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Transition. Intense glare on Obama's transition "Barack Obama's win was only hours old when he began construction of his administration, by day's end putting in place a transition team of friends and Washington veterans and courting Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel to serve as chief of staff." Obama Team Shifts to Transition Mode "A day after winning a historic victory that will make him the first black president in the nation's history, Barack Obama remained largely out of public view yesterday while his aides announced the first details of an ambitious plan for the transfer of power when he assumes office in January." For Obama, No Day to Bask as He Starts to Build His Team for Transition "President-elect Barack Obama began moving Wednesday to build his administration and make good on his ambitious promises to point the United States in a different direction, as his commanding victory reordered the American political landscape and transfixed much of the nation and the world."
Congress. Shape of Chamber Hangs in Balance "The final shape of the new Senate lingered in doubt yesterday with a runoff likely in Georgia, recounts pending in Minnesota and possibly Oregon, and uncertainty over whether the longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history had held on to his Alaska seat barely a week after being convicted on corruption charges." Democrats Win 18 More House Seats "House Democrats promised an agenda of improving the economy, ending the war in Iraq and expanding access to health care after gaining at least 18 additional seats in Tuesday's elections, ballooning the size of the party's congressional majority to its largest since 1994." Obama's relationship with new Congress will be complicated "Obama's ability to work with the 111th Congress, which convenes in January, is likely to be complicated by two factors: Republicans are expected to be a more conservative and combative bloc, and many of the new Democrats are from conservative states and districts with histories of electing GOP members."
Ballot initiatives. Bans in 3 States on Gay Marriage "A giant rainbow-colored flag in the gay-friendly Castro neighborhood of San Francisco was flying at half-staff as social and religious conservatives celebrated the passage of measures that ban same-sex marriage in California, Florida and Arizona." Casino, payday loans denied "By lopsided margins, Ohio voters once again rejected an attempt to bring casino gambling to Ohio and also handed a stinging defeat to the payday-lending industry." In wake of Obama's victory, civil rights leaders make adjustments "On the very day that the rest of America elected the first black president in the nation's history, voters in Nebraska approved a referendum banning all government affirmative action programs in the state."
Faith & election. Obama had gains in every religious group "Obama made some gains in every religious group, including the evangelicals who supported Bush in 2004. The exit polls showed that Republican John McCain won over Protestants and evangelicals, but not as solidly as Bush did four years ago." Democrats Gain With Religious Voters "A concerted effort since 2004 helped Barack Obama and the Democrats make significant inroads with religious voters."
Election reflections. Across the Country, 'It's Like a New Aura' "On the morning after, Teddy Andrews knew there was one place he needed to go to commemorate Barack Obama's historic triumph: the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, where 40 years ago, before hundreds of thousands of African Americans, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. voiced his soaring dream of racial equality." Elation, doubts on the day after "After the fireworks stopped, the tears of joy or despair dried and the jubilant crowds straggled home, the magnitude of what happened on election day 2008 began to set in. Barack Obama was president-elect, the first black man in the country's history to claim the Oval Office." For many, a sense that a new era is here "The day was a long time coming, and when Wednesday finally dawned, a lot of bleary-eyed, partied-out Americans had to pinch themselves: They had an African-American president-elect." In Obama's victory, America comes to terms with past "When President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in January, he'll be standing on stone that was laid by more than 400 African slaves who helped build the structure from 1792 to 1800."
Immigration. Hispanic Activists Cite an Uptick in Threats of Violence "Andrea Bazán said she has thick skin and is not easily frightened by death threats. But when the Hispanic activist arrived home one day to find her voice mail packed with profanity, and when she noticed a man watching her house in Durham, N.C., from a white commercial van with no license plates, her heart started to pound." Large Iowa Meatpacker in Illegal Immigrant Raid Files for Bankruptcy "The kosher meatpacking company in Iowa that has been struggling with criminal charges and huge fines for labor violations, a dwindling work force and declining demand among Jewish consumers since an immigration raid at its main plant, has filed for bankruptcy."
