presidental information

 

Obama announced on August 23 that he had selected Delaware Senator Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate,^[94] from a field speculated to include Senator Evan Bayh and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine.^[95] At the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, Hillary Clinton called for her delegates and supporters to endorse Obama, and she and Bill Clinton gave convention speeches in support of Obama.^[96] Obama delivered his acceptance speech, not at the convention center where the Democratic National Convention was held,^[97] but at Invesco Field at Mile High to a crowd of over 75,000^[98] and presented his policy goals; the speech was viewed by over 38 million people worldwide.^[99]

President George W. Bush meets with President-Elect Obama in the Oval Office on November 10, 2008.

During both the primary process and the general election, Obama's campaign set numerous fundraising records, particularly in the quantity of small donations.^[100] On June 19, 2008, Obama became the first major-party presidential candidate to turn down public financing in the general election since the system was created in 1976.^[101]
McCain was nominated as the Republican candidate and the two engaged in three presidential debates in September and October 2008.^[102] On November 4, Obama won the presidency with 365 electoral votes to 173 received by McCain.^[103] Obama won 52.9% of the popular vote to McCain's 45.7%.^[104] He became the first African American to be elected president.^[105] Obama delivered his victory speech before hundreds of thousands of supporters in Chicago's Grant Park