In Chicago, Obama grasps history
Barack Obama's victory speech was ending with an explosion of ticker tape at the precise moment we went live for the evening news in Sydney. Take a look at the great picture I snapped of 7News US correspondent Mike Amor.
But you could tell things were going the President's way much earlier. In fact a little while after they let the crowds in.
Previously, it was just the journos. There were about 2000 of us crammed onto a giant platform, camera gear and all, so the place wasn't exactly quiet. But when the supporters started to stream through the double doors and into the massive convention complex in downtown Chicago, the whole thing took on a party feel.
At first they just erupted every time he appeared on the big screens. But eventually they were cheering for swing states as they started to fall into the democratic column one after the other.
First, small ones like New Hampshire fell to the President. The crowd started to grow. Then bigger trophies like Michigan fell. They handed out American flags for his fans to flutter in the air. Then finally Florida. There wasn't even time for the name of the sunshine state to form on the lips before the giant televisions bearing CNN and NBC screamed the words 'Obama re-elected' in metre high letters. And the place went nuts.
He's been granted four more years in the White House. He'll now be president until January 2017. He'll get his chance to repair the US economy properly and try to get the country firmly back on its feet. He'll be allowed to cement his game changing healthcare reforms.
The man he's beaten, Mitt Romney, got some sympathy here in Chicago tonight. The crowd applauded his efforts and perhaps we should spare a thought for him. He's been chasing this job for six years and his dreams have now been dashed. He won't get another chance.
And of course we'll have to wait another four years before this incredible process starts again, but then perhaps we need a break from it.
In 2016 two new men..... perhaps even two women.... will face off against each other. It's fair to say no other nation on earth does politics quite like this one. It has been loud and theatrical, a spectacle, it's been energetic, dynamic and complicated as it always is.
It's one of the world's great news stories. We hope you've enjoyed our coverage of it.
