A Bermudian who volunteered his time to work on Barack Obama's campaign team says the former senator is "the greatest leader we've seen in a long time".

Spencer Critchley, a communications consultant in Monterey, California, worked in the press and new media areas of the campaign in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Colorado. His responsibilities included radio, developing new features on the website and taking photographs.

Asked why he decided to join the President-elect's campaign, the 50-year old said: "I just believed so strongly that Barack Obama was by far the best choice and that really hit me in April 2007 because I went to the California State Democratic Party Convention. Every year I go to state conventions.

"I was leaning towards him anyway. He struck me as an extraordinary candidate.

He continued: "Eight of the nine candidates addressed the convention and I got to hear all of them speak. It struck a lot of people that we were lucky to have such strong candidates.

"When Obama spoke, I knew this was such an extraordinary leader. I was completely inspired by his speech. At that point, I committed to Obama and volunteered to do whatever I could to help."

Mr. Critchley, who was born to a Bermudian father, David, former Permanent Secretary of Health and Social Services, and a Canadian mother, said it's difficult to talk about Obama winning the election.

"You know, I was just completely overwhelmed. I have a hard time talking about it. It means so much to me. We all worked so hard on his campaign. I've been working seven days a week from early morning until late at night. That's true of everyone.

"They've all been working because they believe so strongly in what he stands for. We've all worked ourselves to the point of exhaustion.

"It's the greatest experience I've ever had. I was just completely overcome when it actually came true that he won."

Mr. Critchley said he was raised by his father, an activist in the 1960s, to believe that everyone was created equal "at a time when discrimination and prejudice and even legal segregation existed".

He added: "From our earliest memories, we never had any awareness that anyone was worth less than anyone else because of the colour of their skin or religion. We were raised by my father to naturally assume that we were all equal.

"My father is no longer alive, "My father is no longer alive and it's moving for me to talk about this. To see that Obama has been elected, for me personally, I just wished my father lived to see this."

Mr. Critchley continued: "It's just so powerful because he's by far clearly the greatest leader we've seen in a long time and he happens to be an African-American. I think it's a powerful statement to what it means to live in a world where everyone has a right to the same opportunity.

"I think it's historic for black people, but it's historic for all people because of what it says about unity and equality."

The consultant, who was raised in Paget and Devonshire, said he first volunteered with the campaign in April. Mr. Critchley became more active just before the Pennsylvania primary, flying to the headquarters in Philadelphia to help in press operations.

At the beginning of August, he went to Detroit to work on press and new media teams for state of Michigan.

Of his responsibilities, Mr. Critchley said: "I was in charge of radio for the state, meaning getting the message out to radio stations across the state of Michigan and helping out with whatever I could with press.

"With the new media team, I helped a little bit with developing new features on website. The main thing was to take photographs. I became in effect, the campaign photographer for Michigan which caught me by surprise."

He stayed in Detroit until about two weeks ago when John McCain withdrew from the state and then was redeployed to Denver, Colorado where he worked on radio full-time.

"As we got closer to election day, more people turned their attention to radio. It's a very effective way to get people out to vote."

As far as Obama's biggest challenge, Mr. Critchley explained the Bush administration has left enormous challenges with the economy, foreign policy and damaged America's reputation around the world.

"The challenge could hardly be bigger so that's one of the reasons why this person has won.

"I've seen him from a distance and I've seen him close up. I think we're lucky to have such a great leader at this time in history. I mean that from the bottom of my heart."