Polls-closed/closing thread.

I’m going out on a limb here — 6:39 p.m. Eastern — and predicting a landslide, which my pol friends call 55 percent or more. The Hand of Fate is obviously engaged now. The grandmother dying, 70 degrees in Chicago on November? These are all signs of Destiny.

Anyway, use this thread as the results come in. Sorry about the puppies.

Posted at 6:41 pm in Current events |
 

88 responses to “Polls-closed/closing thread.”

  1. JGW said on November 4, 2008 at 7:01 pm

    I’m certain McCain went 60-40 here in Wells County but that is not indicative of Indiana or real America. Here the bible bangers and racists ruled the day. When young attractive “hotties” strut around in McCain-Palin shirts it raises questions about their level of open mindedness and whether they vote on one issue or the color of one’s skin.
    That being said, I have to disagree with the weather factor as analyzed by Nance. I say the great midwestern weather benefits McCain, as Obama’s base was much more motivated and he has a better GOTV machine. Nice weather = more seniors voting, equals more McSame votes. I’m convinced the weather helped McCain, but I am wrong a lot. I voted for Perot in 1992, after all.

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  2. caliban said on November 4, 2008 at 7:06 pm

    Pennsylvania voted for Kerry, Gore, Clinton, Dukakis, ad nauseated infinitum. Why did Republican strategists hang their hats there? Holy shit, think they might have counted on racism?

    Apparently, Libby Dole has lost. Oh happy day, and come on Kentucky and Georgia. Dole’s ‘atheist’ ad was stunningly disgusting, basically mind-boggling. Nobody will ever go lower than Sackless Chambliss morphing Max into Osama, but Mrs. Dole moved into second place ahead of the truly egregious ‘Call me” trashy white girl ad. Mitch McConnell makes Ted Stevens seem like something other than a slimy invertebrate while virtually driving the earthmovers filling the hollers and fouling the entire East Coast watershed.

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  3. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 7:12 pm

    Hm. I’m giving Obama 342, but Karl Rove tells me in my inbox that Obama will get 338. I guess i need to re-run my calculations . . .

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  4. nancy said on November 4, 2008 at 7:21 pm

    Clarification: I’m defining my landslide percentage as popular vote only. The electoral-college wonkiness I leave to the pros.

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  5. Kirk said on November 4, 2008 at 7:23 pm

    Landslide easier to get in the College. Whatever they’re worth, exit polls showing Obama winning Virginia, Indiana, Georgia.

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  6. caliban said on November 4, 2008 at 7:33 pm

    Jeff, I believe that qualifies either way as ‘total destruction of a planet’. Not sure what to make of it. Are Americans not stupid selfish booboisee? The GOP has been fueled for decades by the incredibly moronic, pusillanimous self-delusion of political lemmings that were convinced they were living on capital gains instead of being reamed at work.

    The idea that somebody could point out an instance of tax cuts on the obscene proceeds of inherited wealth contributing to either employment or wealth is just about as unlikely as finding actual vote fraud not perpetrated by Republican Secretaries of State.

    I’ll be happy if my dim view of America’s collective intelligence and ethics proves wrong.

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  7. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 7:33 pm

    Hey Moe, a win for Presbyterian elders everywhere — Kay Hagan in North Carolina! (I think Liddy Dole was getting some advice on the side from Charlie Black, clever gal that she is.)

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  8. caliban said on November 4, 2008 at 7:37 pm

    A win for people that believe bearing false witness is actually sinful. Nobody ever crushed an offensive ad like Hagan did. Too bad somebody didn’t step on T. Boone’s tongue that way in 2004.

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  9. joodyb said on November 4, 2008 at 7:45 pm

    praying for safe return of puppies.

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  10. moe99 said on November 4, 2008 at 7:49 pm

    As a former Catholic from Defiance, Oh but now a professed Presbyterian for the last 17 years (and an ordained elder for 13 of them), I take heart from Hagan’s experience. As should all folk, regardless of religious persuasion or not.

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  11. Jolene said on November 4, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    Pennsylvania just called for Obama. That’ll do it. New Hampshire goes blue too.

