The moment America knew

November 9, 2016 at 08:44

It will be hard to forget such a moment, or the pivotal images that have immortalized it.

(CNN) - It was a decisive moment, a historic moment. A moment when a nation realized its greatest hopes and darkest fears.

Where were you, we'll ask each other, days or years from now. Where were you when Donald J. Trump confounded pundits and upended projections to become the President-Elect of the United States?

It will be hard to forget such a moment, or the pivotal images that have immortalized it.
To set the stage, here is CNN's Wolf Blitzer making the announcement:

The emotion was instant. You could see it in the crowds dotted with bright red hats who cheered, sobbed and embraced at Trump's election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown hotel.

It was a moment of pure elation.

The emotion was there too on the stunned faces of Hillary Clinton's supporters who had gathered to celebrate what had, once, seemed like a likely victory.

For them, it was a moment of pure desolation.

In that moment, in the early hours of November 9 after nearly two years of an unprecedented and at times unbelievable campaign, the Empire State building glowed an uninterrupted red. Its facade bore a stories-high projection of Donald Trump: America's next President.

President-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech at his election night event in New York City on Wednesday, November 9. "Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential," the Republican said in his victory speech. "The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer."