Nov 5, 2008 11:51 pm US/Eastern
Sold Out: No Obama Newspapers Left In NYC!
All 3 Major City Papers Sell Out, Print Extras Amid Incredible Demand For Keepsakes
Reporting
Lou Young
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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A woman holds a copy of the New York Times declaring Barack Obama winner of the presidential election. The newspaper had to print 275,000 extra copies to meet demand.
CBS
Extra, no extra.
While Barack Obama is looking ahead, many of his supporters are still buzzing about his victory. From Harlem to Times Square and beyond, millions of New Yorkers are showing their excitement about the way last night's election turned out as all three major newspapers have seen their papers sell out Wednesday.
By Wednesday night, there was still a line of dozens wrapped around the New York Times building with people waiting to grab one of the 275,000 extra copies that the Times printed in an effort to keep up with demand. They are selling the newspapers at the paper's headquarters at 41st and Eighth Avenue, and people have been waiting in line for hours to nab one.
"I have seven of them. I stood online seven different times," one New Yorker told CBS 2.
It is literally a New York Times bestseller. Today's edition announcing the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States sold out citywide despite 200,000 extra copies delivered to newsstands.
"I was all the way up to like Madison Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Lexington Avenue, all the way here looking at every newspaper on the corner, every newspaper stand, and everything was sold out," Flatbush resident Natali Sedso.
The line running around the block here at the Times headquarters is all the more extraordinary in an age where most people read the paper online. Today, though, the digital image just wouldn't do.
"I wanted it in my hands. This was a very important newspaper. This is the day the world stood still," said Harlem resident Rochelle Small.
Lines became so long they were sectioned off here, wrapped behind a barrier.
"I'm doing this for a friend who lives in Canada. She wanted a copy of the New York Times for the history-making events, so I haven't found it anywhere in the city," said Highbridge resident Delmo Wallis.
Said Inwood resident Bill Nolte: "I'm sending it to my mom actually. She grew up in the deep south, and I want her to have a copy of the front of the New York Times for this incredible occasion."
Times officials admit they were prepared for high demand, but not of such incredible volume.
"We knew it was going to be big, but we didn't recognize how big it was going to be. We have received inquiries from people overseas wanting copies of the paper. It's really a historic day," said Times spokeswoman Katherine Mathis.
And when the extra load arrives, the patiently-waiting crowd erupted in applause.
If you would like your copy of this historic edition of the times, you'll have to hurry to the Times headquarters at Eighth Avenue and 41st Street, or go to Grand Central or Penn Station.
As for the tabloids, Daily News printed an extra 100,000 copies and sold out. The Post is selling briskly, as well.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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