World reaction. Election Unleashes a Flood of Hope Worldwide "From the front lines of Iraq to more genteel spots like Harry's Bar in Paris, the election of Barack Obama unlocked a floodgate of hope that a new American leader will redeem promises of change, rewrite the political script and, perhaps as important as anything else, provide a kind of leadership that will erase the bitterness of the Bush years." U.S. Again Hailed as 'Country of Dreams' "Through tears and whoops of joy, in celebrations that spilled onto the streets, people around the globe called Barack Obama's election a victory for the world and a renewal of America's ability to inspire." After Bush, the world looks on in hope "Obama steps onto the world stage buoyed by goodwill. What are his plans - and can he deliver?" On world map, Obama is expected to quickly take a new direction "President-elect Barack Obama is expected to quickly distance himself from the unpopular foreign policy of President Bush, seeking to mend relations with foreign leaders and considering advice to swiftly shutter the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison and inaugurate a new climate change effort."
Russia. Russia Warns of Missile Deployment "President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia greeted his future American counterpart, Senator Barack Obama, with bristling language, promising to place short-range missiles on Russia's western border if Washington proceeded with its planned missile defense system in Eastern Europe."
Iran. Iran sends mixed signals on Obama victory "Instead of extending an olive branch to President-elect Barack Obama, who says he is open to talks with Tehran, Iranian military officials delivered what could be interpreted as a sobering message to America."
Afghanistan. U.S. Airstrike Reported to Hit Afghan Wedding "Tensions between American forces and the Afghan government over civilian casualties from coalition airstrikes spiked again with a report by Afghan officials that a missile from a United States aircraft had killed 40 civilians and wounded 28 others at a wedding party in the southern province of Kandahar." U.S. blames Taliban for Afghan deaths "The U.S. military says that Taliban fighters prevented civilians from fleeing clashes in southern Afghanistan, leading to the death of about 40 people who were believed to have been attending a wedding ceremony."
Pakistan. Deadly bomb attack targets Pakistan tribal gathering "Eight people were killed and 45 wounded when a bomb exploded at a gathering of a group fighting the Taliban and al-Qaida in the volatile north-west region of Pakistan."
Iraq. Iraqis worry about Obama, while many GIs celebrate "Iraqis didn't dance in the streets or hold late-night viewing parties to herald the election of a new president of the United States. Many didn't have electricity to follow the television coverage of Barack Obama's ascent to president-elect." Uptick in Baghdad attacks reveals new insurgent tactics "Bombs killed as many as 16 people in Baghdad Tuesday, and wounded dozens more, highlighting the fragility of the recent calm there and the complicated situation still facing American forces."
Congo. Fierce fighting spreads across east Congo "Thousands of people have been forced to flee from escalating violence in towns in eastern Congo after renewed fighting between rebels and pro-government militia." Congolese rebels make new gains "Rebels in eastern DR Congo seize control of another town, forcing government forces and residents to flee, the U.N. says."
Mideast. Qassams slam into South after IDF hits Gaza "The ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants was violated yesterday, when Palestinians fired over 30 Qassams at Israeli cities in response to an incursion the previous day by Israel Defense Forces troops into the Gaza Strip that left six Hamas militants dead." Rice says Mid-East deal unlikely "U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has appeared to concede that a Middle East peace deal will not be reached by the end of the year."
Editorial. The dawn of a new era (Haaretz) "The election of Barack Obama as president of the United States is a moving, historic event that inspires hope. Against all odds, and in the face of a very well-oiled political machine, a relatively young, black social activist succeeded in beating Hilary Clinton, a popular and experienced rival, within their party, and finally beat also John McCain in the longest, most difficult and most significant election campaign in the world."
Commentary. Morning in America (Eugene Robinson, Washington Post) "For me, the emotion of this moment has less to do with Obama than with the nation. Now I know how some people must have felt when they heard Ronald Reagan say 'it's morning again in America.' The new sunshine feels warm on my face."
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