No, I mean Constitutionally. He won.

Legally, he's nothing until the Electoral College meets. The only thing we did yesterday as far as the presidential race goes is to elect electors from each state (who just happen to be pledged to certain candidates).

That's what I thought. Thanks.

Tolstoy is correct here. While at least some electors do retain the right to change their votes when the Electoral College meets, in practice nobody ever really does that. Obama will be the new President of the United States.

Interesting question, I hadn't thought explicitly about that, but I suppose it is true, he's not actually the president elect until the electors get together.
This brings up a bunch of questions I've occasionally had, but have never really bothered to try to look into:
When/where does that happen by the way?
Do they literally get 538 people together somewhere and have them cast votes? How do they vote? Roll call?

You rarely hear about it except in civics classes, and the occasional anecdotes about electors casting symbolic votes for people they aren't pledged to (actually I generally heard those anecdotes in civics classes too).

So, if God forbid both Obama and Biden were assassinated before the Electoral College met (or even after), are there any mechanisms for what would happen? Would Nancy Pelosi be President for what should have been Obama's term? Would whoever it be even really be President or just Acting President?

If it happened before, the Democratic Party would probably throw together another candidate, and the Electoral votes that would have gone to Obama would probably go to him/her. However, since they pledged to vote for Obama, those Electoral College members could technically change their vote.

@Frelock - When has it happened before? (That's an honest question, not a challenge or something)

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/122/what-if-the-u-s-president-and-vice-president-elect-die-before-being-sworn-in

Horace Greeley died before Inauguration Day or the Electoral College meeting, but he lost. And it was in 1872.

So there's no plan. What a country!

Wow! Basically... no one has any idea. Great!

i thought it was very clear that the 20th Amendment calls on Congress to meet and agree an outcome, which is what they would do in the event of a tied Electoral College Vote anyway.

Now the electors have to sit on their horse and ride to Washington. I mean, that's the whole point of having these electors.

Let's just hope it never happens.

@Invictus - Seriously. If you thought 2000 was a mess...

(Also it would be horrible on it's own to have a president elect and his vice president assassinated, let's not discount that!).

I'd feel better if there was a solid, constitutional protocol. The last thing we would need in a situation like that is not being sure who's President.

The problem is the current system of (essentially) direct election of the President is unconstitutional. Not saying it's necessarily bad, but it's not what the founders envisioned and consequently the constitution as written can't really address the potential problems it creates.

you forgot to hyphenate "president-elect".

Mea culpa, mea culp, mea maxima culpa.

I don't think it's like that always, but the Wikipedia article I just looked at is hyphenated so I guess you're right.

Because of Wikipedia? Not because it's hyphenated in the Constitution?

Well, I didn't look in the Constitution. You were right, what more do you want?

If Obama and Biden were to die (of any cause, come on, no assination necessary) the electoral college has the final say in electing the president, and a compromise candidate could be elected. In this Case it would probably be Hillary Clinton. However, if the College were to meet and then the President-Elect and the Vice-President elect died I think the Speaker of the House would become President for the 4 year term. I dont believe it would to the House for a vote since the Electoral College would have already met.

Also, if I may add, if just the president were to be assassinated the new president (Biden) would then be able to appoint (yes appoint) his new Vice President, but if they were to die simultaneously (or before he appoints a new VP) then the Speaker of the house (Nancy P.) would assume president.

this of course is after January

and on last this (sorry about the triple) but
@aoe3rules
but "Pensylvania" is spelled wrong on the Liberty Bell, so our forefathers were not the greatest spellers.

@Fbgav - Really spelling in general was a bit more flexible in those days.

i really don't understand why obama didn't take over yesterday can someone explain it to me please.

It is a Constitutional matter, the President is elected for a 4 year term, and that term begins 4 years after the beginning of the last one. There is always, in every country, a time between the election taking place and the actual transfer of the seat.