The 2008 U.S. presidential election was one of the most interesting in recent history, attracting worldwide attention. America.gov will webcast a briefing by noted political analyst Charlie Cook, who will discuss the events of the election and what lies ahead.

Watch the webcast on February 2, 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT).

The campaign is over, but Campaign Trail Talk is still receiving tons of e-mail about the presidential election and ensuing transition. Over the next few days, we’ll be answering some of your questions.

Sally of Canada asked: “There were some states not yet decided is there a map or info about the final delegates Obama got?”

States still need to certify their final results, and it may take some several more weeks to count each and every vote. But a winner has been projected in 49 states and the District of Columbia. (Missouri is still counting). Among those, Democrat Barack Obama won every state that supported the Democratic presidential candidate in 2004 and eight states that favored the Republican candidate that year. For more, see “Legally, U.S. Presidential Election Not Yet Complete.”

America.gov has a new Electoral College map where you can see which states were won by Obama and which by John McCain. Our map lets you compare 2008 results to those of the previous two presidential elections – You’ll see some big changes!

Have questions of your own? Post them in the comments field and Campaign Trail Talk will find and post the answers.

Barack Obama will not take the oath of office until January 20, 2009, but work to address the many challenges that await him in the presidency begins immediately.

As campaign staffs across the country clean out their offices, a transition team begins its work to ensure the Obama administration is ready to handle the major foreign policy and economic challenges facing the United States.

The transition team, which will include experts on every major policy issue, will begin preparing policy recommendations for the president-elect and help him select Cabinet members. These Cabinet appointments are subject to confirmation by the new Congress after Obama is sworn in.

The transition team will receive help from the White House. The peaceful transfer of power from one presidential administration to the next is a hallmark of American democracy, and the Bush administration is committed to assisting with that transfer. (See “Ensuring A Smooth and Effective Presidential Transition.”)

Transition planning began months ago. Federal agencies and White House offices have prepared briefings on significant pending policy issues for the president-elect’s transition team.

Both presidential candidates were briefed regularly on national security issues, and Obama will be kept continuously informed as he prepares to take office.

On November 4, Americans elected Illinois Senator Barack Obama the 44th president of the United States.

Addressing supporters in Chicago November 5, the president-elect said, “To all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright, tonight we’ve proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.”

Obama said that through their votes, Americans sent a message “that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states. We are and always will be the United States of America.”

“A new dawn of American leadership is at hand,” he said. “To those who would tear the world down, we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security, we support you.”

As of early November 5, Obama had won at least 26 states and the District of Columbia with a total of 338 electoral votes, putting him well above the 270 needed to clinch the presidency. Results still were being reported from some states in the early hours of the day after Election Day.

Obama will become the first African-American president of the United States and also the first person of color to govern a country with a white majority.

The Illinois senator carried all the states won by Democrat John Kerry in 2004, as well as Ohio, Iowa, Florida, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Virginia — states previously carried by Republican George Bush.

In his concession speech from Phoenix, Senator John McCain said he had telephoned President-elect Obama to offer his congratulations. He recognized the significance of Obama’s victory for African Americans and the “special pride that must be theirs tonight” following a long history of slavery, segregation and discrimination.

He said the United States is now “a world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time,” and “there is no better evidence of this” than Obama’s election. He also pledged to support the incoming president and urged his supporters to offer their “good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together.”

When Campaign Trail Talk posted its first entry October 12, 2007, there were 17 candidates for the U.S. presidency. A quick 13 months later, we are just hours from knowing who the American people will select as their next leader: Barack Obama or John McCain!

This is a day many across the world have long anticipated, and Campaign Trail Talk encourages you to spend part of this exciting day with America.gov: Our Election Night Webchat begins at 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT.) Hope to see you in the chat room!

Americans and international audiences alike are excited for Election Day, and most U.S. voters expect Election Day to be a day they will remember for a long, long time.

Wondering when we’ll have a winner? This article will tell you What to Expect on Election Day. You also might want to know more about how the U.S. Media “calls” the Election.

Want to be a part of the Election Night excitement? Join America.gov’s “Election Night Live!” Webchat. Campaign Trail Talk’s author will be one of many political experts joining in on the discussion, beginning at 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT) November 4 and continuing into the morning of November 5. Also beginning at 3 p.m. EST America.gov will webcast some of Washington’s top political experts as they review the latest election-related events.

November 4 is going to be one exciting day!