OBAMA RE-ELECTION

Now make them count! Obama routs Romney to win four more years in the White House

• Obama wins re-election after holding on to key swing states including Ohio
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Barack Obama called for unity and set out an optimistic vision of America's future this morning in a rousing acceptance speech after he defeated Mitt Romney to win another four years as President of the United States.

He promised 'the best is yet to come' and said the fierce battle with Romney had made him a better president, vowing: 'I will return to the White House more determined and inspired than ever’.

In a speech that saw a return to the soaring rhetoric he has become known for since his election in 2008, Obama said he had ‘listened and learned’ from the American people during his campaign.

With his voice going hoarse at times, he said: 'Progress comes in fits and starts’ and the road is littered with ‘difficult compromises.' But he said he enters the next four years with an 'economy recovering, a decade of war ending and a long campaign is over.'

He paid tribute to his opponent and hopes they can 'work together in the coming weeks'. This bipartisanship had been echoed by Romney moments earlier during his concession speech.

Romney called for America to 'put the people before politics' and warned, 'At a time like this we can't risk partisan bickering and political posturing.' He added, 'I so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead this country in a different direction. But the nation chose another leader.'

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Four more years: Barack Obama delivered a powerful acceptance speech early on Wednesday morning in Chicago

Together: Michelle, Sasha, Barack and Malia Obama celebrate the President's victory on stage

Helping hand: Obama embraces Vice President Joe Biden on stage at his Chicago headquarters

Commander in chief: Obama was elected by the country to serve another four years in the White House

Broadcast networks called the 2012 election for Obama at 11.15pm as he swept the map with wins in the swing states of Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia. Florida still hung in the balance into Wednesday morning, though the president had a narrow lead there, as well.

Obama scored a resounding electoral college win - despite predictions of one of the tightest finishes in history and the dogged insistence of Romney advisers that they were making gains all over the political battlefield.

He looked set to win either 332 or 309 electoral college votes, depending on the outcome in Florida, with Romney far behind with 206 or 235. There are 538 electoral college votes in total, meaning that a candidate must win 270 to make it to the White House.

 

He took to the stage at his campaign headquarters in Chicago to the sounds of Stevie Wonder's Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours, before delivering his powerful speech looking towards the future, saying: 'We know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come.'

Obama thanked the citizens who had participated in the political process: 'Whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you made your voice heard and you made a difference.'

Family: The delighted President was joined by his wife Michelle and their daughters Sasha and Malia

Crowd: Obama delivered his speech in front of thousands of supporters in Chicago

Team: Obama called Biden 'America's happy warrior' as he paid tribute to his role in the election campaign

In his conclusion, Obama said: 'I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you're willing to work hard, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you're willing to try.

'I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We're not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.'

In a moment of lightness in an otherwise gritty address, he thanked his wife and also paid tribute to his daughters Sasha and Malia who he said were ‘two smart beautiful young women, just like their mother’, but joked ‘one dog is probably enough’.

The Obamas embraced Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Janna, as well as a large number of other relatives and supporters, as Bruce Springsteen's anthem We Take Care of Our Own blared over the arena's speakers.

Pride: The whole Obama family congratulated the President after his landslide election

Still in the spotlight: Obama will remain the country's most prominent political figure for the next four years, until his successor is elected in 2016

Says it all: Michelle Obama was visibly fired up by her husband's election success

Confetti: The Obama victory rally was showered in coloured paper as the President emerged to speak

Scene: The crowds of Obama supporters wanted to party like it was 2008 as they rediscovered their energy at last

Romney called Obama to concede defeat shortly before 1am, a few minutes before he took to take the stage at his Boston headquarters to deliver his gracious concession speech and announced, 'I have just called the President to congratulate him on his victory.'

He thanked his family for their support, saying his wife Ann 'would have been a wonderful First Lady', and also praised his running mate Paul Ryan: 'Besides my wife Ann, Paul is the best choice I've ever made.'

He then concluded his short speech by saying: 'Thank you and God bless America. You guys are the best - thank you so much.'

After Obama spoke to Romney, he immediately called former President Bill Clinton, one of his most important supporters whose speech to the Democratic convention in September was credited with giving the campaign a significant boost.

The President quickly received congratulations from world leaders - with the prime ministers of close allies Britain and Israel among the first to send messages of goodwill. David Cameron tweeted congratulations to 'my friend Barack Obama', while Benjamin Netanyahu wrote that the two countries' friendship was 'closer than ever'.

Victory: Barack Obama tweeted this picture of himself with his wife Michelle shortly after being declared the winner of the 2012 presidential election

Concession: Mitt Romney delivered a short but gracious speech admitting defeat and urging American unity

Family: The Romneys were joined on stage by their relatives and the Ryan family in Boston

Yes we could: Barack Obama and Joe Biden congratulate each other with their wives in Chicago

 

Results: This graphic from the Associated Press shows the states which have been called for one of the candidates (in block colour) and the states which are leaning one way or another as the votes are being counted (in shaded colour). The same colour scheme applies to the bar showing electoral college votes

While both campaigns and their teams of lawyers were steeling themselves for an all-night nail-biter and possibly even protracted legal disputes over recounts and disputed ballots, the evening effectively ended at 11.15pm when Ohio fell.

It looked likely that Obama would prevail in Colorado and Nevada while Florida and Virginia also appeared on the brink of just toppling his way. That would leave North Carolina, a traditionally Republican state that Obama won by just 14,000 votes in 2008, as the only swing state to be captured by Romney.

Obama's huge margin of victory belied his slender lead in the national popular vote. By 3am the pair were separated by less than one percentage point, with just a few hundred thousand votes putting the President in front.

There were jubilant scenes at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention centre where the President was expected to speak shortly before a star-studded party featuring Stevie Wonder, Mary J Blige, Ashley Judd, Melanie Griffith and Will.i.Am.

Walking off the national stage: Romney delivered what could have been his farewell to public life

So close, but so far: Romney is joined by his wife Ann, his running mate Paul Ryan and Janna Ryan on stage

Gratitude: Romney thanked his supporters and campaign team for their effort on his behalf

Never mind, darling: Ann Romney comforts Mitt after his crushing election defeat

Meanwhile, there were grim faces on the supporters of Romney in Boston where the buzz of hopeful expectation hope among the crowd soon turned to a shocked and deflated silence as the disastrous results rolled in.