Obama tells crowd, 'This is our moment'

CHICAGO, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, addressing a crowd in Chicago dominated by young voters, spoke Tuesday of change, using a 101-year-old woman as his example.

In Atlanta, Ann Nixon Cooper "touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change," Obama told the crowd estimated at 125,000.

Obama had 349 electoral votes to Republican opponent John McCain's 163 with 48 states and the District of Columbia reporting. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the election.

Obama got some good news early Tuesday night when Pennsylvania -- a reliably Democratic state McCain tried to peel off -- was listed in Obama's column. That was followed by media outlets announcing Ohio, Florida, Virginia -- all of which voted for President George W. Bush in 2004 -- had gone for Obama, who also swept all New England states.

"America, we have come so far," he said. "So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made? This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment."

In his concession speech, McCain said Obama's success alone "commands my respect for his ability and perseverance," but McCain added that Obama had succeeded "by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans."