Election Thread

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by publius

Let’s do this thing.

UPDATE: Don’t want to jinx anything, but I’m happy right now. The NC Senate race is huge. That makes Minnesota even more huge. In KY, I don’t think Lunsford will catch him.

Also, Fox called Ohio and then took it back. There should be some sort of intentional tort for that.

77 thoughts on “Election Thread”

  1. Early returns have Obama and McCain tied in Indiana, and McCain crushing Obama 2-1 in Kentucky.
    I will now overreact and jump the White House fence.

  2. I know Obama’s from Big Ten country, but I’d like to see this thing over and finished with ESS-EEE-SEE SPEED.
    If a Democrat wins the White House and Alabama wins a national championship, I may die. I mean, I don’t know that I can take that much deferred joy at once.

  4. The fact is, Obama is going to loose bigtime. Here in the Heartland, we are winning back the USA from you Liberals.

  5. I’m just back from curbside voting; I was voter 887 in my precinct. Polls close here at 7:30 p.m., in 16 minutes. I expect to see Elizabeth Dole turned out of the Senate for Kay Hagen, and hope to see Democrat Beverly Perdue become Governor.

  6. Mock poll results from an Orthopedic/PT practice (biggest demographic: age 50+) in Alexandria, VA:
    Obama: 61%
    McCain: 39%

  7. America is going to lose big time: One of these two turkeys is going to end up President.
    BTW, with a good turnout in ‘blue’ states, it’s just barely possible that McCain might win the popular vote, and lose the electoral; In which case Republicans will certainly admit Obama is President. But will Democrats stick by their 2000 principles, and insist that McCain was the real winner?

  8. How McCain Could ‘Win’ (the same way Bush ‘won’, both times…) And if he does, will respectable bloggers like Kevin Drum and Markos and Hilzoy’s become just ignore all these problems and pretend that, as the media and the Republican party tell them, it’s just the racist vote getting out there?
    (The next time I anticipate making a comment on this topic it’ll be either a “whew!” of relief that Obama’s margins were too wide for Republican vote-rigging to smother… or, if I’m able to type the awful words, “I told you so”. You know how much I hope for the former.)

  10. it’s just barely possible that McCain might win the popular vote, and lose the electoral; In which case Republicans will certainly admit Obama is President.
    Bullshit.

  11. Which half of that do you consider bullshit? The possibility of McCain winning the popular vote, and losing the electoral college? Or the possibility that most Republicans didn’t sleep through civics class on the day the electoral college was explained?

  13. MSNBC called Pennsylvania and New Hampshire for Obama… I’ll wait for him to win a red state or two before calling the election for him, but… yeah ^^

  14. “But will Democrats stick by their 2000 principles, and insist that McCain was the real winner?”
    Brett, I’ve never claimed that the popular vote winner wins the Presidential election, and I don’t know anyone who has. What are you talking about? Who are these cartoons you know? (Or most likely, don’t know, but imagine, or “heard about.”)

  15. “Brett, I’ve never claimed that the popular vote winner wins the Presidential election, and I don’t know anyone who has.”
    Specifically, Brett, link to actual Democrats on this blog who have ever said any such thing.
    You claim it’s true: just provide the links, and prove your case. It should be simple as pie. (Mmm, pie.)

  16. I’d heard that Hagan beat Dole, but I couldn’t find where that was coming from. But if Gary Farber says it’s true, then it’s time to take a shot.
    Aww yeah.

  17. “I’ve got a feeling, a feeling deep inside. Oh yeah. Oh yeah.”
    IN is just too close and the NW hasn’t even come in yet. Going out on a limb to predict us going blue for the first time since LBJ.
    /knock on wood

  18. But will Democrats stick by their 2000 principles, and insist that McCain was the real winner?
    Yeah, I remember November 2000. Pretty much every democrat I talked to said, “It doesn’t matter that Gore lost Florida fair and square! Since he won the popular vote, he should be our president, and to hell with the rules!”

  20. Brett, I’m not sure what you mean by “with a good turnout in the ‘blue’ states.” Won’t that just boost Obama’s popular vote?
    As for Republicans accepting the verdict of the Electoral College, did you miss what McCain said in the final debate? About ACORN might be on the verge of pulling off the biggest electoral fraud in history and maybe destroying the fabric of our democracy. I know he has plausible deniability there, but if Obama wins, regardless of the electoral and popular margin, the Republican Party will have a good many dead enders (hopefully none in office) who will call the whole thing a ACORN fraud and say the fabric of our democracy is destroyed and it’s time to head for the hills and dust off our guns.
    I can’t wait to see if you are one of them.

