Discuss

Standing in line to vote made me ill. Living in a such a Democratic state I was surprised but I was obviously in front of some guys that knew each other and were Republicans. While it was nice to hear the defeat in their voices, acknowledging that Obama was going to win, they were so obnoxious with their comments like, "Now we can claim the election was stolen without ever having to prove anything like the whiney Democrats have done the past 8 years."

Made me want to turn around and punch them. But you know the "election was stolen" conspiracies are coming.

Oh lord please don't jinx it. If by some chance McCain wins this thread will live in infamy. I'm nervous as hell though I'm not even going to lie. I don't care what the polls say. I won't believe anything until a winner is declared.

I've never been so nervous on election day. This feels nothing like previous election days to me. I wanted Kerry and Gore to win badly, but I never felt a real connection to either of them. Obama is completely different.

Our local newspaper here has a story today on Palin's in-laws arriving here at their winter home at the Palm Desert Country Club for the next several months. How special. I love the average, down-to-earth, hockey-mom-next-door types who winter in the sun belt of the lower 48. They're just regular folks.

Also, I was watching Rachel Maddow last night when she showed video of a black man at one of the Palin rallies. He walked up to Palin and asked her how she thought they could get some more diversity at Republican rallies. Her reply was in cheerleader-speak and I'm paraphrasing but the gist of it was this, "Oh I totally know whatcha mean, you betcha. Now see, Todd my husband, he's seen as different and we face discrimination in Alaska because he's got some Native American blood in him. So we know what it feels like." Ugh.

What I couldn't get over was a piece done on ABC News last night. There were Hillary supporters who were campaigning for McCain. I thought they were just a myth. Evidently, there was a large enough group of them who decided because they didn't get their way, they'd support McCain, and actually campaign for him. Seriously. Were Hillary's ideals THAT much like McCain's and THAT much different from Obama's to make them do that? Or was there another reason...*wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*

I was shocked, to say the least. Just another reason I'm glad Hillary's out of the picture. Jeeeeze.

I'm headed out to proudly cast my vote for Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and against Amendment 2!

This truly is a beautiful day...

I voted absentee over 3 weeks ago...

Coach Carroll is voting for Obama, YEA!

I understand mdterp, but one poll I tend to trust and is usually right on the money (than the rest of the polls) is Zogby's. Check out today's prediction--a double digit lead for our man.

My understanding is that Zogby is one of the worst (if not the worst) poll for historical accuracy.

Wow...I just came from casting my ballot and had no idea how emotional it was going to be for me. I have been nervous since I woke up and I could tell my heart rate was higher than it should be. After I cast my vote I let out a deep breath. Then I got in the car and after driving for a few minutes I just broke out in tears for about 15 minutes. It came from nowhere but I guess it sunk in the enormity of what I had just done. Thinking about what my older relatives and ancestors had to deal with was just overwhelming for me. I never had to go through being attacked by dogs and fire hoses spraying me down. So the sacrifices of those that came before me that has led to this day was just more than I expected. I don't think enough of my generation appreciates the blood that was shed for the right to vote and equality. I am glad that many who lived in the 40s, 50s, and 60s and went through that are alive to be able to witness it. Win or lose its still historic to even have a choice of this nature. Its just amazing and overwhelming for me. I have spent months following every bit of this election and I guess everything just caught up to me.

Zogby is historically one of the worst. You're correct. He was off by 23% in the California primary back in February when he predicted -- on election day, no less -- Obama to beat Clinton by 13%. Clinton won CA by 10%. Plus, just a couple of days ago, Zogby told Dems the sky was falling and McCain had taken a 1% lead nationally. Then he had to retract it the following day and now he's got Obama up by 11%. The volatility in his polling suggests real quirks in his methods. He also does not interview cell phone-only households.

Probably the best predictors of all are Rasmussen, which tends to lean Republican and Gallup, which is very neutral. I prefer to be on the cautious side and both of those pollsters have been remarkably consistent and have basically shown the electorate "locked in" ever since the economic downturn in mid-September. The final 45 days of the campaign, Obama never moved outside the 50-52% figure in Rasmussen polling, and there were only 2 days where McCain was outside the 44-46% figure. Rasmussen said it was the most consistent race for the president they'd ever polled. Their final numbers are 52-46 for Obama and I think we will see that they're pretty close when all is said and done.

Turnout today was even heavy at my precinct in Palm Springs where I've never had to wait before. It was a short wait... probably only about 10 people in front of me in line but all 8 voting booths were full, and there was still a line when I left. I purposely went at *supposedly* the best time to avoid crowds (11 a.m.). One of the poll workers said the lines were huge early this morning and they'd had over 1,000 people vote already in my precinct, which seems like a lot though I don't know what the usual numbers are.

You may enjoy this quote from Jay-Z, who appeared (along with Mary J. Blige and Sean "Diddy" Combs) at a get out the vote rally here yesterday: "Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk. Martin Luther King walked so Obama could run. Obama's running so we can all fly."

In Texas Bevo watches over you even when you vote. Pulled from the Austin American-Statesman website. These voters are voting in the University Co-op across Guadalupe from the campus.