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  12. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    Moe, indeed. Dole’s late ads were just appalling. Talk about deserving to lose — but i’ll think of Liddy everytime i see the high-up three-point brake light in front of me, darn it, the “Liddy Light.”

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  13. Kirk said on November 4, 2008 at 8:19 pm

    Pennsylvania called by whom? Not AP or CNN.

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  14. nancy said on November 4, 2008 at 8:27 pm

    MSNBC called Pa. I think they’re erring on the side of “edgy” — the NYT is far behind their calls. So far.

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  15. Kirk said on November 4, 2008 at 8:31 pm

    Gotcha. But I do see that CBS has called it, too.

    Meanwhile, Nance, it appears that Brunner has pulled off a relatively calm election. Havve’t heard yet of any widespread major problems, even from Cuyahoga County.

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  16. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 8:39 pm

    NPR called PA as well.

    Oh, and CNN too. Which made Grant Park go nuts — everytime i see that wide shot, i think of “Adventures in Babysitting.”

    I loved that movie.

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  17. Hooiser said on November 4, 2008 at 9:17 pm

    Na na na na Na na na na hey hey Goodbye!

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  18. nancy said on November 4, 2008 at 9:23 pm

    MSNBC just called Ohio for Barry. Kirk, what are you hearing?

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  19. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 9:25 pm

    Hey, Fox called Ohio for Barack. Done. Fork. Stuck.

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  20. Kirk said on November 4, 2008 at 9:27 pm

    CBS agrees on Ohio, and that’s how it’s looking here in the capital city.

    CNN, which has been conservative all night, now says Obama gets Ohio. I’m starting to believe he’ll be elected.

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  21. coozledad said on November 4, 2008 at 9:47 pm

    Obama wins: Old fool exceeds healthy alcohol intake.Details at 11:00.

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  22. Kirk said on November 4, 2008 at 9:50 pm

    Reminds me of the first election I voted in — the alcohol part, that is. As we watched McGovern crushed in state after state, I downed a quart of rum and everyone with me did about the same. Of course, I probably would have done the same if he had won.

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  23. brian stouder said on November 4, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    Superb; superb

    And Indiana still ‘too close to call’ at 10 pm est….!

    marvelous!

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  24. Dorothy said on November 4, 2008 at 10:11 pm

    Backstage tonight I said it would be a landslide for Obama (this was at intermission, around 8:45, no t.v.s anywhere or radios), and I was scoffed at. I am sticking to my prediction, like Nance.

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  25. vince said on November 4, 2008 at 10:15 pm

    CBS Anchor Bob Scheiffer declared Obama the next president. He pulled no punches. His network has not done it and I could see Katie Couris stifle a cringe when he did it.

    It came down at 10:01 Eastern.

    He says it’s the obvious conclusion because Washington, Oregon and California are slam dunks for Obama. With those numbers, he hits 270.

    The math ends the race even before the networks are willing to say it’s over.

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  26. derwood said on November 4, 2008 at 10:18 pm

    Happy days and nights. This will make my 3 full days of Six Sigma meetings bearable!!

    Kinda wish I had gone to Chicago…would have been cool to be there.

    d

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  27. MichaelG said on November 4, 2008 at 10:20 pm

    At 8:00 sharp the networks will declare California for Obama and a 55 electoral vote hammer will fall.

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  28. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    3 days of Six Sigma? That is harsh. I’d rather listen to Bill Kristol for a few hours late on a weeknight . . . oh, right.

    Yikes. Next, TQM.

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  29. vince said on November 4, 2008 at 10:22 pm

    MichaelG I think you’re right but I’ll wager they’ll call 3 west coast states immediately at 8pm for Obama.

    His lead here is unquestionable.

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  30. MichaelG said on November 4, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    Boy am I with you on that one, Jeff.

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  31. derwood said on November 4, 2008 at 10:28 pm

    You can’t turn around at Lilly without running into a BlackBelt.

    d

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  32. nancy said on November 4, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    Medical maryjane is winning in a cakewalk here, 62-38. I’m changing my screenplay to a Cheech & Chong comeback vehicle.

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  33. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    Isn’t there a study that showed SixSig companies above a certain number of beltwranglers actually show a decline in value both cash and stock?

