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Reporting and analysis from ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent and "This Week" Host George Stephanopoulos

George Stephanopoulos reports on events in politics, Congress and the White House for ABCNews, on the air and online. He interviews top newsmakers, discusses the events of the week and looks to the week ahead each Sunday on 'This Week.'

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Moving Toward a Post-Racial America

November 05, 2008 3:09 AM

Obama_va_1_081103_main One of the most stunning facts of the turnout tonight is that only 74 percent of the electorate in this election was white.

Go back to 1976 and 90 percent of the electorate was white. We are seeing the rise of Hispanic and African American voters. This is the first election of the future.

In many ways, we are moving toward a post-racial America.

Look at how race really wasn't an issue in this campaign. Eighty percent of voters said they didn't take it into account anyway, and only 19 percent of the voters said they did.

And Obama won both groups.

--George Stephanopoulos

November 5, 2008 in Barack Obama | Permalink | Share | User Comments (155)

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Αν ο Οκτώβρης είναι ο μήνας της Επανάστασης διανυουμε τον μήνα της Θυσίας. (17-11). Καλό ειναι και οι δικοί μας στην Ελλάδα κοκορόφτεροι πολιτικοί να μην υποτιμούν τον Κόσμο, τον Πολίτη τον Ανθρωπο. Το όνειρο δίνει φτερά αλλά πατάει γερά και στα πόδια του.

Ψήφισε το 74%!!!!στις ΗΠΑ
Ζωή, Ελευθερία, επιδίωξη της ευτυχίας είναι τα αιτούμενα της Διακηρυξης της Ανεξαρτησίας των ΗΠΑ
Κάποιοι πολλοί το θυμήθηκαν.

Posted by: Dionysos | Nov 5, 2008 4:05:22 AM

I have never been more proud of my country and countrymen! Thank you America! God bless America!

Posted by: Common Sense | Nov 5, 2008 4:06:04 AM

America has gone back to be a beacon of light in the world, a lighthouse pointing to what is possible.

God Bless America and the World.

The world is a better place because of America's actions today.

Posted by: Andy | Nov 5, 2008 4:18:42 AM

America, I am a Swiss citizen who share your happiness and pride today. Last night I got calls from my children, two of whom live in the USA. My daughter, a lawyer in NC, my son a science teacher in NY, but also another son, a hotel manager in Asia and a student here, all shared my joy and all cried with happiness over the election results. This morning my housekeeper, a woman from Spain, was also crying when I went downstairs! It is so wonderful to know that my children now feel the same about America as I did when JF Kennedy was elected. Americans you belong to the greatest country on earth. We look forward to your leadership in this difficult time - you always come through when the world needs you! God Bless America, the greatest country on earth!

Posted by: Katherine Kemp | Nov 5, 2008 4:48:56 AM

Don't kid yourself, George. This country is as racist as ever. In our politically correct society of today, people just do a better job of concealing it.

If the Republican Party had fielded a more Centrist ticket with a credible VP selection, the white vote would have just as easily shifted away from Barack.

You can be sure that if there is no marked improvement in the country's direction shortly after Inauguration, there will be plenty of people blaming it on his skin color. The true irony is that we can have a WHITE leadership destroy our nation's international credibility, take our nation to the brink of bankruptcy, and prove beyond any doubt its complete incompetence in managing the affairs of State, and still there will be people who will believe if things don't improve under Obama- it will be because he's BLACK.

Posted by: babaganoosh | Nov 5, 2008 4:55:17 AM

52% - 47% .. yep - we're past racism! Only around 50% of the country is racist because they didn't vote for Obama! Nonsense! Get over it .. go talk to the 96% of blacks who voted STRICTLY due to his skin color and get back to us and tell us WHO is racist! Oh well - like I've said over and over .. no president has ever determined my fate or success and for those of you who are banking on that GOOD LUCK TO YA! Ha ha!

Posted by: Marcus | Nov 5, 2008 5:39:02 AM

I am dissapointed in Oprah Winfry stating, Obama is the first person she has supported up for election. I have voted and supported candidates for 63 years. Gov. Kaine supported Obama and now a racist group is trying to sue him for how distribution of poles were placed. Yes, a black man deserves to win, but how he has won scares me.

Posted by: Patricia Pierce | Nov 5, 2008 5:40:14 AM

Herd mentality and white guilt .. ha ha! What a joke!

Posted by: Greg | Nov 5, 2008 5:40:45 AM


Dear Americans,

Thank you for your decision!
Today, just electing Obama as your POTUS, you already change the world.

with respect,

your friend from South Korea

Posted by: Kim | Nov 5, 2008 5:45:34 AM

I´m German, but I have friends in America and I know about their true and honest wishes, that Obama should succeed. I congratulate them and all the others who elected Obama. Anyhow I agree with babaganoosh, and I´m really worried about that ... Maybe we´re lucky and there will be a marked improvement in the country´s direction ... And this also depends on you, the US citizens, but also on international policy. Because the whole world is cross-linked, which was impressively demonstrated by the world wide financial and economic crisis, which started somewhere in the age of George W. - thank globalization!

Posted by: Annette | Nov 5, 2008 5:50:31 AM

Preident Obama will acheieve great things with the help of God. America should praise God that he has blessed us with a humble and wise man to lead an ailing nation back to greatness.

