S. Samuel
After months of campaigning and a close finish Tuesday (November 6) night, President Barack Obama has won a second term in office by defeating Republican candidate Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.
While some news publications are still reporting poll totals, Fox News has officially called President Obama’s re-election.
President Obama will win re-election, Fox News projects. The call comes after the president was the projected winner in the crucial battleground of Ohio, and subsequently won both Iowa and Oregon. This put Obama over the required 270 electoral votes. (Fox News)
President Obama even hopped on Twitter to confirm the news.
“This happened because of you. Thank you.,” he tweeted Tuesday night.
“We’re all in this together. That’s how we campaigned, and that’s who we are. Thank you. -bo”
“Four more years. pic.twitter.com/bAJE6Vom” (President Obama’s Twitter)
One of the most decisive state wins for President Obama turned out to be Ohio.
It’s official: Barack Obama has been re-elected as the 44th president of the United States. The president claimed victory over Mitt Romney after winning the pivotal state of Ohio, tweeting his supporters: “This happened because of you. Thank you. We’re all in this together. That’s how we campaigned, and that’s who we are. Thank you. -bo” A crowd at a Chicago convention center began cheering and dancing after the Ohio call, as The Supreme’s “You Can’t Hurry Love” over loudspeakers. (USA Today)
Early Tuesday, R&B icon Beyoncé Knowles-Carter inked an open letter to President Obama.
“President OBAMA, Everyday we see your heart and character, inspiring all of us to give more of ourselves. You are the leader to take us From where we are to where we need to be. You are the reason my daughter and nephew will grow up knowing that they can truly be ANYTHING they want to be. All my Respect and Adoration [sic]” (Miss Info TV)
A day prior, her husband Jay-Z helped rally up Ohio voters alongside President Obama and fellow singer Bruce Springsteen.
President Obama deployed a double-dose of star power for his Ohio campaign finale, using performances by legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen and rapper Jay-Z to energize the crowd of about 15,000 just over 12 hours before the first election day polls open across the state. Jay-Z, a longtime Obama backer and fundraiser, brought down the house with a bone-shaking and deafeningly loud set of his hits that included a censored rendition of “99 Problems,” replacing the word “b***” with “Mitt.” (ABC News)
Various hip-hop artists vouched their support for President Obama over the past few months and also publicly called out Romney including Ice Cube.
The West Coast hip-hop luminary’s new single, “Everythang’s Corrupt,” is a no-holds-barred, politically charged record that plumbs the seedy, greedy underbelly that stinks up so much of American society. It’s also the title track off his next LP, his first since 2010, which the MC hopes to have on shelves by spring 2013. Romney features prominently in the new video for the single. “He just reminds me of somebody who’s trying to sell me a Mercedes Benz,” says Cube. “He’ll tell me that it looks good on me and this is my color and I can afford it and everything, just to get the sale. It’s astonishing that people are buying into that at the rate they are.” (Rolling Stone)
After actress Stacey Dash got scolded for publicly supporting Romney, West Coast rapper Game came to her defense.
“I don’t understand what everybody’s gripe is with that,” he said. “We live in the world [where] we try as people to become more non-racial. Every black person in the world doesn’t support Obama. …Why are we slamming her? Maybe she has different views and opinions, she should be entitled.” (CBS Local)
Over the summer, G-Unit’s 50 Cent spoke up for President Obama.
“Im up thank God a NEW DAY vote for Obama people are hurting out here. 50cent,” Fif tweeted August 18th.
“So what we have to make changesRT @bob1sh: @50cent Obama’s going to tax the h*ll out of you rich people” (50 Cent’s Twitter)
Not alone in supporting the president, Atlanta’s Killer Mike previously vouched for Team Obama.
“I am really hoping that on a federal level he decriminalizes marijuana not only so people can smoke, but so they can be industry. I know he is going to win. He is going to be a two-term president. I don’t have any questions about that. I just hope he does right by the people that believe in him.” (The Grio)
Fellow Atlanta hip-hop artist DJ Drama previously told SOHH he believed President Obama would serve another term come November.
“Oh, nah, never that, you know what I’m saying,” Drama told SOHH when asked if he would retire the alias “Barack O’Drama” if President Obama does not win. “He has my support and I’m not going to say when he doesn’t win because he’s gonna win and we’re going to keep the legacy going.” (SOHH)
Last June, rap veteran Nas pledged his undying support for the newly re-elected head of state.
“I support Barack Obama and everything he does,” said Nas. “It’s just a hell of a game and I never paid too much attention or cared about a president’s life until he got into office. I didn’t feel they cared about my life. I just feel like it’s a hell of a job. I think he cares about all Americans. And we can say, me being a black man, I’m proud to have that kind of black man in office because it takes that kind of black man…A lot of people want him to cater only to African Americans on their time, when they’re ready for him to do so. That’s ridiculous.” (The LIFE Files)
