Wednesday
Nov052008
Live Blog: Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop....
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 1:44
2:26 a.m. And CNN gets beat to the punch. Fox and MSNBC call Ohio --- already! --- for Obama.
Game over.
2:25 a.m. Then Wolf Blitzer excitedly declares, "We are on the verge of a major projection." And, laying it on in cliff-hanger, CNN cuts to adverts to make some money.
2:24 a.m. CNN cuts to a bit of Hank Williams, Jr. at the McCain "rally". Maybe he can rewrite his best-selling hit as "All My Rowdy Friends Are Voting Democrat Tonight".
2:24 a.m. CNN decides that West Virginia (5) will be going for McCain. Since Fox did that almost two years ago, I think CNN can now put "caution" in its banner.
2:21 a.m. Desperation Corner --- Fox, looking for any shred of comfort/castigation, are claiming that two Black Panthers are intimidating voters outside a Philadelphia polling station.
I presume that these are two African-American leftie/radical/"terrorist" Black Panthers as opposed to large cat Black Panthers (like on "Big Cat Safari").
Oh, yes, Fox also call Kansas (6) for McCain.
2:19 a.m. CNN finally projects that Senator McConnell is safe in Kentucky. He's up only 51-49 with 65 percent in but the key urban (and then Democratic-leaning) areas have already reported.
2:13 a.m. In the Republican swing states (any one of which will win it all for the Democrats)
Virginia --- McCain now up only 50-49 with 64% in
North Carolina --- Obama up 52-48 on 37% in
Florida --- Obama up 52-48 with 48% in
Indiana --- McCain up 51-48 with 65% in
Ohio (now counting) --- Obama up 57-42 with 8% in
2:12 a.m. CNN calls Georgia for McCain. Old news, guys.
2:12 a.m. Paul Begala on CNN just quoted his son, "Peace Out, Cub Scout". I have no clue why.
2:08 a.m. Reports that there are up to a million people attending the rally in Chicago tonight. Question: if they were going to riot from anger with an Obama loss (see the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail), will they riot from joy with an Obama victory?
2:04 a.m. CNN calls Senate seats for Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire) and Tom Udall (New Mexico). That's four gains so far so, at a minimum, it's 53-45 Democrat (with two independents) in the upper chamber.
2:07 a.m. Here's one of those counting quirks I love. Obama is up 174-49 in the electoral college count but, up to a minute ago, McCain was slightly ahead in the popular vote.
2:02 a.m. CNN has decided to give the wizard Bill Schneider another go at analysing results. Unfortunately, it's with his awful "tornado" map that can only be read by Superman at close distance. They really are pants --- is that an acceptable political term? --- tonight.
2 a.m. Obama takes Michigan (17), Rhode Island (4), Wisconsin (10), Minnesota (10), New York (31). McCain gets Wyoming (3) and North Dakota (3) which, frankly, looks a bit weak.
Really weak --- CNN want to rub it in by not calling McCain's home state of Arizona.
2 a.m. While we're waiting, Channel 4 has this classic quote: "Call in the dogs and piss on the fire."
1:58 a.m. CNN calls Alabama for McCain. "Not a huge surprise." No, not really. They're itching for the next closing of polls in 2 minutes. They even have Wolf staying at a big clock.
1:53 a.m. Dramatic drumroll. Could it be? But no, just the confirmation that Kay Hagan has taken the Senate seat from Elizabeth Dole in North Carolina. Campbell Brown is revelling in the fact that Dole (unsuccessfully) tried to claw back a lead by accusing Hagan of "godlessness".
1:50 a.m. The British magazine The Spectator tries to make its international mark by calling the election --- the entire election --- for Obama.
More importantly, so has P Diddy. He "felt like Martin Luther King when he voted".
And not so importantly but entertainingly, William Bennett has given up on CNN. Bennett, who was the former commander of Ronald Reagan's War on Drugs, who then preached about the decline of "culture" in the United States, and who then (inconveniently for his analysis) got caught losing millions of dollars gambling, sadly says that Pennsylvania seals the deal. No doubt, he will follow this in a few minutes with a treatise on the continued slide of the US into cultural mud.
