AMERICA CHOOSES:

Shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, CNN projected Barack Obama, democratic senator from Illinois, to be the 44 president of the United States of America.

Shortly afterwards, John McCain, republican senator from Arizona, gave his conceding speech to a full crowd in Arizona, calling Obama a worthy opponent who will "surely and without a doubt live up to the history that he is making," McCain said. "Today I was a candidate for the highest honor that you can hold in this country. Tonight, I remain her servant."

At 11 p.m. Tuesday, Obama took the stage in Illinois to deliver his acceptance speech.

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of democracy, tonight is your answer," Obama said.

Throughout his two year campaign, Obama has campaigned for change in the Bush-run America.

"What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night," Obama said. "This victory alone is not the change we seek-- only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you."

Obama gave McCain the credit that he had worked for and talked about the help he's asked from him to help lead the country.

"Senator McCain has fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought longer and harder for the country he loves," Obama said. "I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead."

During his speech, Obama thanked those involved in his campaign, including Joe Biden, vice president elect, and his wife and daughters.

"Above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to- it belongs to you," Obama said. "It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy… This is your victory.... But even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges ahead will be the greatest of our lifetime- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century."

His ideas of change echoed throughout his speech.

"For that is the true genius of America- that America can change," Obama said. "Our Union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow."

He closed his speech with words of hope and inspiration.

"This is our moment," Obama said. "This is our time- to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth- that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with the timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes we can."

At the TLU watch party, sponsored by College Republicans and Young Democrats, Kyle Kramm, vice president of Young Democrats and senior political science major, was taking in the Obama win.

"It feels great to finally be on the winning side after the past two elections losing, it's an amazing feeling," Kramm said. "I think he will come up with a solution for our economic crisis right now, end the war in Iraq and improve health care."

Kramm was excited not only about the results of the election, but about the enthusiasm and support from students on campus.

"We had 200 people out and we went though like 28 pizzas, all our drinks and everything. We were very happy with the crowd," Kramm said. "It just felt like something that needed to be done to get people out and excited."

Other students lacked Kramm's excitement about the president elect.

"Its not much of the policies I disagree with, it's the who is he," Kevin Luedecke, sophomore music education major, said. "He pops up out of no where last year and all of a sudden he's the president of the United States."

Those who chose to watch the evening's events unfold elsewhere were vocal about their opinions electronically. Facebook became an outlet for joy and frustration for students who identified with both the republican and democratic parties.

Whether republican or democrat, Tuesday was without a doubt a historical day in American history. Either candidate would have broken historical boundaries- Obama as the first president elect of mixed race and McCain as the first presidential candidate with a female running mate.

The LSL staff, though diverse in it's political opinion, would like to offer it's congratulations to president elect Senator Barack Obama. We would like to take this opportunity to invite student response in the form of letters-to-the-editor.