An Invigorated and Younger America
Election 2008 represents a cultural shift in America. The failed policies of the arrogant and fearful conservative right are dead. This nation wants an invigorated, youthful and hopeful future, as demonstrated by the record performance by young people (ages 18-29), as well as those who are young at heart:

Young voters, who represented over 18 percent of the total 2008 vote, diverged sharply from the population as a whole, preferring Obama/Biden over McCain/Palin by 68 percent to 30 percent in the National Exit Polls. This is by far the highest share of the youth vote obtained by any candidate since exit polls began reporting results by age categories in 1976. Source: CIRCLE

Majorities of Ages 30-44 (52%) and Ages 45-64 (50%) also voted for Obama. These groups represented, respectively, 29 percent and 37 percent of the total vote. Only the 65 and Older group, 16 percent of total voters, supported McCain (53%).

Obama win sparks celebrations outside White House
(CNN) -- As tens of thousands of people cheered Barack Obama's presidential victory at his home base in Chicago, Illinois, others were celebrating near his future house.

At least 1,000 people gathered on Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House late Tuesday night, shouting "Obama! Obama!" and "Yes we can!" Uniformed Secret Service officers were overheard, saying they'd never seen anything like it.

In Boston, Massachusetts, thousands of people -- many of them college students -- hit the streets to celebrate the election of the country's 44th president. The sound of car horns could be heard across the city, CNN affiliate WCVB reported.

Boston police said the celebrations were peaceful, but they closed some streets to control the crowds, WCVB reported.

In Chicago's Grant Park, where police estimated at least 200,000 had gathered to hear Obama claim victory, the crowd erupted in cheers and screams after news organizations projected him the winner. Source: CNN

Obama victory sets off jubilation
From Harlem, to the avenue in Atlanta where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was born, to Oakland, Calif., Americans black and white celebrated Barack Obama's election with tears, the honking of horns, screams of joy, arms lifted skyward — and memories of civil rights struggles past. Source: AP

Detroit streets fill with revelers
They streamed into the streets of downtown Detroit -- black, white, Asian, Indian and Arab -- all Americans who were proud to celebrate president-elect Barack Obama and the new America he represents.

Black power fists were thrown in the air, large American flags were waved, people danced in the streets, drivers honked their car horns, men stood on cars playing bongo drums and the gleeful shouts of "OBAMA" could literally be heard from miles away. Source: Detroit Free Press

Ann Arbor, MI Explodes
Sometime around 11:30 Tuesday night, the cheers could be heard reverberating across downtown Ann Arbor, steadily growing louder and louder.

An impromptu parade that started on the University of Michigan Central Campus wound along downtown streets as hundreds of students - joined by passersby and others who spilled out of bars - joyously celebrated the election of America's first black president.

"I've never seen anything like it," said Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje, who was at an election party at Arbor Brewing Co. on Washington Street, celebrating his own victory for a fifth 2-year term. "You could hear them coming and then half the bar went outside and followed along." Source: Ann Arbor News

Downtown Santa Cruz erupts in celebration
Two hours later, downtown Santa Cruz was seized by a spectacle of mass celebration as hundreds of Obama supporters poured out from the sidewalks, high-fiving with hands extended from honking cars cruising by, hugging strangers and weeping like they must have done on V-E Day.

The cars, most of them fully occupied, snaked down Pacific Avenue in an impromptu recession, though the white-hot center of the celebration was at Pacific and Walnut. A tattooed and shirtless young man, his entire torso leaning out of the passenger side of a white Toyota spoke for the crowd when he screamed, "God bless America, and God bless Barack Obama." Source: Mercury News