1:45 a.m. Fox tries to ease its pain (I'm trying to picture the faces as they called Pennsylvania for Obama): they call Alabama (9), Georgia (15), and Arkansas (6) for McCain.
So my relatives, who live north of Atlanta, can all have a consolation drink of Coca-Cola --- the South (at least if you cut loose of Virginia and maybe North Carolina) has stayed solid.
1:42 a.m. That is, the shoe that means the Democrats can celebrate. Republicans still up in Virginia. North Carolina is still early (10% in). And Ohio has delayed counting because polling stations stayed up late to accommodate people in line.
Of course, that's only 3 of the Target 10. And all of those --- including Indiana --- are still in play.
Game over.
2:25 a.m. Then Wolf Blitzer excitedly declares, "We are on the verge of a major projection." And, laying it on in cliff-hanger, CNN cuts to adverts to make some money.
2:24 a.m. CNN cuts to a bit of Hank Williams, Jr. at the McCain "rally". Maybe he can rewrite his best-selling hit as "All My Rowdy Friends Are Voting Democrat Tonight".
2:24 a.m. CNN decides that West Virginia (5) will be going for McCain. Since Fox did that almost two years ago, I think CNN can now put "caution" in its banner.
2:21 a.m. Desperation Corner --- Fox, looking for any shred of comfort/castigation, are claiming that two Black Panthers are intimidating voters outside a Philadelphia polling station.
I presume that these are two African-American leftie/radical/"terrorist" Black Panthers as opposed to large cat Black Panthers (like on "Big Cat Safari").
Oh, yes, Fox also call Kansas (6) for McCain.
2:19 a.m. CNN finally projects that Senator McConnell is safe in Kentucky. He's up only 51-49 with 65 percent in but the key urban (and then Democratic-leaning) areas have already reported.
2:13 a.m. In the Republican swing states (any one of which will win it all for the Democrats)
Virginia --- McCain now up only 50-49 with 64% in
North Carolina --- Obama up 52-48 on 37% in
Florida --- Obama up 52-48 with 48% in
Indiana --- McCain up 51-48 with 65% in
Ohio (now counting) --- Obama up 57-42 with 8% in
2:12 a.m. CNN calls Georgia for McCain. Old news, guys.
2:12 a.m. Paul Begala on CNN just quoted his son, "Peace Out, Cub Scout". I have no clue why.
2:08 a.m. Reports that there are up to a million people attending the rally in Chicago tonight. Question: if they were going to riot from anger with an Obama loss (see the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail), will they riot from joy with an Obama victory?
2:04 a.m. CNN calls Senate seats for Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire) and Tom Udall (New Mexico). That's four gains so far so, at a minimum, it's 53-45 Democrat (with two independents) in the upper chamber.
2:07 a.m. Here's one of those counting quirks I love. Obama is up 174-49 in the electoral college count but, up to a minute ago, McCain was slightly ahead in the popular vote.
2:02 a.m. CNN has decided to give the wizard Bill Schneider another go at analysing results. Unfortunately, it's with his awful "tornado" map that can only be read by Superman at close distance. They really are pants --- is that an acceptable political term? --- tonight.
2 a.m. Obama takes Michigan (17), Rhode Island (4), Wisconsin (10), Minnesota (10), New York (31). McCain gets Wyoming (3) and North Dakota (3) which, frankly, looks a bit weak.
Really weak --- CNN want to rub it in by not calling McCain's home state of Arizona.
2 a.m. While we're waiting, Channel 4 has this classic quote: "Call in the dogs and piss on the fire."
1:58 a.m. CNN calls Alabama for McCain. "Not a huge surprise." No, not really. They're itching for the next closing of polls in 2 minutes. They even have Wolf staying at a big clock.
1:53 a.m. Dramatic drumroll. Could it be? But no, just the confirmation that Kay Hagan has taken the Senate seat from Elizabeth Dole in North Carolina. Campbell Brown is revelling in the fact that Dole (unsuccessfully) tried to claw back a lead by accusing Hagan of "godlessness".
1:50 a.m. The British magazine The Spectator tries to make its international mark by calling the election --- the entire election --- for Obama.
