10:10 p.m. at the No on 8 Rally at the Westin St. Francis

John Geluardi reports:

As No on 8 appeared to be going down in defeat, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom took the stage to address a huge crowd in the grand ballroom of the Westin St. Francis Hotel.

Newsom refused to acknowledge the proposition's victory and instead gave a nod to the efforts of gay marriage supporters, calling it one of the most heroic political acts in the last 54 years.

"While we wait for the final results, this is a more excruciating moment than anything I can ever imagine. I cannot be more proud of the people who fought for basic equality."

Outside the hotel, huge crowds flowed into the intersection of Geary and Powell streets waving Obama-Biden placards, providing a scene that has never been seen before in San Francisco as the result of a presidential election.