Running diary ...
I'll update this throughout the day and night, so you can check results from your BlackBerry...
Some good news early, from last night:
- The Pittsburgh Steelers won last night against the Washington Redskins, despite the loss of Big Ben.
- Obama is apparently leading the already voted (early voters are expected to be 30-35% of the total) by 20 points
Today's menu calls for some Keith Olbermann, some Rachel Maddow, some Ms. Brown on CNN and some googling monkeys...
Have I mentioned how nervous I am?
Some early results I forgot:
Obama won Dixville Notch 15 - 6 and Hart's Location 17-10 with 2 votes for Ron Paul. These towns are in New Hampshire and vote at midnight. What does this mean - Nothing. But they do tend to vote GOP, so yay!
2:00 - Some more numbers: My prediction is Obama 279 - 259, with the consensus being around 340 for Obama ... I just can't trust those sneaky vote thieves...
The first polls close at 7 and could decide the election as Virginia and Indiana, 2 very red states, are said to be up for grabs. If Obama wins those, we could be close to a very big win for him. If he loses big (Indiana voted Bush by 20%) then we could be in for a long night.
2:35 - Wow, white voters are going McCain 52-45%, only 7%!!! That might seems bad, but Kerry lost whites by 17%
2:40 - McCain is speaking at a rally, which reminds me, he was in Tampa Bay yesterday and only 1000 people showed up. They were expecting 10 000. Ouch.
Holy crap - he just said Todd Palin was ready to be first dude because he won a snowmobile race after hurting his arm ... Save me Jebus!
Poll closure times:
7PM - Vermont, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Indiana & Kentucky (the last 2 have some polls closing at 6PM so some results will be known)
7:30 - Ohio, WV, NC
8PM - NH, Maine, Mass, Connect, NJ, Delaware, Maryland, DC, Pennsylvania, Florida, Tenn, Alabama, Mississippi, Illinois, Missouri & Oklahoma
8:30 - Arkansas ('cause why the hell not)
9PM - RI, NY, Mich, Wisconsin, Minn, Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, NM, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona
10PM - Iowa (why????), Montana, Utah & Nevada
11PM - California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho & Hawaii
1AM - Alaska (What the hell? Hawaii can close earlier, why can't you ... bastards)
3:00 - I hate Joe Scarborough, and I hope one day someone pops him in the mouth, what a tool
3:02 - Ok, if CNN insists on talking to Joe the Plumber, I'm switching networks. Some guy is handing out toilet plungers and calling them their rallying cry. So, when you think McCain, think clogged toilet!
3:05 - Undecided voters are 7% of the total? Who are these people? What is wrong with them?
By the way, beware of exit polls, they tend to have a democrat bias. Seriously, because mostly kids volunteer, and kids are more liberal, plus people are ashamed they said they voted for Bush or McCain.
3:25 - Hmmm ... No one has gotten 51% of the total vote in 20 years.
Ok, apparently 9% of registered democrats are going to vote for McCain. Someone needs to take their cards away. Seriously? Really? McCain? Because you like the way things are going? Why are you a democrat? to mess with the pollsters?
3:45 - Why doesn't Nora O'Donnell move her arms or torso on screen? Is she frozen? She's starting to freak me out, I'm completely distracted by her stiffness. Breathe, dammit!
4:00 - Just came across this tidbit: "Years ago I taught Sarah how to field dress a moose. But tomorrow, tomorrow I want you to see her field dress a donkey." -- Chuck Heath, Sarah Palin's father, on the trail Monday
I think she's too ridiculous for comedy shows, there's no material to be written, 'cause you just have to play the actual clip, it's already funny, you betcha!
4:05 - Obama is holding his rally tonight at Grant Park - I was there for Lollapalooza - in Chicago. 70000 people will be in his immediate area (baseball fields) but the mayor is expecting somewhere between 500 000 and 1 million more to show up there!
McCain rented a ballroom in a hotel in Phoenix, and he may not even appear - he'll probably just have a speech from the lawn in front... Stay classy!
4:10 - Wow ... Tim Robbins wasn't allowed to vote in NYC. They forced him to go downtown to confirm he was allowed to vote in the same precinct he's voted in for the last 15 years ... he was confirmed and allowed to go back to vote. I'm guessing we'll hear about this.
Oops - Starbucks almost got in trouble because they were offering free drinks to anyone who voted today. Turns out that's against the law, you can't give gifts to people for voting. So they said anyone who asked would get a free beverage.
4:50 - This is the first election since 1980 without a Bush or Clinton on either ticket. Sorry Hillary, next time, try running a clean campaign. Hope no one wakes you up at 3AM.
5:18 - Did you feel that little tingle - that was the return of the beautiful global village that is Soledad O'Brien to my TV. Exit polls are saying that 63% of people who said that Iraq was the top issue voted for Obama.
