The New York Times: With a message of hope and competence, he drew in legions of voters who had been disengaged and voiceless. The scenes Tuesday night of young men and women, black and white, weeping and cheering in Chicago and New York and in Atlanta’s storied Ebenezer Baptist Church were powerful and deeply moving.
The Wall Street Journal: Hearty congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama. The American electorate has handed him and his fellow Democrats the kind of sweeping victory they haven’t had since at least 1976 and in certain respects since 1964. We’ll now find out if the Democratic Party has learned anything since the last two times it held all the levers of power in Washington.
Los Angeles Times:Â For nearly two years, Americans have participated in a thrilling — and sometimes contemptuous — debate about which candidate and which ideas should guide this country through a dangerous, difficult present toward a more promising future. On Tuesday, we chose the president to lead that journey. Today, we embark, united again.
Washington Post: Like so many millions of Americans, we savor the phrase, and congratulate the winner, and celebrate the momentousness of the occasion. It is momentous for the generational change it heralds, the geographic realignment it reflects and the racial progress it both acknowledges and promises.
Chicago Tribune: Most Americans are ready to give Obama a chance to show he can deliver needed improvements. The financial crisis has also made them open to ideas they would not have considered before. But their motivation is pragmatic, not ideological, and the new president will be judged on results rather than intentions.
USA Today: President-elect Obama has already moved the nation forward in a way that would have been almost unthinkable in the not-too-distant past. It’s appropriate to pause today to savor how far both he and the United States have come.
New York Post: We congratulate the senator, and offer our best wishes for a fruitful presidency. And a tip of the hat to America, too: Just two generations ago, an African-American who attempted to cast a ballot courted violent death in the dark of night – but now a black man will ascend to the highest office in the land.
Philadelphia Inquirer: Today, the rest of the world can see that America is reaching its ideal as the land of opportunity for all – regardless of ethnicity.
Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal: This editorial page hasn’t been reluctant to express concerns about the thin resume Obama brings to the job. His positions on certain issues remain unformed. He hasn’t been tested in the way, say, of a veteran governor. All of this invites wariness about what he can accomplish, even more so in view of the formidable challenges, starting with the economy.
The Virginian-Pilot: On Election Day, voters chose “a new politics for a new time.†They sided with a candidate who speaks of moving beyond partisanship, of building a consensus to solve problems, rather than trying to consolidate political power to force through one political party’s solutions.
The Baltimore Sun: Mr. Obama proved to be a consummate candidate buoyed by a nearly flawless campaign, sparked by his early win in Iowa, a sobering loss in New Hampshire and an inspiring “Yes we can” exhortation. But now he must govern, and Americans, Republicans and Democrats, should join him in this journey.
Associated Press: As a lawmaker, he has displayed a knack for working with Republicans on a handful of favorite issues. But he has devoted most of his time in the Senate to running for president
. Unlike the past seven presidents, he was never a governor or vice president. And unlike John F. Kennedy, the last senator to move directly to the presidency, Obama has not commanded troops in wartime.The Des Moines (Iowa) Register: A collision course of history – an electorate hungry for change met by a compelling cadre of candidates – produced an epic campaign. And Obama’s inspiring message of hope and his call for bridging divides found a receptive audience at a time when more than 80 percent of Americans think the country is on the wrong track. John McCain, an experienced senator with a proud record of bipartisanship, couldn’t sway voters as pessimism deepened about the economy.
Renita Burns is the editorial assistant at BlackEnterprise.com