The story of Mr. Obama's journey to the pinnacle of American politics is the story of a campaign that was, even in the view of many rivals, almost flawless.
Americans will elect not only a president on Tuesday, but also his huge team of aides, advisers and bureaucrats who will help the winner run the federal government for the next four years.
Barack Obama radiated confidence and John McCain displayed the grit of an underdog Monday as the presidential rivals reached for the finish line of a two-year marathon with a burst of campaigning.
With just two days to go, most national polls show Barack Obama ahead of John McCain, and state surveys suggest the Democrat's path to the requisite 270 electoral votes is much easier to navigate than McCain's.?
NBC's political director, Chuck Todd, breaks down what to expect on Election Day, state-by-state.
John McCain, struggling to hold onto Republican states, asked supporters Saturday to help him keep Virginia from tipping to Barack Obama.
Democrat Barack Obama on Friday moved to invade rival John McCain's home state with? ads, while McCain called Obama "more liberal" than even the lone socialist in the Senate.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain seized on reports of record oil company profits Thursday to criticize Democratic rival Barack Obama for favoring tax breaks for the oil industry.
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Transcript: Barack Obama talks to Rachel Maddow 5 days before election