their calls around 11:15 p.m., Obama tweeted "We're all in this together. That's how we campaigned, and that's who we are. Thank you."

Obama also emailed his supporters:

"I will spend the rest of my presidency honouring your support, and doing what I can to finish what we started," he wrote. "Today is the clearest proof yet that, against the odds, ordinary Americans can overcome powerful interests.

"There's a lot more work to do," he said. "But for right now: Thank you."

Defying some predictions, it appeared Obama would win the popular vote as well as the electoral vote, but not by much.

With only Florida still too close to call, Obama led Romney 303-206 in electoral votes -- more than the 270 needed for victory, according to a CNN tally.

At 1:15 a.m. Wednesday, of the more than 103 million votes cast, Obama had about 280,000 popular votes more than Romney. Still untallied votes in Democratic-tilting West Coast states including California could increase his margin.

The last president to lose the popular vote and win the electoral vote was George W. Bush in 2000, following a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision in a recount dispute that put Florida in his column.

Romney's election hopes fell like dominoes as one swing state after another was called for Obama -- Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin and, most devastatingly for the Republican, Ohio. Colorado, Nevada and Virginia also broke Obama's way.

In a campaign that cost more than $2 billion -- a record -- both candidates poured a disproportionate share of their resources into those states.

Romney took North Carolina and still has a shot at Florida, where he trailed narrowly past midnight, but if he does win that state, it will be too little and too late. Of the states Obama won in 2008, only Indiana and North Carolina went to the Republican.

Obama's victory was celebrated by Democrats in New York, where the president appeared headed to a roughly 3-2 victory margin.

"Obama's win is a vindication of four years of real progress in this country that was discounted by the Romney campaign," said Jay Jacobs, chairman of the Nassau Democratic Party.

"Republicans stood in his way," said Ron Law of the Bronx, part of a cheering crowd at a state Democratic committee party at a midtown Manhattan hotel. "Now we can start working together rather than dividing the country."

The election emerged as a choice between two very different visions of government -- whether it occupies a major, front-row place in American lives or is in the background as a less-obtrusive facilitator for private enterprise and entrepreneurship.

The economy was rated the top issue by about 60 percent of voters surveyed as they left their polling places. But more said Bush bore responsibility for current circumstances than Obama did after nearly four years in office.

Voters surveyed in exit polls said they were slightly more positive about the country's direction than when they chose Obama four years ago amid a financial meltdown. But their interest in a more activist federal government has been dampened.

The polls also suggest a slightly more Republican electorate than in 2008.