Much of Obama's stump speech was familiar to those who've been following the election closely, but at its heart was the understanding that Virginia is a crucial piece in this year's electoral jigsaw. If the state turns blue, it will give the Democrats 13 precious electoral college votes that have not been theirs since 1964, and necessitate a redrawing of the US political map. Obama was introduced by two of his most loyal political supporters: Virginia governor Tim Kaine, and former governor Mark Warner – a likely winner of a Senate seat tonight. Both were once spoken of as possible presidential candidates for 2008. But who can now imagine them drawing this kind of crowd, and inspiring such fervour?

On Wednesday morning, these 85,000 men, women and children, and their fellow Americans, will wake to a new world. They are anxious, but they are optimistic. Before leaving the stage to go and grieve for his grandmother, perhaps to enjoy some well-earned sleep, and then, this morning, to vote for himself, Obama gave his shivering Virginia faithful a single word to warm the spirits: "Tomorrow".