  21. “Can someone tell me why County Coroner is an elected office?”
    Basically, why not? Americans have tended to choose to elect local officials in many cases, is the simple answer. You want someone the majority of people trust, is the apparent argument.
    Is it a good idea? Debatable. I think electing judges is a crappy idea, myself, but obviously many people have disagreed over the years. Hey, lots of Americans worship Democracy Uber Alles, far more than I tend to.

  22. “But if Gary Farber says it’s true, then it’s time to take a shot.”
    CBS, Fox, and NBC, all say Hagan beat Dole. And CBS and NBC both ran stuff on how the “godless money” ad hurt her. Dole’s communication director showed up saying they had “no apologies” and how Hagan “had to take responsibility for taking that money.” What [words I shouldn’t say here].
    Mind, I’m not a huge fan of Hagan’s; she’s a namby-pamby business-type, go-along machine Democrat. It’s just that she’s infinitely better than frigging Elizabeth Dole.

  23. Pretty much every democrat I talked to said, “It doesn’t matter that Gore lost Florida fair and square!

    Color me skeptical that that’s an actual quote from anyone.

  24. The possibility of McCain winning the popular vote, and losing the electoral college?
    Yes.
    Or the possibility that most Republicans didn’t sleep through civics class on the day the electoral college was explained?
    No, the inability of the Republican Party (and their most fanatical supporters) to admit defeat if there’s the slightest chance of sliming their way to victory.
    [To reiterate, I’m not referring to all those who vote Republican, just those calling the shots.]
    Although since you’ve mentioned it, a large number of Republican faithful clearly haven’t read the Constitution all that carefully, given their support for Unitary Executive and Sarah Palin’s witterings…

  26. Color me skeptical that that’s an actual quote from anyone
    Wait, was Ari Nieh being serious? I read his (or her) comment as a sarcastic dismissal of Mr. Bellmore’s BS above.

  27. Yeah, those people who dispute the results of the 2000 election believe Bush didn’t win Florida fair and square. The popular vote is just sweetener on that argument.
    I have seen that point of view among non-Americans, but that’s because they think the Electoral College system is weird.

  28. Fox calls Minnesota, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, and a couple of others for Obama. (I’m flipping around all the channels, but CBS is particularly prone to call early, and if Fox admits an Obama win, it’s notable.)

  29. Caravelle isn’t ready to call it for Obama yet based on MSNBC and the other nets giving him Pennsylvania. But I will.
    My predicitions: Obama wins tops the 300 mark in the electoral college — call it 327 — and wins the national vote with 52 percent.
    Take that, Brett.

  30. There might be a disputed state this election but I don’t think it will matter in the end result. Obam is going to win by a big enough margin in enough states that a dispute over the results in, say, Missouri won’t matter.
    Still I think voter surpression laws and insufficiently staffed and equipped polling sites are serious problems which a Democratic Congress needs to address.

  32. Wait, was Ari Nieh being serious? I read his (or her) comment as a sarcastic dismissal of Mr. Bellmore’s BS above.

    I know Ari. That was definitely sarcasm.

  35. Minnesota was called for Obama but I haven’t heard anything from the senate race there, anyone know how Al Franken is doing ? (he’s in Minnesota, right ?).
    I’d like to say I’m really happy about the streaming from the big networks by the way. I was afraid (given my experience watching Daily Show and Colbert Report episodes) that it would be hell, but actually MSNBC, ABC News and CBS News are streaming just peachily. Almost as good as television !
    CNN is missing some plugin but I think I’ll manage to make do with three…

  39. Hello there!!
    The news is just in…..OBAMA takes Ohio….and THAT is the state that determines the election now! The Republicans can not win it without winning Ohio….
    Ladies and gents…
    BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA
    44th President of the United States
    Yesssss… in our lifetime!

  40. Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves ! As Joe Scarborough very aptly pointed out, John McCain could still win Washington, Oregon and Hawaii and get the Presidency !
    … Yeah, I’ll follow bedtimeforbonzo I think :p
    (btw : New Mexico for Obama ! W00t !)

  41. “Apologies to anyone misled by my snark; the internets make deadpanning easy.”
    Sorry that I don’t know you well enough to know better. On the internet, there are enough nitwits to make it possible for someone to say anything seriously.