    I like MBWA myself, but hey, i voted for the Sad Grandpa & Caribou Barbie. Don’t take my management advice!

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  34. derwood said on November 4, 2008 at 10:39 pm

    I’m only a contract employee who works for someone else. ss is the flavor of the month. In 2 years it will be some other initiative.

    Didn’t we warn you about voting for Grandpa?

    d

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  35. Gasman said on November 4, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    They’ve called NM for Obama. This is a flip from a 2004 Bush state. It appears that our entire congressional delegation, both Senators (for sure) and all three reps. (probably) will all be Democrats! It would be the first time the 1st district has ever gone Democrat.

    The champagne is chilling and waiting for 270….

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  36. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 10:45 pm

    Gas, ya got 15 minutes to stuff some ice around that bottle.

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  37. Kirk said on November 4, 2008 at 11:00 pm

    It’s all over.

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  38. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 11:01 pm

    No, it’s all starting! (c’mon guys, you’re the liberals — be hopeful!)

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  39. Gasman said on November 4, 2008 at 11:07 pm

    Stick a fork in McCain and Palin: they’re done.

    The champagne tastes damn good. It’s goin’ down real smooth.

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  40. nancy said on November 4, 2008 at 11:09 pm

    I feel sort of solemn. This is something I never thought I’d see.

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  41. Connie said on November 4, 2008 at 11:09 pm

    Whoo hoo. Called. By all of them. I feel like I should shoot off fireworks or something.

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  42. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    My column, written last Saturday, appearing tomorrow (Wed., Nov. 5) in our local weekly.

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  43. LAMary said on November 4, 2008 at 11:14 pm

    I’m with you, Nancy. It’s a very emotional thing. I never thought I’d see this. I feel like going outside and whooping, but I’m all alone and the neighbors would probably think I’m crazy.

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  44. Laura said on November 4, 2008 at 11:15 pm

    Amazing. Even Karl Rove is on Fox talking about how great this Obama win is for the country and the world.

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  45. Connie said on November 4, 2008 at 11:17 pm

    LAMary, I’ll do it with you. we could do a dutch girl dance.

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  46. coozledad said on November 4, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    Nancy: Don’t be solemn about it. Dance. Once I find some music for it , that’s what I’m going to do.

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  47. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 4, 2008 at 11:29 pm

    Y’know, eight years ago, i thought Al Gore’s concession speech was the classiest speech i’d ever heard, but it is now number two. Thank you, John McCain; and now, to Grant Park, and the start of the Obama administration.

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  48. jcburns said on November 4, 2008 at 11:31 pm

    Here in Atlanta, a warm clear night. Fireworks (literally) on the horizon, and the sounds of cheering can be heard off in all directions.

    Amazing. Solemn. Celebratory.

    I’m so proud of my city—Atlanta—and of my home state, Ohio.

    (Edit: Yep. That was really John McCain up there. But based on the Arizona crowd reactions, sounds like it’ll take a while for his partisans to let his profound words of concession and unity to sink in.)

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  49. harry near indy said on November 4, 2008 at 11:33 pm

    obama won — damn!

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  50. Jolene said on November 4, 2008 at 11:34 pm

    Indeed, a very classy speech by McCain, Jeff. Am listening to Rep. John Lewis on MSNBC. Very moving to hear about the long march of history from someone who took real risks to change things.

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  51. Danny said on November 4, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    Congratulations, everyone (well, at least most of you, as a small percentage are conservatives). I voted for the sad grandpa too, but I have hopes that Obama will be a good president. With the current state of the union, he needs our support and prayers. And I plan to give that to him.

    Cheers.

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  52. MichaelG said on November 4, 2008 at 11:36 pm

    Coozledad, please accept my sincere and heartfelt thanks. I’m a lazy bastard who’s been rooting from the sidelines but it’s you and people like you who really made this happen. At this time I don’t know where North Carolina will fall, but your work (and I mean here the work of all those who got out there in the streets for Obama) has made the difference. Whichever way NC goes in the presidential race, you at least dumped the detestable Liddy Dole. That’s a big reward all by itself. Thank you again.

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  53. Colleen said on November 4, 2008 at 11:43 pm

    Nearly midnight and IN still not called.

