VOLUME 116, ISSUE 106
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1
Obama gives acceptance
speech in Chicago
Ma/OUVER DOULIERY
“The most
important thing ...
is that the nation
sticks together
CHELSEA MILLER, FIRST-YEAR
Overheard ... p. 6
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Photos from the day ... p. 8
N.C. turns blue early today
Obama doesn’t need state for win
BY KELLEN MOQRE
AND ARIEL ZIRULNICK
SENIOR WRITERS
When Sen. Barack Obama was
declared President of the United
States on Tuesday night, the land
slide win was the culmination of
supporters’ months of hard work
and dreams.
“I’m speechless and ecstatic. It’s
like Christmas morning. You know
what's under the tree. You can see
the shape of it. You can shake it,”
said Bolu Adeyeye, a sophomore
celebrating with UNC Young
Democrats at Tbp of the Hill.
“But it’s not ’til Christmas mom
► KAY HAGAN - 52% ELIZABETH DOLE - 44%
Hagan’s upset victory
stuns incumbent Dole
BY OLIVIA HAMMILL
STAFF WRITER
GREENSBORO - A
Democratic victory in North
Carolina’s U.S. Senate race seemed
unlikely several months ago, but
N.C. Sen. Kay Hagan beat incum
bent Republican Sen. Elizabeth
Dole handily Thesday.
“A little over a year ago, when
I got into this race, the press, the
pundits, other politicians and
all were ready to write this race
off and hand Dole the keys to
her office for another six years,”
the Guilford County Democrat
said in her acceptance speech at
Greensboro Coliseum.
Hagan’s win was decisive
enough that the race was called
unofficially by 9:30 p.m., although
Dole didn’t concede until after 10
p.m. *
“It’s been the highest honor
of my life to be elected the first
female senator in North Carolina
history” Dole told the crowd at her
SEE HAGAN WINS, PAGE 5
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OBAMA WINS
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Amit Rao, a first-year student, celebrates withthfXlliC Youflgilemocrats at Top of the Hill on Franklin Street after Obamal/vas projected to
win the presidential election at about 11 p.m. The Young Democrats joined hundreds to rush Franklin Street to celebrate the historic win.
ing that you can open it and touch
it and have it in your hands. That’s
what this feels like.”
One state still uncounted when
the race was called was North
Carolina, previously heralded as a
critical state.
Obama declared national victo
ry while he and Republican oppo
nent Sen. John McCain were tied
at about 49 percent of the state. As
of 12:45 a.m. today, Obama led 50
percent to 49 percent.
“Even if he doesn’t win North
Carolina, we’ve changed North
Carolina from a red state to a purple
state,” said Vivek Chilukuri, UNC
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DTH/HANNAH SHARPE
Sen. Kay Hagan defeated U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole in a come-from
behind victory. She celebrated the win at a party in Greensboro.
Serving the students and the University community since 1893
www.dailytarheel.com
ELECTION 2008
Young Democrats co-president
Young Democrats have been a
force on the UNC campus since
the Democratic primary race last
spring. The demographic they
represent was a key component
in making North Carolina a swing
state in this election year.
And despite inconclusive state
results, N.C. Democrats rejoiced. •
“Maybe it’s cliche to say he’s
the right person at the right time,
but I honestly believe that,” said
Joseph Cohen, an Obama sup
porter from Apex who was at the
N.C. Democratic Party celebration
in Raleigh on Thesday night.
In Chapel Hill, Young Democrats
waited anxiously as results came
in. Many arrived late because they
spent the last hours of the election
working for every last vote they
could get.
“It’s going to be very close, prob
ably less than a percentage point,”
said Justin Rosenthal, a sopho
more and Young Democrats offi
cer, before Obama’s victory was
declared.
Obama led with the first slew of
national exit polls and poll returns,
and his lead only increased as more
states reported.
“This is once in a lifetime. This
is what we’ve been waiting for. To
be able to take part in an election
like this is amazing,” said Melanie
McGrath, a doctoral student at
SEE OBAMA WINS, PAGE 5
► BEV PERDUE - 50% PAT McCRORY - 47%
McCrory hands win to Perdue
BY MATT LYNLEY
STAFF WRITER
RALEIGH - Lt. Gov. Bev
Perdue came out on top of a bitter
ly close gubernatorial race.Thesday
night. With 95 counties reporting
as of 11:15 p.m., she had 50 percent
of the vote.
“We in the Tar Heel state have
made history,” she said in her
acceptance speech shortly after 11
p.m.
Pat McCrory, who had received
47 percent of the vote as of 11:35
p.m., had conceded the race less
than half an O.hour earlier.
Libertarian Mike Munger won
2.8 percent of the vote.
As the crowd at the Republican
election night party in Raleigh
listened to concession
speech, several female supporters
began to cry.
“I thought he ran a great cam
paign, really thought he would
come through,” said Crystal Lasater,
a. GOP volunteer.
* The race remained tight
throughout the evening, echoing
the trend of the entire campaign.
Since the primaries ended in May,
Perdue and McCrory often polled
well within the margin of error of
each other.
Perdue supporters were opti-
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2008
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Mary Choi, a first-year celebrates with the UNC Young
Democrats at Top of the Hill on Franklin Street after the official
announcement that Barack Obama was projected to win the election.
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DTH/EMMA PATTI
Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue, a Democrat, narrowly fended off a challenge from
Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. The two were locked in a tight race.
mistic as results trickled in.
“They feel that the wind is
behind her on this campaign,” said
Tim Crowley, spokesman for the
Perdue campaign. “We don’t think
there are any wild cards left. And
most places have called it a tight
race since the beginning.”
The supporters seemed con
fident that trends unrelated to
Perdue would benefit her.
“I believe she’s going to win this.
Electoral Votes*
BARACK OBAMA
156
*270 needed to win
National Popular Vote 4
ilzi
N.C. Vote*
[ 49.9% 49.5% |
I Obama McC.,; i fl
‘results as of 12:30 a.m.
McCrory doesn’t have a chance, and
history will welcome her as the first
woman governor ofNorth Carolina,”
said Brenda Pollard, third vice presi
dent of N.G Democratic Women.
And the coattails of Democratic
successes this election year also
helped many stay positive.
“I’m not worried. She’ll pull
it off because she’s a Democrat,
SEE PERDUE WINS, PAGE 5