  42. “As Joe Scarborough very aptly pointed out, John McCain could still win Washington, Oregon and Hawaii and get the Presidency !”
    Don’t forget California.

  43. NM for Obama
    And also (according to MSNBC) for Udall. (Weirdly, their online map says he has fewer votes than Pearce but is the projected winner. But this is probably some kind of glitch between the data that is available to the program and the data available to the forecasters.)

  45. Hey, bedtime! Where you been? I haven’t even gotten a chance to rejoice over the Phillies with you, and it looks like we’re already going to be busy rejoicing over Obama. (I went to the parade, BTW. Well, sort of. I got there a few minutes after it had already gone by. Getting into Center City took a little longer than I expected after the kids’ Halloween parade at school.)

  46. Good lord, Dole is reiterating her entire political career, going back to her first law case, and her time in the Nixon Administration. Well, I guess it’s the last time she’ll have a long bit of tv time to ramble.

  47. Dole also announces that “we’re the greatest country on the face of the Earth.”
    And we’re “under God.” The crowd cheers, because darn those atheists! Jeebus, remind me why I’m glad she’s going.
    And she’s “not happy with the tone this race took.” Nice passive voice.
    Now she’s asking everyone to join her in “praying to God to guide Kay Hagan.” And the local ABC station is mercifully cutting away, while she meanders on.

  51. I love Rachel Maddow. I just found out about MSNBC a couple of weeks ago (don’t watch very much TV generally) and I haven’t watched her show more than a couple of times yet. She is a great commentator. Generally I like MSNBC’s panel pretty well.

  52. NM for Obama and Tom Udall yesss! – now please, please bring in Martin Heinrich for the win in NM-1 for the trifecta. I must have walked at least 6 miles today doing GOTV for the Heinrich campaign and my doggies are barking and could use some champagne therapy.

  53. One of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in a while was Congressman (and historic civil rights leader) John Lewis talking on ABC about what this all means. How crazy he would have called anyone some years ago, who talked about an African-American being elected president. How the nation has changed. How he and Martin Luther King cried when they heard LBJ say “and we shall overcome.” And how he cried today.
    Beautiful.
    TMK, the very smart Rachel Maddow interviewing Obama the other day here. Good smart stuff. She’s great.
    And it’s not yet sure, but it’s looking like Obama will — probably, we hope — take North Carolina. (Cross fingers.)

  54. I’m also looking forward to Mark Udall (who shook my hand! Back when I was an elected official in Colorado!) cruising to victory in his Senate seat in Colorado shortly, just like I always predicted.
    Smug 🙂

  56. I’m glad to see that Eric Massa has yaken out Randy “shotgun” Kohl in New York. Also Larry Kissel seems safely on track to rid us of Robin Hayes. I’m hoping that Michelle Bachman will no longer disgrace the halls of Congress withher presence.
    My other picks are Trauner and Charley Brown. Fingers crossed.
    I also gave Scott Kleeb some money but not withthe expectationthat he would win. Just wanted to help him fight the good fight.

  57. Also, Fox called Ohio and then took it back. There should be some sort of intentional tort for that.
    Intential infliction of electional distress.

  58. “eat it, Dole.”
    Hey, Cleek, in the spirit of all this, wanna get together for a drink or lunch or something some time? Gimme a hug!
    (Or if you can’t stand it, not. But, hey, bud, I’ve always thought you were a fine fellow, even if not vice versa. Just taking the opportunity to say.)

  59. Slightly hilarious reading: the Corner saying we shouldn’t pay attention to the idea that Pennsylvania was called for Obama! It’s just an illusion.
    Jeez, guys, your spin won’t last more than ten minutes or so. It’s really worth the cost to your credibility?
    Oh, yeah, credibility. Not something you worry about.

    Barone [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
    throws serious cold water on the Pa. calls.
    11/04 08:25 PM
    Running with Chris’s Thrills [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
    It has been brought to my attention that only DNCTV, as MSNBC is affectionately known, has called Pennsylvania.
    Feel free to keep hope alive.
    UPDATE: ABC has too.
    11/04 08:21 PM

    This is rightwing blogging? Spinning crap for four minutes?
    Keep hope alive! Jeez!

  63. It’s quite comical seeing the talking heads on ABC trying to talk about the future without all out saying Obama will be President. A whole lot of “if things go the way one can’t help but feel they might, given the electoral map we have here, assuming there isn’t a mistake, supposing…”

  66. Why is there not a button on my TV remote labeled “Punch Bill Bennet in Face?” His comments: “I’ll pray for him, I’ll pray for our country and . . . it’s a great country. I hope he’ll be a great President.” Back to the $20 blackjack tables with you, Bill.