    And it looks like it’s going to go blue.

    Wow. Cooooool.

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  54. Gasman said on November 4, 2008 at 11:52 pm

    Jeff (tmmo),
    No way on McCain’s speech being the classiest. He has far too much to answer for. His conduct during the last six months has been loathsome and beneath contempt. I cannot forgive his attacks from the gutter on Obama’s character, judgement, and the ridiculous guilt-by-association charges. His words tonight rang a bit hollow as my ears were still echoing with his character assassinations from just days ago. He needs to issue dozens of such statements between now and inauguration day before I will consider him rehabilitated. He was far too willing to do anything to gain the White House. By contrast, Obama has shown remarkable restraint and depth of character and been acting more presidential from the start.

    The good guys won tonight.

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  55. coozledad said on November 4, 2008 at 11:53 pm

    Thanks Michael. I wish you’d had the opportunity to meet the children who engineered this. I ‘m so proud of the kids the campaign sent down here to fight this,my heart is about to burst.

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  56. Catherine said on November 5, 2008 at 12:09 am

    Coozledad, what MichaelG said. Congratulations and thank you.

    McCain’s speech was classy; and Gore’s is the gold standard.

    I’m watching the Obama speech and it’s good; but it’s the crowd reaction that’s making me well up.

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  57. MichaelG said on November 5, 2008 at 12:21 am

    THAT WAS A SPEECH.

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  58. Gasman said on November 5, 2008 at 12:22 am

    THAT was a SPEECH! That one will be remembered for generations. I am so damn proud of my country right now! That we could rise above the racial, religious, and ethnic bigotry to elect a man named Barack Obama President of these United States! We rock!

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  59. Bruce Fields said on November 5, 2008 at 12:30 am

    “No way on McCain’s speech being the classiest. He has far too much to answer for. His conduct during the last six months has been loathsome and beneath contempt.”

    a) That conduct wasn’t part of a speech.
    b) I didn’t like much of his campaign, but I don’t think it could be called “loathsome and beneath contempt” without cherry-picking the conduct of his most embarrassing supporters.
    c) I thought it was a pretty classy speech.

    Admittedly, I wasn’t going to vote for the guy anyway, but I was glad when he was nominated; I thought he was a solid candidate. I wish he’d run a different campaign–it would have been a much more interesting race–but it’s hard for me to second-guess a campaign stuck in the position his was in.

    As of midnight, it’s my birthday. I’m glad I stayed up for both speeches–I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday present!

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  60. LAMary said on November 5, 2008 at 12:30 am

    The speech made me cry again. My fourteen year old sort of gets it. The eighteen year old definitely gets it. He called on his break from his night class to celebrate.
    This could be the beginning of some very good things. Let’s all keep that hope.

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  61. Danny said on November 5, 2008 at 12:34 am

    Mary, it made Jesse Jackson cry too. Which leads one to wonder if he was moved in a positive way or if he was just thinking that he was out of a job now that America is officially no longer racist.

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  62. LAMary said on November 5, 2008 at 12:36 am

    Danny, thank you for your good wishes and your prayers. I know this got tough for you to take at times, but trust, it’s going to be ok.
    Welcome back.

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  63. Jolene said on November 5, 2008 at 12:36 am

    Am getting impatient to see what’s going to happen in NC, IN, and MT. The WSJ has Obama ahead (barely) in all three. Would be really nice to add a few more electoral college votes onto the total.

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  64. Linda said on November 5, 2008 at 12:40 am

    This whole evening felt wonderful. I have been working as a foot soldier in the Obama campaign in Ohio for a couple of months, and went to the local UAW hall with other Obama people to watch the results after the polls closed. When Ohio was called for Obama, it was so great celebrating with people who had worked so hard for it. I remember meeting a young organizer who moved here specifically because he wanted to be part of the team that turned Ohio blue, and him saying at the time that he wouldn’t be happy until he saw a landslide. At the time, I was too diplomatic to tell him he was nuts. I’m gratified to say he wasn’t.

