}

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Live blogging: US election results

I'm going to attempt at least some live blogging as the US election results come in. I don't know if this is going to work, because the Internets may not cope with the strain of this election—much of the campaign was waged over the Internet, after all.

So, here we go…

1:00 PM (all times NZ time): CNN projects that Obama carries Vermont and McCain carries Kentucky. Obama now has 3 Electoral votes (only 267 to go!). McCain's actual vote in Kentucky so far is much lower than opinion polling was showing would be the case.

1:05 PM: As predicted, Warner wins Senate seat in Virginia. First gain by the Democrats.

1:16 PM: Jessica Yellin in CNN studio from Chicago via hologram. Why am I thinking, "Help me Obe Wan; You're our only hope..."?

2:00 PM: This waiting is torture. CNN calls Massachusetts (12), Illinois (21—yay, Illinois!!), Connecticut (7), New Jersey (15), Maine (3 of 4 so far), Delaware (3), Maryland (10) and District of Columbia (3) for Obama, giving him a new total of 77 Electoral votes. They also called South Carolina (8), Oklahoma (7) and Tennessee (11) for McCain, giving him a total of 34. they're being very cautious.

However, MSNBC calls Pennsylvania (21) and New Hampshire (4) and all four of Maine's Electoral votes for Obama, giving him 103. Better.

2:21 PM: Right wing Fox says Liddy Dole lost her Senate seat!!! Great News!!

2:30 PM: Fox has also called Pennsylvania for Obama. What's the holdup with CNN?

2:39 PM: CNN finally calls Pennsylvania for Obama. MSNBC has also called Georgia (15) and Alabama (9) for McCain; both are solid red states and the results were expected. That gives McCain 58 Electoral Votes. Nothing unexected in these results. And, as Jason pointed out in a comment, Obama has 74 Electoral Votes to come from the West Coast. New York is among the states closing at 3pm our time.

3:18 PM: Been watching all the analysis of the 3pm closings. It looks good for Florida going for Obama—poetic justice, in a way.

3:23 PM: Fox calls Ohio for Obama. They say it doesn't look good for McCain; hope they're right.

3:33 PM: They're all calling Ohio for Obama (apart from CNN), but Fox says Obama is at 200 Electoral Votes which, if true, would mean he'll win (because of Electoral Votes out West).

3:38 PM: Okay, CNN has joined the Ohio party. They've also shown how pointless McCain's efforts in Pennsylvania were.

3:58 PM: As we wait for the next wave, the news channels are talking to "analysts" and the Republicans are doing post mortems. Already.

4:30 PM: Okay I'm calling it: Obama's won. Now, let's defeat Prop 8!!!

4:48 PM: While we're waiting, Jason pointed out that there are now NO Republican Congress people left in teh Northeast states, though it was once the core of the party's support. They deserve that, Meanwhile, Fox says Obama takes Virginia.

4:55 PM: Okay, we're almost officially done.

5:00 PM: CNN projects that Obama wins!!!!!!

I never thought I'd live to see this day

I am so fucking happy I can't even say how happy I am....

5:25 PM: McCain is being very gracious in his concession speech. If this McCain had been running...

5:36 PM: McCain's crowd wasn't as gracious as the man. No surprise, I'm afraid. Prop 8 is currently winning 53-46 in California, but most of the results are from rural counties.

6:24 PM: Pleased to watch my new president's speech as President-Elect. No boos in the Obama crowd when McCain was mentioned.

8:17 PM: Still watching results on TV, but watching Prop 8 online. Looking bad, like hate might win: 52.8% for, 47.2% against with 37% of precincts reporting. The margin has been steady for awhile now.

9:31 PM: Early to bed. Tomorrow the work begins, but for tonight, sweet dreams.

26 comments:

Jason in DC said...

Off we go. This is a great start. Remember that the West Coast is solid for Obama with 74 electoral votes.

Haven't heard the news about Dole but good news. Plus two for the Dems in the Senate.

d said...

I sort of get the red states...but, really people? Why is the McCain/Palin ticket getting any votes AT ALL? I'm shocked and disappointed in Americans, honestly.

Ann and Michael said...

I also heard Dole is toast- MSNBC, I think. (That's on the computer, CNN Int'l on telly.) Started doing the happy dance of joy in SI NZ as soon as MSNBC called Pennsylvania!

I am soooo proud of this result so far- looks like a blowout and somehow it has only hit me today what a BIG DEAL having a black president is going to be- so positive for the entire world.

