In the weeks leading to November 4, Obama was leading in many national polls after McCain lost momentum after the collapse of the economy and the passing of the $700 billion bailout plan. However, Senator Obama warned his supporters not to become too confident while watching the polls. There was even talk of the controversial “Bradley Effect,” which was named after Tom Bradley; an African American who lost the race for governor in 1982, after he had been leading in the polls.
Looking back, the running mates of Obama and McCain, Governor Sarah Palin from Alaska and Senator Joseph Biden from Delaware, were both targets of numerous media attacks. Palin was most popularly portrayed by actress Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live, and Biden was often criticized for talking too much and for past criticisms of his running mate during the primary season.
Both campaigns engaged in negative attacks on each other, sometimes attacking the other on their economic plans, and being “out of touch.” Obama and Biden criticized McCain for voting with President Bush and not being a “maverick,” and McCain and Palin criticized Obama for not being truthful about his relationships with William Ayers and went as far as to call him a socialist.
Both campaigns encouraged people to vote early and enlisted others to campaign with and for them including former President Clinton and Senator Clinton for Obama, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, one of the hosts on “The View.”
In the end, Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States on January 20, 2009. The power rested in our hands—One of the great privileges of being an American.