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  65. moe99 said on November 5, 2008 at 12:40 am

    Tonight, I am thinking the best of everyone involved. That includes McCain and Palin and Jesse Jackson too. I might even think a nice thought about the ex, who is leading and then behind in his statewide race. But, just tonight, k?

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  66. Danny said on November 5, 2008 at 12:44 am

    Thanks, Mary.

    Yeah, I think it is going to be okay too. The GOP deserved a spanking (really) and Barack Obama is impressive. I hope he has enough political capital (and I think he does) to ignore the influence of special interests and do what is best for everyone.

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  67. Gasman said on November 5, 2008 at 12:50 am

    Bruce,
    “a) That conduct wasn’t part of a speech.
    b) I didn’t like much of his campaign, but I don’t think it could be called “loathsome and beneath contempt” without cherry-picking the conduct of his most embarrassing supporters.”

    Nonsense. I don’t need to “cherry-pick” the conduct of his supporters, I can nail him to the wall for his actions and his words. He has not conducted an honorable campaign. He has been a liar, a coward, and engaged in the basest sort of fear-mongering. Country First? My ass.

    McCain’s speech would have seemed much more significant and magnanimous if his words just days ago weren’t so inflammatory and contradictory. There is ample record of what he has said and done over the course of this campaign. A single speech does little to atone for his record. And I haven’t even mentioned the lip-sticked pit bull.

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  68. Jolene said on November 5, 2008 at 12:54 am

    Gasman, give it a rest. Be gracious, if only for tonight.

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  69. deb said on November 5, 2008 at 12:57 am

    what a night. i let my kids stay up late to watch obama’s speech and am so glad i did. i am so, so proud of this country right now. my kids’ generation is pretty much color-blind, so they aren’t moved to tears like their geezer mom by the whole thing, but they still get it. and someday they will remember being part of this moment.

    mccain’s speech was incredibly gracious. i was so pleased to see him wave off the booing when he mentioned obama…and so pleased to see the crowd in chicago cheer and applaud when obama gave mccain his props. (i guess it’s easier to be gracious when you’ve won, but still.) that crowd! that speech! i can’t remember seeing anything this stirring, politically, since the kennedys and martin luther king. if only tim russert were here, it would be absolutely perfect.

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  70. basset said on November 5, 2008 at 1:00 am

    my son called from college right after Obama’s victory speech… his entire watch party had just been shut down and thrown out of their rented hotel meeting room for celebrating too loudly.

    without alcohol.

    gotta watch those College Democrats.

    meanwhile… I could recognize some of the faces CNN kept cutting away to in the Chicago crowd, and you know Jesse Jackson would manage to get his face in there somewhere… but who were the two young white women who looked like sisters, dark hair and real thin noses? I suspect they’re some pop-culture symbols I’m supposed to know.

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  71. Gasman said on November 5, 2008 at 1:03 am

    Gracious, why? A win by Democrats does not erase the real harm that the Republican party has inflicted upon this nation. The Republicans are a corrupt bunch, to the core. At the least, McCain has been an enabler, at the worst, an active participant in the Republican reign of terror. Remember the constitution? I kind of miss it. I’d like to see its return.

    The country is in the state it is in because too many people have been silent for too long, including me. Any party that systematically engages in trying to defraud citizens of the United States of their constitutional right to vote – as have Republicans across the nation for decades – deserves the drubbing the Rs are receiving tonight. What is the appropriate level of outrage to express toward those who actions declare themselves enemies of the constitution?

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  72. MichaelG said on November 5, 2008 at 1:04 am

    And thank you too, Linda.

    I think you’re going to be pleased over the next couple of years, Danny and Jeff. And yeah, you too, Mark.

    This guy is clearly taking charge from day one. I feel good about our prezelect in a way I have wanted to for many, many years. I can’t remember the last time I voted FOR one presidential candidate rather than against the other guy and my first presidential election vote was in 1968. I have real hope tonight.

    Shit, I smoked two cigars (on a week night!) and drank a shit load of wine.

    From the early returns it looks like the bigots are going to win on Prop 8. Can’t have everything I guess.

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  73. alex said on November 5, 2008 at 1:21 am

    Yay!