And I love this editorial cartoon from the Houston Chronicle. It pretty much sums up the beauty and power of this process in America. I hope every American who is able to vote exercises that right and privilege in honor of all that have served and continue to serve to protect that right.

Today has such an incredible feeling, more than I've ever seen on Election Day in all my 49 years. It's as if we are all coming together to affect change and hope in America, regardless of our political position. I think everyone in America is ready to put the past 8 years behind us and today is the first step in that healing process. Never before have I seen so many who are ready to celebrate tonight in so many ways. I even believe Republicans have a small sense of celebration in shedding the legacy of Bush and moving their party forward.

As we say in Texas, Vote Early and Vote Often!

This is exciting. I keep looking at exit polls even though I know what happened in '04 after trusting them. But it appears Obama is doing surprisingly well in Indiana in counties he shouldn't be doing that well in. Can Indiana go from red to blue?

I sure as hell hope I am wrong but I just have this queasy feeling that Obama will win the popular vote by a lrge margin but McCain will win the electoral vote.

Damn, Im not even an American and I am nervous as hell watching these results come in.

Most ideally, Obama will win with a majority, instead of a plurality. A mandate is essential. I have my fingers, and my toes, and my eyeballs crossed on this election.

TRL

The longer Indiana stays up in the air, the better for Obama. So far McBush has won what was predicted. There is so much yet to go. I believe.....Pennsylvania goes to Obama!!!!! Things are going BLUE!!!

I was SO worried about Pennsylvania. The fact that they called it immediately is pretty good news for Obama. Thank you to all my Pennsylvanians. McCain basically camped out there in the past month so that takes some tension away. The night is still young though.

CNN is not projecting PA yet. They are being very cautious about exit polling (do they want to drag this out or maintain credibility?). I'm as nervous as a whore in church.

I was quite surprised when I voted this morning at the crowd at my polling place. It was almost double the numbers I have seen in the past 4 presidential elections. There seemed to be an air of anticipation in the air. This trend seemed to be prevalent all over the country which should bode well for Obama.

Woo! Hoo! CNN just called PA for Obama.

I really want to see Mitch McConnell and Liddy Dole go down.

THANK YOU PENNSYLVANIA!

obama doing very well in ohio and florida.

i'm soo excited!

Obama really needs to pick off either Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Virginia or North Carolina. He really needs one of those. Chuck Todd just said its competitive and looks a lot like 2000 and 2004 models. Things going pretty much as expected. No surprises so far.

OH MY GOD...OBAMA WON OHIO??!!!!

OHIO FOR OBAMA!!!!!!!!

That's the big one from which McCain won't be able to recover. I'm surprised it was called so early in the evening. Great!

obama wins ohio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feeling pretty darn good I am right about now. Ohio is a backbreaker for McBush. Anybody hear Tom Delay on MSNBC say that Pelosi and Obama would totally "wreck the economy". I laughed so hard as I yelled at the tv, " you mean worse than the Republicans screwed the economy"????

Take that Joe the Plumber!!!!

joe the plumber looks like michael chiklis.

I think Palin can now pack her bags for Alaska. The next time I expect see her is on Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader or Dancing With The Stars or hawking faux Eskimo jewelry on QVC. Also hope Joe The Plumbers 15 minutes are up.

obama wins NEW MEXICO!




she was happy to be back home in wasilla.

Wow, CNN really loves that magic touch screen map thingee. It's looking bleak for McCain. They're not even giving his supporters in the Biltmore Hotel the news.... because it's not good. Grant Park in Chicago is the place to be.

Want to go to bed early, but don't want to do so until I know it's in the bag, and I can safely assume that I will wake up tomorrow to Obama Wins headlines. Who will be the first to call the election?

I don't think anyone will call it until after 11 p.m. Eastern since that's when polls close in Calif, Wash and Ore. The Electoral Votes in those states will put Obama over the top officially.

thank you iowa!

On behalf of the state.....You're very welcome.

This is destruction!!

obama wins IN and VA.

Just heard on ABC News, their exit poll said that only about 7 percent of voters made up their mind in the last 3 days. ABC now projects Obama has won.

Edit to add: HA! I posted it first!

OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT!

NIAGRA FALLS!!!

This is wonderful and the world is thankful that America got it right this time!

...and we now have a White Sox fan in the Oval Office!!!

What a magical day!

I'm so proud of our country. I'm very emotional right now.

Congrats to Obama for a great historic presidential election.

I'm truly touched by the emotional response that the TV cameras are showing throughout the country.

For something 232 years overdue, it's very nice to see happen tonight.

josh

classy speech by mac, but the crowd sucks.

They booed Palin when he introduced her. That was classless.

Big time! He impressed me with his speech, but that crowd was really bad....

I was actually impressed with John McCain's conciliatory speech in reccognizing what a historic night this is.

I had to sit down and have a good cry when I heard the news. I was on the phone with my Dad and had to hang up quickly so he wouldn't think I'd lost it.

As for McCain's speech, he tried to do the right thing, the exact thing you are supposed to do when you concede an election, but the crowd was so ugly. I don't think McCain realized the nastiness he was unleashing with some of his campaign tactics.