Posted by: Jamaxx | Nov 5, 2008 5:54:23 AM

Being a malaysian n muslim,i hve never felt this proud for you all americans for what u hve done today.not only america will change but the world will follow tru.
Congrat and god bless americans n the citizen of the world.

Posted by: saaid | Nov 5, 2008 5:58:29 AM

Racism is alive and well. When 97 of blacks vote for obama what else can you call it. The sad part is that while 43% of whites are willing to vote for a black, we now have been duped into electing a clever racist liberal who listened to Rev. Wright spew racism and white hating for 20 years. The only reason Obama won (and the liberal media will not talk about) is the shifting (more black and minority) face of america and the deplorable immigration problem. The fact that Obama's aunt is an illegal lying and living off of government housing illegally is testament to the Obama fraud.

Posted by: Rob | Nov 5, 2008 6:23:02 AM

Marcus and babaganoosh,

Much of what you say is true. Perhaps an identical copy of Obama with white skin would have commanded an even clearer victory.

Many people will scrutinize Obama's upcoming presidency even more because he's multi-racial. They'll be ready to pounce on every mistake.

Still, this was a tremendous step forward. It required a perfect chain of events, from GWB's futile war in Iraq to the meltdown in the banking sector.

Now I just pray that some lunatic doesn't do something crazy and deprive us of this chance.

Posted by: Born in the USA | Nov 5, 2008 6:24:20 AM

Very big day. Congratulations for all Americans/ Fact that black citizen can become President of USA - is wonderful and one more time tells that USA is great country, able to overcome it's own racist past. I hope B.Obama can become successor of greatest american Presidents - traditions of Linkoln, Washington, Ruzevelt are still alive. And I hope that relations with Russia will be much better now... I think Bush's foreign policy created much of hostile attitude in majority of Russians to USA. Also I hope that Obama can help to fix world economy. Looking ahead for changes...

Posted by: Vladimir | Nov 5, 2008 6:26:17 AM

Oprah Winfry commented, "Obama is the first person she has supported in an election." As a proud American voter for 63 years I have supported candidates and voted on the issues for 63 years. Yes,a black man deserves to become president, but this election has scared me.
I posted comments once before on this issue and posted the incorrect email, sorry.

Posted by: Patricia Pierce | Nov 5, 2008 6:32:06 AM

Obama is a radical idiot, he will destory this country with liberal policys and judges he appoints and the decisions he makes in that office, as for God Blessing America, my prayers is that God does not turn His back on us, we are on the brink of Gods Wrath on this Country.

Posted by: Sandy | Nov 5, 2008 6:33:33 AM

I am very scared. The people in this country elected a man who 1) won't prove he's actually eligible to be President 2)who wants to create a civilian armed militia (can anyone say 'Secret Police') 3)Who wants to "change our behavior" through taxation. I'm not sure that even 1/2 of the 62 Million who voted for him understand what they were voting for. I'm just praying that God can see us through these next four years & that people have their eyes opened.

Posted by: ellsbells930 | Nov 5, 2008 6:44:49 AM

EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT Christian Taliban (and your imams including Dr. James Dobson), Muslim Taliban (and your imams), homophobes, racists, and elitist republicans in general. Even manipulating the vote-counting machines was not enough to deny real Americans their voice. YOUR OX HAS DONE BEEN GORED!!

Posted by: Mike | Nov 5, 2008 6:45:12 AM

Race was a hugh issue. How else can one explain the hugh numbers of minorities that voted and that 98% of African Americans vote for a a black candidate? Isn't that racism?

Posted by: Brad | Nov 5, 2008 6:46:59 AM

EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT Christian Taliban (and your imams including Dr. James Dobson), Muslim Taliban (and your imams), homophobes, racists, and elitist republicans in general. Even manipulating the vote-counting machines was not enough to deny real Americans their voice. YOUR OX HAS DONE BEEN GORED!!

Posted by: Mike | Nov 5, 2008 6:47:52 AM

I must give credit to Obama and his staff for beating not just McCain but Hillary! Beating Hillary was a major/major victory more so than beating McCain.

I just have to say that the MSM was so far in the tank for Obama and they did the american people no justice! It was not until the last week of this election that they had the Bal** to start looking (ever so lightly) into some of his past. I will say thisnot only did this election make history so did the MSM because that was the year it died!

I just hope the millions of people who voted for Obama are as happy in 2 years as they are today. I especially think of this Black or Afriance American woman who truely believed that voting for Obama she would not longer have to pay for her gas or house payment. I beat in 2 years time if you interview her again she will be crying still but not with tears of joy!

Posted by: chuck | Nov 5, 2008 6:49:53 AM

There are mistakes on this posting listings!!!!!

Incorrect names on posts

beware, beware

My name has been posted on a comment I did not make!!!
Errors on posting- beaware- do not post

Posted by: Patricia | Nov 5, 2008 6:50:24 AM

Race wasn't an issue? Is Stephanopoulos insane? Oh yeah, he's from the Clinton spin era, so fact and reality have no bearing on what he says.

Posted by: George | Nov 5, 2008 6:51:45 AM

Put down the crackpipe Mike and get some rest ...

Posted by: Marcus | Nov 5, 2008 6:51:59 AM

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