Eyes on the Street: Obama Takes Manhattan
A scene from Midtown early this morning, after Barack Obama was named president-elect.
By
Brad Aaron
12:14 PM EST on November 5, 2008

A scene from Midtown early this morning, after Barack Obama was named president-elect.

On the A downtown from Inwood, new passengers were welcomed with screams and cheers at every stop. It was standing room only by the time the train reached 42 Street.

New Yorkers lined the sidewalks in Times Square. Cars rolled through slowly, drivers honking, with passengers hanging from windows waving Obama signs.



Unlike Times Square, by 2 a.m. NBC’s “Election Plaza” at Rockefeller Center had pretty much cleared out.

Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7: Brad Aaron
Photo 6: Jennifer Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog USA
How To Fix The Broken Gas Tax
Drivers aren't paying their fair share — and no one else is getting their due. Is it time to rethink our federal road funding mechanisms?
March 31, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Peace Out
The congressman at the helm of the House transportation committee is stepping down. Who will step up?
March 31, 2026
Chicago to St. Louis Is the High-Speed Rail Test America Can’t Afford to Fail
A looming deadline could be the end of high speed rail in Illinois — or the beginning of an entire midwest network, a top advocate argues.
March 31, 2026
Trump’s ‘Freedom Means Affordable Cars’ Rings Hollow As Gas Prices Surge
Real freedom is the freedom to choose how you get around — including not driving at all.
March 30, 2026
Monday’s Headlines Pedal Backwards
The Trump administration really does not want to make it easy to ride a bike.
March 30, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.