6 What in the world

A historic presidential moment
Last Tuesday, following high voter turnout across the country, Americans elected Barack Obama as their 44th President. He is the first African American to be elected to that office. We've come a long way from the days of the Civil War and Reconstruction and Segregation and the Civil Rights Movement.

Election results by the numbers:
- Electoral college: 364 for Obama, 163 for McCain, 11 undecided
- States: 28 for Obama, 21 for McCain, 1 undecided
- Popular vote: 64,538,980 for Obama, 56,802,609 for McCain
- Percentage of vote: 53% for Obama, 46% for McCain

The new Congress
With a couple races yet to be decided, Congress by the numbers:
- Senate: 57 Democrats, 40 Republicans
- House of Representatives: 255 Democrats, 174 Republicans

Traditional marriage reaffirmed
Proposition 8, which added to the California constitution a provision that marriage is only between a man and a woman, was approved by California voters. Similar measures also passed in Arizona and Florida. Opponents of the proposition in California vow to fight the measure in the courts and in any other way they can devise, including public demonstrations and other disruptions.

Interestingly, the only places same-sex marriage had become legal in this country resulted from court decisions, not from the action of either voters or through them their legislators. When actual people have a say in the matter, traditional norms are upheld.

And this week's look at college football
- Utah beat TCU 13-10 [ranked 7th in BCS and USA Today polls, 8th in AP and ESPN polls]
- Boise State beat Utah State 49-14 [9th in all the polls]
- BYU beat San Diego State 41-12 [14th in USA Today poll, 16th in AP and ESPN polls, and 17th in BCS standings]