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  74. LAMary said on November 5, 2008 at 1:23 am

    Michael, I think there was some confusion about prop 8. I was volunteering with benefits sign ups at my work today, helping the non computer literate employees, and at least three told me that they were in favor of letting gays marry so they voted yes on 8.
    It was pointless to say anything to them about it, but I doubt it was a rare occurence.

    Anyone watching the mobs forming outside the White House? Looks likes a spontaneous kiss off to Bush, and not in a nice way.

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  75. Deborah said on November 5, 2008 at 1:49 am

    Just back from Grant Park. Wow what a night. Words can not express what it was like. One of the high points was walking back home up Michigan Ave, with hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life. Just amazing. I was too far back to actually see Obama and family in person, only saw them on the jumbo screens. People all around were wiping tears, young, old, black, white. I’ll remember it forever.

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  76. Linda said on November 5, 2008 at 2:06 am

    Too bad about Proposition 8. Here in Ohio, I’m delighted that State Proposal 5 is leading. It is a law that will keep down payday loans to a maximum of 28% a year. The payday loan industry tried a million ways to kill it, including huge amounts of ad time in which they NEVER discussed that the prop was about payday loans! Instead, they said it was a law to “restrict your financial freedom,” and that it would kill thousands of jobs. Thank God buckeyes are smarter than election ad makers give them credit for.

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  77. Jolene said on November 5, 2008 at 2:15 am

    Indiana called for Barack. Missouri, North Carolina, and Montana still outstanding. The bigger the landslide the better!

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  78. Gasman said on November 5, 2008 at 2:22 am

    With 97% of the precincts reporting, NM is 57% Obama, 42% McCain. Not bad for a formerly red state. Taos County went 81% Obama and 18% McCain. That may be a national record. Los Alamos County, usually the reddest of the red went 52% Obama, 46% McCain. I am one happy liberal.

    We are officially a totally Democratic state in Washington come January. We got rid of a Republican Senator and two Representatives. Life is lookin’ good in the Land of Enchantment.

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  79. Dexter said on November 5, 2008 at 2:52 am

    ..wasn’t nobody home…don’t have to tell this on myself…but when John Lewis spoke on TV I recalled all the goddam racism I lived with when I travelled the U.S. South in 1968 and 1969 on a bus with a baseball team that was over 3/4 Af. Americans. I saw a redneck actually pull a shotgun from a rack in a store, AIM it at my teammates and order them back to the bus!! All we needed were Moon Pies and Coca-Colas. Shit like that…making the Blacks sleep in an old chicken coop once as we whities got hotel rooms…I was 18 and I protested the deal but the Af. Ams. told me to just shut up and learn a lesson….well…I remember those nights and they all came flooding back…and tears streamed down my face like …like….hell, I don’t know…tears of bitterness, tears of joy…I kind of thought I was in a Jacob’s Ladder (movie) scene for a second…was this real? Is this reality? Did this happen?

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  80. mark said on November 5, 2008 at 6:25 am

    Congratulations to all the Obama supporters. A very historic day.

    Sorry to be late with my remarks. Yesterday was exhausting. I was working at an Obama heavy precinct and we were deluged with voters. Only 5 of us Election Board workers and only three voting machines. I was told by my Democratic counterpart, who had worked this precinct for the last few cycles, that this had been plenty in the past.

    We had a constant line from 5:30 a.m., when the earliest began to asemble for the 6:00 a.m. start time, until 6:45 p.m., when the last of those who made it through the doors before the 6 p.m closing time finally got to the machines. There was literally never a moment when we didn’t have a line and all three machines in use. At peak times I estimate the wait was close to two hours. The voters were uniformly patient and we ended up putting out about 50 chairs in the line, which were much appreciated.

    Lots and lots of first time voters, which slowed things down a bit due to lack of familiarity with the process. Also a few unusual situations during the voting due to the same, which required me and the Democratic judge to review and confer. Happy to say we had no disagreements and no situation where things were not readily resolved. All votes were counted.

    The Obama machine had more workers in the precinct than the election board did, inmcluding two lawyers. Truly an impressive campain organization.

    I was so tired that I fell asleep after Pennsylvania was called and the writing was on the wall, floor, streets, etc.

