President-elect Obama hails American unity

America is a place where all things are possible and the “dream of our founders” is alive, President-elect Barack Obama said today.

The man who will be the first black President of the United States was cheered by hundreds of thousands of supporters as he walked on to a stage in Chicago with his wife Michelle and young daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven, at his side.

His era-changing victory came as he swept a series of key battleground states, winning Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

“We are, and always will be, the United States of America,” he said.

He said the problems he and the American people faced were grave and included wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an economy in crisis and environmental challenges.