Month: November 2008
Once More, With Feeling
I just wanted everyone to be able to watch this again, but without the cold dread about it not happening.
The Widget for the 2009s
Click on “MORE” to generate a random Barackism from Slate’s Encyclopedia Baracktannica, a handy reference for the next eight years even though some of the terms were added during the primary.
Abramoff Claims Another Victim: Florida’s Tom Feeney
Two other pieces of good news from Florida. U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney (R-East Central Florida) was soundly trounced by former state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas. Feeney was one of the poster children for the corrupt Tom DeLay/Jack Abramoff years, enjoying an infamous golfing excursion to Scotland on the lobbyist’s bankroll among many other gifts.
Kosmas forced Feeney to address his misdeeds squarely, resulting in what passes for an “apology” from a Republican, which means he said he didn’t do anything wrong, and even if he did it wasn’t his fault, and gosh, how did he know it was bad to be bought and sold by power-brokers?
The other news is interesting if suspicious. U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Lakeland), who won re-election easily, announced he will step down as No. 3 in the Republican leadership of the House.
Franken Will Get Recount, Cites Poll “Irregularities”
Or, as FOX News put it, “Republican Norm Coleman had been named the winner of a second term in the U.S. Senate, but Al Franken is still holding out.”
In fact, Franken trailed Coleman by only 571 votes out of 2.9 million in the Minnesota Senate race. Gee, why can’t he just accept the will of the voters and move on? Yes, that’s sarcasm. Coleman and Franken had 42 percent of the vote each, while Jesse Ventura style Independent Dean Barkley received 15 percent.
Barkley, who then-Gov. Ventura appointed to fill the seat of Sen. Paul Wellstone for about eight weeks after his death and until Coleman’s inauguration, was polling around 17 percent before the election, but his supporters were expected to jump ship for either Coleman or Franken. Instead, most of them sat tight.
Franken says there is evidence of hanky-panky in the initial returns.
Another TV Coup for Obama-Biden
Just when you thought that Len Berman’s halftime interviews during Monday Night Football last night was the last time we’d see the candidates before the election, the Obama campaign managed a little public relations bump this morning, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s TV blog:
Barack Obama has won the first minor battle of Election Day.
In a masterful stroke of media manipulation, Obama hijacked the final half hour of the morning news programs–Today, Good Morning America, even Fox & Friends — by showing up at his polling place at about 8:30, then taking more than 20 minutes to vote, with every second covered around the dial.
Even better it was a touching family scene as his two daughters were allowed to look on as Obama and his wife Michelle cast their ballots. Actually, a lot of the time he was just standing soaking up the free TV face time.
When the Democratic presidential candidate finally finished, as perfectly timed as synchronized swimming, runningmate Joe Biden emerged from his car to vote in Delaware, grabbing a few more minutes of TV time.
Meanwhile, John McCain and Sarah Palin were nowhere to be seen. He was supposed to vote later in the morning — when most of America would be at work or school and nowhere near a TV.
Early score: Obama-Biden 2, McCain-Palin 0.
Quote du Jour
OK guys, let’s go home. It will be fun to see how the story ends.
— Sen. Barack Obama, to reporters on his campaign plane last night, quoted in Newsweek
Election TV Timeline for Tonight
Political Wire offers this hour-by-hour breakdown of the election returns and what they might mean:
7 p.m. — Polls close in Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky.
If Virginia is called quickly for Obama, it means he likely wins the presidential race and Democrats across the country will have a huge night. If it’s not called early, it’s could be an indication that white undecided voters are breaking to McCain. Prepare for an hour long discussion of the “Bradley effect.” If Georgia or Indiana are called early for Obama, it’s a leading indicator for a landslide.
In Kentucky, all eyes are on the fate of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
7:30 p.m. — Polls close in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia.
Obama victories in North Carolina or Ohio likely seal the deal for him. An Obama win in West Virginia means start looking for Obama coattails in close House and Senate races.
8 p.m. — Polls close in Florida, Missouri, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.
If Pennsylvania is called early for Obama, McCain cannot win. His only real path to the presidency at this point requires he win the Keystone State. An Obama win in Missouri once again means a likely landslide in the electoral college.
9 p.m. — Polls close in Colorado and New Mexico.
Polls indicate both of these swing states should go to Obama. Early calls in each state will have Obama racking up electoral votes quickly.
10 p.m. — Polls close in Iowa, Montana, and Nevada.
If Obama wins in Montana and Nevada, we’re looking at a possible political realignment of the Mountain West of the United States.
11 p.m. — Polls close in California and North Dakota.
California is the biggest state of them all with 55 electoral votes and may put Obama over the top. If the election hasn’t been decided by now, it’s probably become an interesting night for the McCain campaign and Republicans. However, an Obama win in North Dakota means we’re witnessing a landslide.
