That was not what set the Illinois senator apart, though. As a black man, he confronted a previously unbreakable barrier as he campaigned on twin themes of change and hope in uncertain times.

McCain, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, a generation older than his rival at 72, waited in Arizona to learn the outcome of the election. It was his second try for the White House, following his defeat in the battle for the Republican nomination in 2000.

A conservative, he ran seeking to stress his maverick streak. And a Republican, he did what he could to separate himself from an unpopular President George W. Bush.

For the most part, the two presidential candidates and their running mates, Republican Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska and Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, spent weeks campaigning in states that went for Bush four years ago. Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada drew most of their time. Pennsylvania also drew attention as McCain sought to invade traditionally Democratic turf.

McCain and Obama each won contested nominations  the Democrat outdistancing former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and both promptly set out to claim the mantle of change.

"I am not George W. Bush," McCain said in one debate.

Obama retorted that he might as well be, telling audiences in state after state that the Republican had voted with the president 90 percent of the time across eight years of the Bush administration.

After voting with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, Sen. Clinton called Bush "the lamest of lame ducks" and predicted that Obama would begin making presidential appointments and announcing economic policies within weeks.

While the Iraq war dominated the campaign early in the year, it had long since faded as an issue as voters cast ballots.

The race was easily the costliest in history, in excess of $1 billion, more after the congressional campaigns were counted.

Figures through mid-October showed Obama had spent roughly $240 million on television and radio advertisements.

McCain had spent about $115 million, and the Republican National Committee another $80 million on his behalf.