Election Night 2012: Scenes from Obama's Victory Party

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A sound tech performs a mic check, reciting Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham before the event. Watch the video.
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Journalists' work area
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TV reporters wait for the event to start.
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Doors were opened to rallygoers at 7 p.m.
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Campaign volunteers and staffers watch the results on a large screen.
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Former Obama chief-of-staff Bill Daley
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Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett
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Obama adviser and campaign guru David Axelrod is interviewed from campaign headquarters by NBC's Brian Williams.
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Governor Pat Quinn is interviewed by a WGN reporter.
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Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie gives the invocation before the rally begins.
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Senator Dick Durbin sings the national anthem.
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Mayor Rahm Emanuel surveys the crowd at McCormick Place.
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Mayor Rahm Emanuel is interviewed by Fox News.
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Rally attendees cheer as Obama is declared the winner in Wisconsin.
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Rallygoers cheer shortly after 10 p.m. after Obama is declared the winner of the 2012 election.
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Campaign staffers arrive from their headquarters at the Prudential building.
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Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas is interviewed by a personality from the entertainment show Extra.
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At around 1 a.m. the red curtains were opened to reveal more Obama supporters.
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The First Family walks onto the stage.
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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."
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Vice President Joe Biden appears on stage.
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First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden embrace.
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The president walks back onto the stage once more to thank the crowd.
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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

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