Election Night 2012: Scenes from Obama's Victory Party

1 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
2 / 92

A sound tech performs a mic check, reciting Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham before the event. Watch the video.
Photograph: Esther Kang
3 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
4 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
5 / 92

Journalists' work area
Photograph: Esther Kang
6 / 92

TV reporters wait for the event to start.
Photograph: Esther Kang
7 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
8 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
9 / 92

Doors were opened to rallygoers at 7 p.m.
Photograph: Esther Kang
10 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
11 / 92

Campaign volunteers and staffers watch the results on a large screen.
Photograph: Esther Kang
12 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
13 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
14 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
15 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
16 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
17 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
18 / 92

Former Obama chief-of-staff Bill Daley
Photograph: Esther Kang
19 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
20 / 92

Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett
Photograph: Esther Kang
21 / 92

Obama adviser and campaign guru David Axelrod is interviewed from campaign headquarters by NBC's Brian Williams.
Photograph: Esther Kang
22 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
23 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
24 / 92

Governor Pat Quinn is interviewed by a WGN reporter.
Photograph: Esther Kang
25 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
26 / 92

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie gives the invocation before the rally begins.
Photograph: Esther Kang
27 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
28 / 92

Senator Dick Durbin sings the national anthem.
Photograph: Esther Kang
29 / 92

Mayor Rahm Emanuel surveys the crowd at McCormick Place.
Photograph: Esther Kang
30 / 92

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is interviewed by Fox News.
Photograph: Esther Kang
31 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
32 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
33 / 92

Rally attendees cheer as Obama is declared the winner in Wisconsin.
Photograph: Esther Kang
34 / 92

Rallygoers cheer shortly after 10 p.m. after Obama is declared the winner of the 2012 election.
Photograph: Esther Kang
35 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
36 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
37 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
38 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
39 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
40 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
41 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
42 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
43 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
44 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
45 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
46 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
47 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
48 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
49 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
50 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
51 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
52 / 92

Campaign staffers arrive from their headquarters at the Prudential building.
Photograph: Esther Kang
53 / 92

Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas is interviewed by a personality from the entertainment show Extra.
Photograph: Esther Kang
54 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
55 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
56 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
57 / 92

At around 1 a.m. the red curtains were opened to reveal more Obama supporters.
Photograph: Esther Kang
58 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
59 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
60 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
61 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
62 / 92

The First Family walks onto the stage.
Photograph: Esther Kang
63 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
64 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
65 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
66 / 92

President Obama gives his victory speech, reminding rally goers and viewers that "we are an American family and we rise and fall together as one nation and one people."
Photograph: Esther Kang
67 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
68 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
69 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
70 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
71 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
72 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
73 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
74 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
75 / 92

Vice President Joe Biden appears on stage.
Photograph: Esther Kang
76 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
77 / 92

First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden embrace.
Photograph: Esther Kang
78 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
79 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
80 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
81 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
82 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
83 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
84 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
85 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
86 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
87 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
88 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
89 / 92

The president walks back onto the stage once more to thank the crowd.
Photograph: Esther Kang
90 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
91 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang
92 / 92

Photograph: Esther Kang

This year’s victory rally was by invitation only, open mostly to campaign staffers and volunteers. Here’s your behind-the-scenes look, including Rahm, Will.i.am, the First Family, and more.

By Esther Kang

November 7, 2012, 3:28 pm

Unlike in 2008, when more than 200,000 people gathered in Grant Park to celebrate then-Senator Obama's election, this year's victory rally was by invitation only—open mostly to campaign staffers and volunteers. If you weren't one of the few thousands chosen to attend, here's a behind-the-scenes look at the biggest party in Chicago on Tuesday night—including Rahm, Will.i.am, and the newly re-elected president himself.

MORE ELECTION COVERAGE: Playlist of tunes from the rally | A photographer's timeline | Our GChat recap of the evening | Journalism in the age of Nate Silver and big data | Obama support among Latinos, Muslims | Green Eggs and Ham during soundcheck at McCormick

Photography: Esther Kang

Sections

Featured

Magazine

More

Follow Us

Get Our Newsletters

Follow Us

Get Our Newsletters