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Americans making historic elections

Source: Xinhua | 11-05-2008 07:51

Special Report:   U.S.Presidential Election 2008

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Either it is to be the oldest president who takes office in the United States or the first African-American president, definitely, Americans have been making a historic election on Tuesday.

Voters queue to cast their ballots in Arlington, Virginia of the United States on Nov. 4, 2008. Some 130 million voters will cast their votes in the day-long polling in the U.S. presidential elections on Tuesday.(Xinhua Photo)

Voters queue to cast their ballots in Arlington,Virginia
of the United States on Nov. 4, 2008. Some 130 million 
voters will cast their votes in the day-long polling
in the U.S. presidential elections on Tuesday.
(Xinhua Photo)

 

AMERICANS TURN OUT FOR VOTING

Since 6 a.m. EST (1100 GMT) on Tuesday, tens of millions of Americans have been flocking to polling stations throughout the country to cast their votes.

Outside the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, one of the polling stations in downtown Washington D.C., hundreds of people were waiting quietly for their turn to vote. They had arrived hours before voting started and many of them said they would go to work right after casting their ballot.

"I'm here to vote for America," a middle-aged black woman said.

Many black voters were not too reluctant to voice their support for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. "Of course, I'm going to vote Obama," an outspoken Dana Price told Xinhua. "He represents change. Change is always better."

"Change," Obama's rousing election slogan, has become the No.1 reason for countless voters to vote for the first black presidential hopeful in the U.S. history.

When asked about Obama's ability to lead the United States to tackle the worst global financial crisis in some 80 years, many voters expressed confidence in the Democratic White House hopeful.

"The ongoing economic crisis is above the single government level. It needs international regulations. But Obama can do something," said a woman who declined to be identified.

The White voters appeared more cautious about making a comparison between Obama and his 72-year old Republican rival John McCain. "It will be a historic day for either Obama or McCain," said a U.S. Navy lieutenant.