5:55 - 5 minutes to the first real results ... I'm getting more nervous. Maybe whiskey will calm the nerves.
Newsweek has a cool little flowchart that will help you speculate, if you're into that. http://www.newsweek.com/id/167116
6:15 - Yay results! Boo, bad results ... not unexpectedly, but McCain is leading Obama with less than 1% reporting. 800 votes lead in very rural areas.
6:30 - Obama is up by 12 in Indiana!!! Only 1% is in, however...
6:55 - Norah's not a robot after all, she was actually standing up. Obama is leading in Indiana still ... by 2% with 3% in
Yoah - big news. McConnell is behind 51-49% in Kentucky for the senate (9% in). This may not sound huge, but he's the Republican leader of the Senate. The Dems are projected at 57-58 in the Senate, 60 is the magic number - makes you filibuster proof.
7:00 - Kentucky just announced for McCain. Vermont for Obama. McCain 8-3.
7:45 - South Carolina goes McCain. McCain 16-3
7:55 - Oh my ... Obama is up 15% with 10% in Florida ... I'm giddy!
Dems are at 41 in the senate, they've picked up one already.
House is projected at 261-174 for the Dems +/- 12 seats..
Polls are about to close in big states. Get ready for a flurry of activity. Those boys were looking bored, but now the fun starts.
It's about to get all crazy up in here!!!
8:05 - Yahoo --- Sweet ... Oh baby ... Pennsylvania goes OBAMA!
Illinois goes Obama, NJ goes Obama, Massachussets goes Obama, Tennessee goes McCain, Maryland goes Obama, Oklahoma goes McCain, Connecticut goes Obama, NH goes Obama - Sweet! McCain wanted that one badly, Maine goes Obama, Delaware goes Obama & DC goes Obama
OBAMA 103 - 34 McCain
McCain was counting on Pennsylvania, his whole strategy really. The assumption was they were too racist to vote Obama. Florida & Missouri are too close right now ....
I'm a little more relaxed, not totally at peace, but much better. But so far, all the states have voted the same way as 2004.
8:15 - oooo ... Shaheen beat Sununu for the Senate in NH, another pick up for the Dems. And Sununu is fun to say, but a bit of a douche. 46-29 Dems. Nice.
But the Republican held in Maine. So 25 left to go ...
8:20 - Hee hee ... they showed the massive crowd starting to gather in Grant Park and then cut to the ballroom in Phoenix for McCain's party. They had a choir of young boys singing - really? With all the scandals that's an image you want? Smooth move, hey - someone get the boys' names so we can get them to be pages in Washington. Oye vey
24% of white North Carolina voters said race was a factor ... I feel sad again.
8:25 - Holy nightmare Batman ... we're getting pictures of lawyers debating ballots in Florida. Check this out, most counties had ballots (absentee) where you had the name and then a box next to it. You color in the box to vote - easy. But not West Palm Beach, those douche-nozzles decided to be cute and have the name, then a box with the pointy end to the left <= and then a blank space and then a box. The voter was supposed to fill in the blank space so as to make an arrow pointing to the candidate.
Idiots ...
Breaking news! Elizabeth Dole loses to Hagan ... She was a bitch, called Hagan a member of the Godless americans and had an ad that implied Hagan screemed out "there is no God!" ... ugh ... 48-30 Dems
8:30 - McCain wins Alabama & Georgia ... Obama 103-58
8:55 - Ok, I'm sad again ... no pick ups so far and if McCain wins Ohio, Obama will have to win Iowa, NM & Colorado ... all 3 or else ... oh my god ... Ohio & Iowa ... are you shitting me? I hope he wins either Florida or Indiana ... I can't take this ... 15 more states in 5 minutes ...
9:05 - here we go ... Kansas to McCain, NY goes to Obama, Michigan to Obama, Minnesota to Obama, Wisconsin to Obama, Rhode Island to Obama, North Dakota to McCain (was a toss up, first one to go), Wyoming to McCain ... Obama 175-70 ... still no change from 4 years ago.
9:07 - Arkansas goes McCain ... Obama 175-76
9:15 - Dems are 52-34, so they have a majority at least in the senate ...
CNN's website is pissing me off, I just spent 10 minutes trying to figure out why there was a one vote difference for Obama (174) ... turns out they can't count. Someone check Blitzer's beard for narcotics.
9:22 - Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh .... finally ... Obama wins Ohio!!!! 195-76 .....
Finally a red state flips ...
Newsweek projects an Obama victory ... but I'm still cautious.
9:26 - Louisiana goes McCain ... Obama 195 - 85
9:30 - New Mexico to Obama ... another red state !!!! Obama 200 - 85
Sweet, I can stop scouting Iceland. I was on their site and found out I didn't need a visa to go there.
