Live Blog: Thanks

4:05 a.m. There are still Presidential races in Florida (27), North Carolina (15), Virginia (13), and Missouri (11) to be called, so Obama's victory could range from 375-163 to 311-227.

But, as the pundits pay tribute to America, it's not the final electoral margin or even the margin in the Senate but the symbolism of Obama's victory that will resonate.

We're off to do a pre-record for a radio station and then to get a couple of hours of downtime. We'll be back soon after 6:30 a.m. British time for a quick update.

Live Blog: The Moment of Victory

4:00 a.m. CNN projects Barack Obama as President-elect. BBC have him over the top with 293 electoral votes. Fox have conceded.

There will be time to run through the "meaning" of this victory. Real meaning, as in policies to get out of the economic/financial mess, policies to deal with the foreign policy tangles from Iraq to Afghanistan to the Middle East to Latin America, policies to make significant social change rather than the posturing of "culture wars".

But, for now, we're raising glasses of champagne here in Kings Heath, Birmingham, United Kingdom. 4000 miles away but, tonight, very close to "America".

3:59 a.m. Well, the other shoe just dropped. About an hour later than I expected, but no need to quibble now.

The Story of the Night

A quick addition to Bama's fine blogging--it looks like Obama may pull Indiana out which is one of the most remarkable accomplishments of the night.

Live Blog: Still Waiting Before We Sleep....

3:58 a.m. Thank goodness! CNN just called Virginia. That's 220 electoral votes in the bag for Obama, and California alone gives him 275.

3:55 a.m. Bill Bennett just came out with, "If Obama wins, I'll pray for him, I'll pray for the country." I think he meant it as a gesture of support but it sure sounded creepy.

He then added a line which you should note because you will get it again and again in forthcoming days: "McCain said he would rather lose an election than lose a war. He lost an election. But he helped win the war."

So the Republicans sacrificed themselves to "win" Iraq. This effort to erase 2003-2007 and claim a far-sighted victory with the "surge" of 2007-2008 should be called out as a pathetic, self-justifying exercise.

3:49 a.m. OK, that will teach us to get too confident about our own calls. McCain is establishing a lead in Missouri. Obama has a notable lead in Virginia and in Florida. McCain holds on to a narrow advantage in North Carolina.

But, in Indiana, McCain was not secure. Far from it --- Obama is now 6,000 votes up with 93 percent returned.

3:47 a.m. CNN will not learn. They have brought in Will.I.Am. --- the man behind the "Yes I Can" video accompanying Obama's New Hampshire primary speech --- "via hologram". Before he can get to his inspirational message, he has to endure Anderson Cooper failing to be culturally hip.

Will.I.Am.: I feel like a character from Star Wars.
Cooper: Yes, you look like something out of Star Trek.

No, Coop. Star Wars. If you're going to go with gimmicks, get your reference points straight.

Recent posts should not be taken in any way as a sign that I'm tired.

3:43 a.m. I will only say this for a brief moment in time but I embrace Fox News.

They have called Virginia (13) for Obama. As Canuckistan notes, this means that California alone (55) puts Obama over the top.

Wolf, meanwhile, has told us that "there may be interesting projections at the top of the hour". Really? The projections you promised 20 minutes ago?

An Addendum on the Senate Projection

I've just noticed that Mary Landrieu, the Democratic incumbent in Louisiana, is only 16,000 votes with 62 percent returned. That's unexpected and could the Democrats back to 6 or 7 overall gains in the Senate.