  69. I’ve been in such suspense. I so wasn’t prepared, after 2000, to believe it, until it happened.
    I just suddenly burst out crying.
    (I do that a lot, I’m a major unipolar depressive. But, still. This is it. It’s happened.)
    And Colorado went for Obama, says MSNBC. Fucking yeah!

  75. Hi Jes, I just noticed that it is one in the morning my time. No wonder most Obwi commenters aren’t commenting right now! How is the news being recieved on your side of the planet?

  76. Memo to Turb: I was so slow on the uptake about Obama’s 50-state strategy, but it looks like I finally got it.
    My 9:04 pm predicition — after Pennsylvania went his way, but not yet Ohio — on this thread: “Obama wins, tops the 300 mark in the electoral college — call it 327 — and wins the national vote with 52 percent.”
    Turns out I was too conservative on the electoral count.
    I figured once McCain lost Pennsylvania — which he clearly made his Last Stand the past two weeks — he was toast. Ohio, Michigan, PA — the states I placed such a premium on during the primaries — weren’t going to vote agaisnt their economic interests. Not this time.
    Saw an Obama electoral landslide in the making as the economic collapse on Wall Street filtered down to Main Street, where I face blue-collar voters everyday. I see their credit reports. I see they have no down-payment money. I see them walk away distressed when I have to tell them the same banks that would have gladly loaned them money a year ago are slamming the door shut today.
    Some of them may have voted for Obama all along. Some may have been so-called Reagan Democrats. Some may have never dreamed of voting for a black man.
    But while the Obama diehards were voting for hope and change all along, the clarion calls of his campaign, the Johnny Come Latelies, and thank God they came, were voting for putting food on the table and a roof over their heads, the ability to buy a car down the road, and, hopefully — hopefully — hold off the foreclosure police.
    Once the Dow dropped 5,000 points in the days and weeks after Sept. 15’s meltdown — when McCain was actually leading in some polls — it was over. That sent a message to the rich and poor alike that this country was in trouble.
    Obama has no magic wand. He will not change the economy overnight. But our nation’s economy is built on consumer confidence as much as anything else. The optimism and general good feeling that Barack Obama’s historic victory has created will hopefully create intangible effects and speed up the recovery. The rest will be up to the business cycle and how good Obama makes on his campaign promises, and how good they were in the first place. This is his moment. Let’s hope he makes the most of it, starting in the economic arena.
    And, Turb, congratulations! Congratulations on being one of Obama’s biggest supporters from the get-go on this site and one of the strongest supporters of his 50-state strategy.
    As always,
    bedtimeforbonzo

  77. Hey, hairshirthedonist! Broad Street is getting a workout: First the Phillies gigantic parade and, then, I turn to the locals after the nets declared Obama’s victory at 11 pm and it started filling up again with cheering throngs.
    Of course, even Barack Obama couldn’t get 2 million to fill up Broad Street. Leave that up to our Phillies.
    In some ways, I enjoyed this team’s World Series championship more than the 1980 squad’s. Of course, the first is always the best. But being a freshman in college 400 miles away in Pittsburgh, I had a lot going on — the girl I was dating at the time could not understand why the Phillies excited me more than her:)
    Older now, I truly appreciate this victory. My son, being just 10, has no idea how special it is. When you’re 10, 2 world championships in 126 seasons just sound like a bunch of numbers.
    1980 contained my boyhood heroes: Rose, Schmidt, Bowa (ironically, I would go on to interview and cover them in the dying days of their careers when I started my first career as a sportswriter). So that team was special, Hall of Famed-filled.
    But as that team was comprised of players at or entering the end of their careers, 2008 is special because the nucleus — Howard, Hammels, Utley, Victorino, Lidge — are in the prime of theirs.
    We could see another parade in the not-to-distant future!
    As always,
    bedtimeforbonzo
    P.S. I had taken a blogging hiatus. Between the Phillies, Eagles, my son’s school, karate and, now, band, but, mostly, ongoing work and financial pressures, I just haven’t had the time to check in as often as I would like. I find this blog one that does not lend its to drive-by readings or, especially, commenting, lest you get careless and get called out for it, as was the case with me when I made a comment stressing my dismay over how hate-filled the Palin/McCain rallies had become and how the MSM had not picked up on it enough. Anyhow, good to hear from you and enjoy reading your comments as usual.

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