9:37 - If Obama wins California (a given), Washington State (always Dem) and Hawaii (where he's from) or Oregon (always Dem) ... he wins!
Udall in NM another pickup in the senate! But McConnell hangs on in Kentucky ... Dems 52-36 ... 12 to go
WV goes McCain ... Obama 200-90
9:45 - I'm going to say 320 for Obama (I include Florida, Colorado & Iowa), not quite Clinton numbers, but still nice.
9:55 - I think I've understated the history being made here. You should have seen the video of Donna Brazile after she voted. The pride and emotion you could tell she felt, put things in perspective...
Texas goes McCain, pretty unbelievable it took this long... Obama 200 - 124
The crowd in Chicago is ridiculous ... having been there and walked those streets and park ... that's a hell of a lot of people ... crazy ...
10:00 - Utah to McCain, IOWA to Obama! ... Obama 207 - 129
10:10 - Shocker ! ... There's country music being played at the McCain rally ...
Mississippi goes to McCain ... Obama 207-135
Good news, the SD abortion ban, a draconian one, failed. Also the bizarre one in Colorado failed (that one could have outlawed contraception)...
10:15 - Hee hee ... the American debt is so big that the Chinese are legally allowed to keep them as pets...
10:20 - People are starting to choke up on screen in Chicago ... not just regular folk, but the commentators ... pretty special night. I have a feeling Obama's speech will be historic, not just by default...
10:37 - Dems lead in the Senate is 54-39 ...
South Dakota goes McCain ... Obama 207 - 138
10:45 - oooo McCain gets those cornholers in Nebraska ... Obama 207 - 143 ... hell, I'll give him Montana (ABC did) ... Obama 207 - 146 ...
This thing is over in 15 minutes anyway!!!
10:55 - Now MSNBC has an electoral vote missing for McCain ... this isn't that complicated ... 138 plus 5 is 143 ... ugh
10:57 - Wow ... Jon Stewart just announced Obama won Virginia ... a Democrat never wins there ... holy crap! .... Wow ... Awesome...
11:00 - It's Done .... History ... Obama is president ...
I'm a little verklemped ...
The day after ...
This one is going to be a bit longer and probably not too funny, but I feel I need to write something about such an historic event and the fears and anxieties that are now associated with it.
Obama got 52% of the vote, something no one has done in 20 years, the country is just that divided. But here's the thing, they're artificially divided. If you have a poll on each social issue, even Americans come out liberal. In the late '50s (1956, I think) America was considered liberal, and they were proud of it, that year an article was written about how Americans are liberal and there's no argument against that. Kennedy was elected in 1960 and the big issue against him was that he was catholic.
But then came Barry Goldwater, the father of modern conservatism, he made liberal a bad word and paved the way for the Republican dominance of the past 32 years which produced only 1 Democrat president.
So the point is, that now Obama can unite the country by showing people they're not so different, they want the same things. He's a big fan of Lincoln (and Doris Goodwin's book) and he will surround himself with new people, not the usual cast of characters and with people that disagree with him. But that is the promise he's made, can he fulfill them is for someone else to discuss.
But back to yesterday, if you saw Donna Brazile's reaction to voting, saw Jesse Jackson in the crowd in Chicago, saw John Lewis of Georgia speak after the announcement and heard Obama's speech and you didn't feel something, then you're dead inside, and cannot be helped.
John Lewis lived through segregation, members of his family were lynched for no other reason than being black. He spoke before Dr. King in Washington (I had a Dream speech) and was censored - he wanted to ask; what side is the government on? John Lewis was not allowed to vote, then was elected in 1987 to congress. To hear him speak of the enormity of what Obama has done, the pride and emotion apparent is just overwhelming.
Jesse Jackson said nothing (that's impressive enough), but the image of him with tears as he stands in the crowd ... wow! Remember that Jackson ran for president many times, founded the rainbow coalition, fought for rights and took the mantle from Dr. King.
That's the good stuff, now comes the fear. To see Obama on that huge stage, alone on an island really, was impressive. To me that was a clear message - I fear not. There was no secret service within distance to cover him and here's the fear. McCain/Palin have incited fear of Obama as a tactic - called him a terrorist, a secret muslim, a commie pinko and people boo and shout obscenities at the mention of his name.
In a country where political assassinations, and attempts, are so prevalent, so part of the history. Where even in our lifetime we've witnessed it (maybe not Anupa), how can you not be afraid. McCain and his people need to speak out, make sure to calm the radicals. 52% is huge, but how much more if he was white. 20% of North Carolina white voters did not vote for him BECAUSE he's black. 51% of white Democrats in Alabama voted for McCain...
There is quiet optimism and I do believe that if he can navigate his way to January 20th, that we'll be ok. But fears persist and the next 75 days will be an emotional minefield.
