The President of the United States in 2008 was George W. Bush until January 20, 2009. He was the incumbent president throughout most of 2008 but was ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits. The presidential election was held on November 4, 2008, in which Democrat Barack Obama defeated Republican John McCain. Barack Obama was then inaugurated as the 44th president on January 20, 2009, becoming the first African American to hold the office