    Still catching up on the details. If Indiana does/did go Obama, the credit goes to the organization and dedication I saw at work yesterday. I’ve only seen clips of the speeches; everybody seemed to be hitting the right notes.

    Enjoy your victory all!

    P.S. I’m told our precinct totals were three times the normal, and the vote at our location was 85%+ Obama.

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  81. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 5, 2008 at 7:02 am

    Even the most partisan Republicans will agree with me on this — it will be a great blessing, even if in the service of policies we oppose, to have President who . . . speaking the English language, for addressing things, you know, like the people, who can, even when there’s lots going on and things are, well, tough, can talk and explain well stuff, ok?

    To speak to us and not make friend and foe alike cringe at the awkwardness and infelicities, the assaults and insults to grammar, usage, and euphony.

    Pres. Bush called Pres.-elect Obama, had you heard? And his comment for the ages — “What an awesome night for you.” Why not say “wicked good, dude” and be done with it?

    Rhetoric is making a comeback, and may it sweep the country as well!

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  82. Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on November 5, 2008 at 7:19 am

    And trust The Onion to find an angle —

    Black Man Given Nation’s Worst Job

    WASHINGTON—African-American man Barack Obama, 47, was given the least-desirable job in the entire country Tuesday when he was elected president of the United States of America. In his new high-stress, low-reward position, Obama will be charged with such tasks as completely overhauling the nation’s broken-down economy, repairing the crumbling infrastructure, and generally having to please more than 300 million Americans and cater to their every whim on a daily basis. As part of his duties, the black man will have to spend four to eight years cleaning up the messes other people left behind. The job comes with such intense scrutiny and so certain a guarantee of failure that only one other person even bothered applying for it. Said scholar and activist Mark L. Denton, “It just goes to show you that, in this country, a black man still can’t catch a break.”

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  83. Joe K said on November 5, 2008 at 7:45 am

    Congratulation to you all. I don’t agree with the selection but will respect the office and the man. Just because I voted the opposite doesn’t make me a bad guy, A small victory, we kept Mitch as Gov. Hopefully the Republicans will come up with someone to take out Souder.
    We survived 8yrs of Clinton we can survive 4yrs of Obama.
    Lets move on to other things.
    Once again congratulation.
    Pilot Joe

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  84. JGW said on November 5, 2008 at 7:59 am

    “Survived,” eight years of Clinton? I think we thrived as a nation for those 8 years; My family and my country was definitly better off for those eight years instead of the past 8 years on Bizzaro World.
    But Pilot Joe you’re right about one’s ability to survive and accept the will of the people. I spent the last 8 years disgusted with our leader, his cohorts, our degraded standing on the global stage. But we muddled through. You will be fine I think.

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  85. Gasman said on November 5, 2008 at 10:26 am

    Joe,
    What was the downside of 8 years of Clinton? A balanced budget, for one. Job growth. An economy that wasn’t in the toilet. No recreational wars. An intact constitution. For all your whining about Clinton you have yet to name substantive deficiencies of his time in office. He was certainly a better president than the Republican clown who currently occupies the White House.

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  86. Deborah said on November 5, 2008 at 10:59 am

    Thinking back, as a youngster growing up in Miami, FL. I definitely remember separate drinking fountains for “coloreds” and whites (I thought that meant one had colored water). How far we’ve come, what a struggle it has been and it ain’t over. For at least one day, can we put our differences aside?

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  87. LA Mary said on November 5, 2008 at 11:23 am

    I remember the riots in Newark and Paterson, and I remember fights over bussing.

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  88. Beto said on November 5, 2008 at 8:21 pm

    Your delicious bit about the blond lady who will have to settle for the commodore position at the Grosse Pointe Yact Club just sent me. Almost as much as Obama winning. I have in my time known few, very few, yacht club members who have a clear view of our society. Many are tyrants (those that race) and some are just sycophants and wannabe’s. I suppose, and actually do believe, there are a few yacht club members who care not only about our society but also about our collective reality.

    I am in Seattle, where a storm is approaching, and my readings of the net tend to tell me conservatives (read most yacht club members) are having a difficult time with the result of this election. To that I say — tough shit — You’ve rammed it down our throats for years.

    Go Jimmy Buffet !!

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