US election: The prize Obama really wanted – a trending award

From top TwitPic action by Potus to the very best showbiz sulks, here's our pick of the race that was

Not only has Barack Obama secured another four years as the leader of the free world, he's also proved that he wins at Twitter. The photograph that he posted at 0416 GMT on Tuesday morning, which showed him enveloping Michelle in his arms and was accompanied by the words "Four more years" has become the most retweeted tweet of all time. At the time of going to press, almost 700,000 people had shared the snap, beating the reigning king and queen of the site, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, into a cocked snook. But while Barry was the overall winner on that cold November morning, there were plenty of other big hitters on election night and we salute them.

Best flouncing tweets

Donald Trump

Business magnate

"Let's fight like hell and stop this great and disgusting injustice! The world is laughing at us."

Ted Nugent

Musician

"Goodluk America u just voted for economic & spiritual suicide. Soulless fools."

Stephen Baldwin

Actor and reality-TV star

"2nite Gods Spirit lifted within me&joy came over me, I will serve the Lord, my hope is in Jesus not Obama, Gods wrath is upon US. 2Thes2:11."

Patricia Heaton

Actress and star of Everybody Loves Raymond

"At least the president can't blame the mess he's 'inheriting' on anyone else but himself!"

Bryan Fischer

Director of issues analysis for the American Family Association

"Today was Pearl Harbor. Tomorrow we begin planning for Normandy."

Rick Santorum

Republican politician

"Religious freedom is under attack in America. Obama must be stopped."

Best crawling congratulatory tweets

David Cameron

"Warm congratulations to my friend @BarackObama. Look forward to continuing to work together."

Ed Miliband

"Congratulations to @BarackObama – great victory based on building fairer economy and optimism about what politics can achieve."

William Hague

"Congratulations to President @BarackObama and his team. I look forward to working with them on shared #foreignpolicy goals #election2012."

Alex Salmond

"Congratulations to @BarackObama. Hard fought race and an excellent victory (LL)."

Chuka Umunna

"So pleased, so relieved!"

Boris Johnson

"Many congratulations to @BarackObama on his victory. Looking forward to renewing our claim to America's unpaid Congestion Charge bill!"