7 Front Pages On American Day

After one of the most bitter, personal election seasons of all time, we have finally made it to Election Day. In a few short hours (OK, let's be real — it will seem like an eternity), we will likely know which candidate will be our next president. It's been an exhausting cycle, in particular, for journalists, who have broken major stories about everything from taxes to charities to allegations of sexual assault. The newspaper front pages on Election Day this year definitely reflect that exhaustion, as well as the fear, hope, and anxiousness that always seem to accompany presidential elections.

Moreover, they may be the final printed reflection of the nation's mood in the hours before our new president is determined.

Wednesday's newspaper covers will likely be historic, too, though depending on how late votes are counted, the winner of the election may still be up in the air when the newspapers go to print. Barring an extremely late night or a "Dewey Defeats Truman" level of mistake, though, today's and tomorrow's papers will serve as a visual representation of one of the most significant moments in American history, regardless of which candidate wins.

American history can largely be told through iconic headlines: "MEN WALK ON MOON," "Saigon Surrenders to Vietcong," and most recently, "OBAMA — RACIAL BARRIER FALLS IN HEAVY TURNOUT." These front pages depict not only the major news items of the time, of course, but also the way in which millions of Americans learned about these events for the first time. Of course, in the digital and television age, we may ultimately come to think of screenshots from broadcasts and websites as holding similar meaning.

The New York Times

The contrast between the dark picture of Trump and the bright picture of Clinton is remarkable, but not surprising, considering the NYT's editorial board wrote two endorsements: one to praise Clinton and one to criticize Trump.

USA Today

"Third body on suspect's property," and other headlines.

The Wall Street Journal

"How to argue with a teen" could prove helpful if Trump is elected.

Miami Herald

Nobody is more over this election than swing staters who get fifty calls and texts per day. Also, the Herald endorsed Clinton recently with only five words: "HER. NOT HIM. ENOUGH SAID."

Cincinnati Enquirer

Another swing-state front page, though the Enquirer's Twitter feed is more consumed today with news of the murder trial of Ray Tensing, a university police officer who killed an unarmed black man during a traffic stop.

New York Post

Frankly, I'm surprised the Post is so bitter, considering their metro politics reporters can probably retire off all the Anthony Weiner press this year...

Detroit Free Press

The major paper of the surprise swing state used today to make an impassioned plea for voting, which looks particularly mature and elegant when juxtaposed with the New York Post's.

Each of these newspapers seems eager to avoid any sort of election prediction; an indication, I think, of how truly close the race still is. History of some kind will undoubtedly be made tonight, and it is at once chilling and exciting to think of what tomorrow's papers will bring.