Barack Obama became America’s first black president early today.
The Democrat scored a crucial breakthrough win in Ohio to take a commanding lead in the White House race, leaving Republican John McCain fighting for his political life in a string of close battleground states.
The huge victory, along with a win in Pennsylvania, which was targeted by McCain as his best hope of stealing a Democratic-leaning state, moved Obama to the brink of a historic White House win. He was also projected by Fox News to capture New Mexico's five electoral votes, another state won by Bush in 2004.
The combined 25 electoral votes in states won by Bush would be enough to put Obama over the 270 Electoral College votes if there are no major upsets by McCain
'At this point we need a miracle,' a McCain aide was quoted as saying on the CBS News web site.
A win by Obama, 47, son of a black father from Kenya and white mother from Kansas, would make him the first black U.S. president and mark a milestone in U.S. history 45 years after the height of the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King.