The last time I felt this elated at an election I was standing on Capitol Hill watching Clinton's first inauguration - and my hopes are that this will turn out so much better than that did overall.

Anonymous said...

YES! OHIO!!!!! Both MSNBC and Faux News say Obama!

Looked at BBC news and they've got the popular vote nationwide as 50/49 which is a bit shocking. Understand what d was saying about that!

d said...

Re: Ohio - a Republican friend of mine (weird, but true) said the same thing. Said the math won't work for McCain without Ohio. Here's hoping!

The numbers for House and Senate look promising too.

d said...

Don't 'jinx' the Western votes yet! I hope he'll get them, but don't want to count them just yet...

Arthur Schenck said...

I just hope the networks can hold off from calling the race until Prop 8 is defeated!

Anonymous said...

They pretty much have but good point. Liked the Daily Show piece on that last night.

d said...

Frick he 's catching up! I'm going to have a stroke...

Anonymous said...

I want one of those giant CNN computer touch screens for christmas. If you get me one, Arthur, I'll get you one for your birthday.

John Bolton is a talking head on the BBC and he's so totally obnoxious you'd think he was on Faux News.

Now crossing fingers for Al Franken's race in MN. He's ahead, but not much in yet.

Anonymous said...

'anonymous' was Ann if you're shopping, Arthur.

Jason in DC said...

I think it's time to stick a fork in this bird and call it done.

What an INCREDIBLE night.

I can hardly wait to go to the inauguration.

Arthur Schenck said...

Ann: Deal!

Ann and Michael said...

Faux News apparently just gave Virginia to Obama! Good work, Jason!

d said...

Holy shit, I'm crying!! This is amazing...

Arthur Schenck said...

Me too, D!

d said...

Now we just have to keep him alive until December 15th, when the electoral college formally votes.

Jason in DC said...

People came out on my street and cheered. I found my cow bell and took it outside and shook it long and loud. And peopled cheered even louder.

What an incredible night.

d said...

Every time someone says "Barack Obama will be the 44th president of the United States" I start crying all over again! Dammit!

McCain did well, but his crowd didn't.

Now when do we hear about Prop 8?!?

Anonymous said...

Crying too, of course- even Bill Bennett was on CNN!

I wish I was in DC right now joining the party!

d said...

Incredible acceptance speech, and here I am crying again...

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on Obama's victory!

I have my fingers crossed for Prop 8's defeat, too. Let's hope for a completely sweet victory, rather than a bittersweet one.

Nik said...

What a fine day -- don't ya kind of wish you were back in the US for it? I do feel a bit sad way down here... But what a day, what a moment.

I voted no on 8 as I'm registered in Calif. but sounds like it's unsure which way it will go (the wording of the bloody proposition was very confusing to me, I had to read it 3 times before I figured out what "No" meant!)

Ann and Michael said...

Well, bittersweet. Hate measures won almost across the board, excepting a couple of the anti-abortion ones.

Now several members of the Supreme Court can retire safely and hopefully some of the conservatives will go, too- get the Supreme Court back and maybe they can overturn all the anti-civil rights measures nationwide in one fell swoop.

Speaking of which, was shocked when supporters of John Key (those Pacific Islander former All Blacks) threw in with him expressly to remove civil union options in NZ. Time to focus on that election!

Arthur Schenck said...

Thanks everyone for taking part in this little effort here. I've always said that the point of blogging is to engage in a conversation, and we certainly managed that, so thank you.

I'm disappointed that hate won in various states (though the fight against Prop 8 in California isn't over yet). But you know, I'm a bit more circumspect about it all today. I mean, look how long it was from Brown v. Board of Education, Rosa Parks, lunch counter protests and Dr. King's March on Washington until President-elect Obama's victory. And that wasn't just black folks doing it alone, but with the support of an entire rainbow.

The modern GLBT civil rights movement is 39 years old, and we've come a long way in that time. Sure, we haven't fully achieved the promises of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, but we'll get there eventually. And when we do, it'll also be because of the support of others, in our case heterosexual allies who stood with us when it counted most—times like this.

So, while we had some set-backs yesterday, overall we're still moving forward, and that's the main thing.

I'd like to especially say "thanks" to the many heterosexual participants on this blog for your support. Despite everything, I still believe in Dr. King's vision, and that one day all of us will get to the "promised land" together.

Roger Owen Green said...

I was out of pocket for most of this. But interesting reporting.

in shock, still