By Ed Holden, MSN Channel Editor

It's been a long but unforgettable night. A score of 350 electoral college votes is the tally recognised as a landslide in the US election. And Obama's vast haul of 338 surely comes close although the TV monitors seem to be withholding the phrase as the election coverage wraps up on all the major networks.

Let's look back at some key moments from the evening (UK Times).

1.00am: Pennsylvania for Obama

McCain's strategy of gunning against Obama's Pennsylvania polling advantage in the final weeks of his campaign were immediately proved to be a mistake. There were at least two hours before a final result. But it was already astonishingly difficult for McCain to win. Obama could now afford to lose key swing states including Ohio and Florida and still walk to The White House.

2.18am: Ohio for Obama

The images of the enormous crowd in Chicago's Grant Park were perhaps the most stirring as Fox and CBS called key swing state Ohio for Obama. The Illinois Senator had a foot in The Oval office at this point.

2.43: Near-Certainty for Obama

Crowds are curiously quiet in Grant Park as Obama reaches 207 of the 270 electoral votes required. But California is a certain 55 votes - that left him only needing to win Hawaii and Oregon which were both certainties. He appeared to be going way over the 270 at this point.

3.11am: Cool as you like

News arrived that Obama 'has just finished dinner' with his family and was, in his own time, about to make his way to a Chicago hotel before moving on to Grant Park. Not to be rushed, Obama takes his time over the new first family's meal - the guy is just WAY too cool.

3.50am: The crowds gather

As the certainty of victory set in among Barack supporters, crowds grew outside The White House as well as in the enormous swell in CHicago awaiting Obama's  victory speech. Taxis beeped their horns in Times Square where the atmosphere was reported as being 'just like new year'. A tearful Jesse Jackson and Oprah Winfrey are faces in the Grant Park crowd.

4.08am: President-Elect Obama

The party is officially started as California pushes Obama over the brink.

4.17am: McCain's graceful concession

It's sad for John McCain that perhaps the most memorable speech of his campaign will be this concession speech.

"We have argued our differences, and he has prevailed... These are difficult times for our country and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face. I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him but in offering our new president our goodwill."

It was fantastically graceful, demonstrating the energy and the bullishness of the McCain character. Perhaps our favourite moment was when he forcefully quietened the boos of his supporters at the mention of Obama's name - like a schoolmaster hushing a class of disobedient kids.

5.04am: Puppy!

Obama's historic speech marks the moment that will define the evening. But, in the MSN offices at least, one of the biggest cheers goes up when Obama thanks his family and promises his daughters a new puppy to take to The White House. Awwwww... maybe they'll call it Hillary.

5.05am: The Great Speaker

A historic speech followed as an awed crowd failed to hold back the tears. The man is certain to go down in history as one of the greatest speakers. Here are some of our favourite quotes from the speech.

“We will put our hands on the arc of history and bend it once more towards a better day.”

"I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. This election was not hatched in the halls of the white house."

"This is your victory. I know you didn’t do this just to win an election. You didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the challenges ahead."

"The road ahead will be long. The climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or one term. But we will get there together."

"Our stories are singular but our destiny is shared. A new dawn of American leadership is at hand."