More importantly, so has P Diddy. He "felt like Martin Luther King when he voted".
And not so importantly but entertainingly, William Bennett has given up on CNN. Bennett, who was the former commander of Ronald Reagan's War on Drugs, who then preached about the decline of "culture" in the United States, and who then (inconveniently for his analysis) got caught losing millions of dollars gambling, sadly says that Pennsylvania seals the deal. No doubt, he will follow this in a few minutes with a treatise on the continued slide of the US into cultural mud.
1:45 a.m. Fox tries to ease its pain (I'm trying to picture the faces as they called Pennsylvania for Obama): they call Alabama (9), Georgia (15), and Arkansas (6) for McCain.
So my relatives, who live north of Atlanta, can all have a consolation drink of Coca-Cola --- the South (at least if you cut loose of Virginia and maybe North Carolina) has stayed solid.
1:42 a.m. That is, the shoe that means the Democrats can celebrate. Republicans still up in Virginia. North Carolina is still early (10% in). And Ohio has delayed counting because polling stations stayed up late to accommodate people in line.
Of course, that's only 3 of the Target 10. And all of those --- including Indiana --- are still in play.
Reader Comments (18)
NBC has called Indiana for McCain.
So the 'godless' Hagan beat Elizabeth Dole in N Carolina! Hurrah! Break out more pizza...
Julie Rak reporting from darkest Edmonton Alberta. So, polls close in seconds. But more importantly, what are all the candidates WEARING right now?
Rhode Island, Michigan, NYS, Wisconsin for Obama=by CNN
Scott, pants is a perfectly promulent term, a posteriori (Latin that)
As we speak the increasing numbers are starting to fuse David Dimblebys neural receptors into mush!
Thanks, I feel vindicated....
right wing blogger on the beeb claims Florida insiders see it as 'lost'. Wasn't that an island in the Pacific?
I'll get my coat...
Hey hey, hello all.... Finally have something useful to say! BBC's reporter in NYC had two US bloggers in the studio; one Republican, one Dem. The Republican blogger says she has a source inside the Republican Party in FLorida who has given her the GOP exit polls for that state, which claim that Obama will win there 49-51......
I'm glad someone has mentioned Dimbleby's downfall... anyone would think tonight had been sprung on them out of nowhere!
NY 71:28. Poor Staten Islanders - little red oasis in NYC.
Poor David Dimbleby! He's holding it together, just, and his haranging of Jeremy Vine was comical "give me Virginia...now Florida" but this had to be his last.
On an extra note, Simon Schama is clearly an academic if we judge him by his way of wearing a suit. John Bolton gas forgot his meds, as ever.
Finally give us more Hitchens!!
Looking like my adopted home state of Florida, will be putting Obama over the top. My county is heavily Repub (think Huntsville, AL with a beach) - Military base, NASA, High Tech Industry, White Collar, but it's amazing to see Orange, Seminole & Osceola going for Obama after being firmly Repub strongholds over the last few elections. Nice work, Scott!
The Dimbleby failure has been much discussed here in Bristol. The guy is getting paid to tell us what CNN (and Enduring America!) reported five minutes earlier. Jeremy Vine shouldn't have taken this gig- he has enough on his plate now he's presenting Eggheads.
Did Fiona Bruce not think of asking Murdoch how he would define "a disaster for the world" what's been happening recently? A bit if a head cold?!
Yes, but Jezzer Vine is mega Elvis Costello fan so kudos to him!
Plus. Did you know that his touch screen I'd powered by the booze Hitchens brought with him?
AGAIN where is the Hitch?!
2:39 - Obama just ticked up to 200 on the BBC web counter. Projection from New Mexico.
Schama seems desperate to call it.
2:41 - McCain's ticker went up to 124, no followup statement yet.
Ah there goes Texas... that would have made a beautiful blue - maybe next year... ;)
A serious political point from the Back Bay Fens:
IMHO this may not be a big transformative election like FDR or the Gipper, afterall one could argue America is 'One Nation, After All'. But one transformation could be that the idea that culture CLEARLY divides the nation and wins an election is over. Perhaps no longer America is 'Nixonland' no more. If that's true it'll do for me :)