Obama wins Senate race to become 5th black U.S. senator in history

• CHICAGO (AP) — Barack Obama, who shot from obscurity to political stardom with his message of national unity, trounced Republican Alan Keyes at the polls in Illinois Tuesday to be elected the fifth black U.S. senator in history.

• "We can look forward to the future. We can build step-by-step to ensure we arrive at the practical commonsense solutions that all of us hope for," Obama said as he claimed victory Tuesday night.

By M. Spencer Green, AP Barack Obama becomes the fifth black senator in U.S. history.

• Obama overwhelmed Keyes, a conservative commentator recruited by the Illinois Republican Party after the primary winner dropped out, in what became the nation's first U.S. Senate race between two black major-party candidates.
• Keyes, in a combative speech Tuesday night that quoted heavily from the Bible but stopped short of conceding the race, vowed to fight what he called the corrupt politicians of Illinois.

• "We are called to go into the ditch, and though we must wade knee-deep in muck we will come out the other side," said Keyes. "This shall be our cause!"
• Obama will enter the Senate already boasting a national reputation and a list of politicians grateful for his help.
• The 43-year-old liberal state senator from Chicago catapulted to political prominence with a stirring keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. The speech made him a draw at political events across the country, able to raise money and attract media attention.

• Running against Keyes, who never posed a serious threat, gave Obama the freedom to make the most of his new stardom. He was able to donate campaign money to other candidates instead of spending it on his own race and take time to appear at rallies and fund-raisers across the country.

• Obama and Merkel discuss cooperation on climate change
  

• German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid the White House a visit June 26 and discussed a number of issues with President Obama, among them, climate change.
• The United States will “stand with Germany and lead in confronting the energy and climate change crisis,” Obama said. “Europe in many ways over the last several years has moved more rapidly than the United States on addressing this issue. And I’ve been very blunt and frank with Chancellor Merkel that we are still working through creating the framework where we can help lead the international effort,” he said.