Chicago’s Grant Park, where tens of thousands had gathered to hear Obama’s acceptance speech, immediately erupted in an enormous, prolonged roar and a flurry of camera flashes.

“(Tonight) will be people high-fiving, holding hands and people talking about their dreams,” said San Diego resident Heather Currie, who came to Chicago to celebrate Obama’s victory.

Obama will be sworn in Jan. 20, 2009, and will become the 44th president of the United States.

To win, a candidate must obtain 270 of the possible 538 electoral votes.

For many, this election was about change. With the nation in a financial crisis and a seven-year-old war in Iraq, many voters believed a change of party leadership will lead to a change of policy.

Now that Obama has clinched the election, voters can expect some of the change he has made the centerpiece of his campaign, but the change might be more subtle than voters expect, MSU assistant political science professor Ben Kleinerman said.

“As president, you have to work with a Congress that won’t necessarily go along with what you want,” he said.

Kleinerman said the financial crisis might make it difficult for Obama to accomplish some of the programs he has supported throughout his campaign.

But while the change in U.S. policies may take some time, Obama’s election will have an immediate impact on America’s perception abroad, Kleinerman said.

“It answers questions the world has toward America about race relations,” he said. “There’s still other harder questions in foreign relations, but at least as far as how America relates to the world, it does change.”

In the ensuing months before Obama’s inauguration, Kleinerman said he will work on formulating his cabinet and preparing for the White House.

In downtown Chicago, there was no question which party’s candidate was on the home team, as Obama’s supporters packed Grant Park to hear the Democratic presidential nominee’s acceptance speech.

“I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation … block by block, brick by brick, callused hand by callused hand,” he said. “This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change.”

A graceful exit

McCain, a senator from Arizona, called his former rival to concede defeat — and the end of his own 10-year quest for the White House.

“The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly,” he told disappointed supporters in Arizona.

Andrew Stevens, director of absentee ballots for the Michigan Republican Party, watched McCain’s concession speech with a depleted crowd of Republican Party supporters in Lansing. He said he is upset with the results, especially since he worked at least 80 hours per week during the last weeks of the campaign.

“I thought it was a good speech and I was happy with the way McCain conceded,” he said. “He was very respectful about it. I am very disappointed with the news, though.”

Linda Lee Tarver, vice chairwoman of the Ingham County Republican Party, addressed a dejected crowd of Republican Party candidates and supporters at the group’s “Lansing Victory Center” in Lansing.

“This is not a time for retreat,” she said, standing before a TV that played Fox News’ election coverage. “This is a time for moving forward. I’m putting my war paint on.”

Tarver and Norm Shinkle, chairman of the Ingham County Republican Party, told those in the room they have to expect Republican Party losses within the state and nationally.

Many people in the room avoided discussing the presidential election, instead focusing on local races.

But the rise of McCain from the back end of a mile-long list of potential Republican presidential candidates to the party’s nominee didn’t go unnoticed.

“Definitely, John McCain hasn’t quit fighting,” said Louie Glinzak, MSU College Republicans press secretary. “He was looking extremely down in the primaries and came back to win the Republican nomination. You have to give him props for going forward and never giving up on this election.”

Carrie White, chairwoman for MSU Students for John McCain, has worked on the McCain campaign for two years. She said McCain’s legacy will be defined by much more than a presidential run.

“It’s hard not to be I guess in some way emotionally involved right now, but you know I feel OK,” White said. “I’ll wake up and tomorrow’s a new day. We’ll still be America and there will still be democracy and everything will be fine.”

Staff writers Kelly House and Zack Colman contributed to this report. The Associated Press also contributed to this report.