During the 2008 United States Presidential Election, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and vice presidential nominee Joe Biden defeated Republican presidential nominee John McCain and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
Obama received 52.9% of the popular vote and 365 electoral votes, while McCain received 45.7% of the popular voter and 173 electoral votes.
This presidential election was historic, because it was the first time an African American man was elected to be President of the United States.
Additionally, it was the first time neither candidate was born in the contiguous United States – Obama in Hawaii and McCain at a military base in Panama.
A total of 131 million votes were casted in the election, representing over 43% of the total United States population.
