U.S. Election Night 2008

[Túrin Turambar]

It’s getting on 10pm on Wednesday here and I’m going to bed soon. As it stands now, it looks like Missouri has broken its bellwether record. Indiana and North Carolina seem to be locked into Obama’s column, although, like Virginia and Florida, only barely. To paraphrase the Duke of Wellington, it’s been a surprisingly near-run thing. Still, he got a very impressive swing going in some of those states, and a win is a win regardless. Besides, Obama might yet take one of Nebraska’s Electoral Votes.

The real action is in the Senate, and on Proposition 8 in California (which I commented on in the gay marriage thread). At the moment, it’s looking like a Democratic gain in Oregon, and razor-thin Republican holds in Minnesota and Alaska (!?!). As far as I can tell, that’s the best the Democrats have done in the Senate since Watergate, but their House results have fallen a bit short of expectations. It isn’t a sweep like in 2006, and building a stronger majority will be a long and hard process. Also, there’s rumours flying around that there’s hundreds of thousands of early and absentee ballots floating around Atlanta that still need to be counted – they could possibly close the Presidential race in the Peach State, but at the very least should push Senator Saxby Chambliss to a runoff.

But it’s been a fun day, though. I’ve been jumping between the TV and the computer watching the results come in. Hopefully I’ll know exactly what’s gone on when I wake up tomorrow (otherwise I’ll get no work done for yet another day).

[Frelga]

And The Onion quips, Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job

Their other article was funnier but unquotable.

In other words,

[Pearly Di]

I got so choked up yesterday, watching Channel 4 news and Jon Snow reporting from Howard University, an all-black university outside Washington D.C., where on election night he shared with the students who sang and partied throughout the night. When Obama's victory was finally called, the reaction of these African-American kids was AMAZING. They shrieked, bounced and burst into tears. Even though it was expected, many had stunned expressions of disbelief on their faces. Some just wept and wept and were so overcome with emotion they could barely speak to an obviously touched Jon Snow.

What a great day for America, in terms of felling a great and formidable barrier. Political differences aside, what a great day and a great moment.

I've bought two souvenir editions of The Times and The Independent today.

And The Onion quips, Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job

I love The Onion!

They're a bit like our Private Eye. Note to self: I have so got to buy a Private Eye this week.

Their other article was funnier but unquotable.

*determines to find and read*

Tory Leader David Cameron to PM Gordon Brown yesterday in Parliament: "I trust that you told the new President-elect that this is no job for a novice." BWAHAHAHA! (That was Brown's jibe to Cameron at the time of the Tory Conference earlier this autumn.) Nice one, Mr Cameron.

So funny listening to Radio 4 this morning. World leaders are falling over themselves in the race to become President-elect Obama's new best friend. Some wag quipped that when Obama enters the White House in January, he will already find President Sarkozy of France waiting there.

[Alatar]

Here's the clip I was talking about

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1105/mornin ... 2,null,209

[ToshoftheWuffingas]

I didn't bother to go to bed on Wednesday morning, having stayed up all night so carried on my normal life but getting groggier. The news coming in kept me cheerful. What made it a bit worse was the fact I had only about 5 or 6 hours sleep the preceding 2 nights. Anyway I went to bed Wednesday night at 10pm after being awake non-stop for two days.
I slept 12 hours solid!

[tinwë]

I spent election night at one of the local Democratic Party celebrations, which was so much fun, especially given how the results turned out. The Democrats swept the local County Commissioner At Large seats here, and they all showed up at the restaurant we were at. One of them was giving a victory speech when the news came on that Obama had been declared the winner. The place went nuts. For the next thirty minutes it was just sheer pandemonium, people shouting, crying, dancing, hugging. What a night.

I really felt like part of history being made, and the excitement and energy of the crowd was amazing. I’m glad I went. It was quite an experience.

[Maria]

Now the big news will be, "What KIND of puppy will Obama pick?"

You were right! Look up "Obama puppy" on google news and over 2000 articles come up.

[ToshoftheWuffingas]

I talked to my son on the phone about the election yesterday. He had made himself a big jug of strong coffee to keep himself awake and settled down to watch. He fell asleep at Pennsylvania at about 2am our time. (Ohio, the clincher, was called around 4 am our time) Anyway he took the remains of the coffee to work the next day.
And realised he'd made himself decaff!

[Túrin Turambar]

I’ve got no idea what I’d do if I needed to stay up all night to watch the results. I’m incredibly lucky in that major elections in North America and Europe unfold during the day here (the U.S. election was called at 2pm local time).

[ToshoftheWuffingas]

I'm built of sterner stuff than my lad. I rose on Tuesday morning and went to bed on Wednesday at 10pm.

[Primula Baggins]

The U.S. West Coast has it good for an election like this one. Called at 8:30 PM and Obama's speech was over by 10. We still stayed up, of course.

It wasn't so good in the bad old days before the networks developed some restraint. I remember the 1980 election being called for Reagan in the middle of the afternoon, while I was still at work and hours before I could vote. West Coast turnout was definitely depressed by that.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Here's a slideshow of some pictures of some friends of mine from election night that some here might find interesting:

Slide Show

[Primula Baggins]

Thank you for sharing that, Voronwë. I liked it a lot.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I'm glad (and not surprised) that you enjoyed Prim.

I love the picture of Obama sitting and holding the hand of his mother-in-law. And there are some great ones of him and Biden; they really do seem to have good chemistry.

[Primula Baggins]

I like their expressions when they're talking to each other right after Biden arrives. Not triumphal glee; two intelligent, serious men.

[yovargas]

I keep thinking what it must be like to be Obama right now. What a strange and fascinating experience for a human to go through. Those are great pics, V-dude. Thanks.

[vison]

Don't quite know why, but those photos brought tears to my eyes.

If I was into praying, I'd pray pretty hard for all those people.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

It's because it shows these folks as real people. I can't remember the last time I saw that with our leaders. Not the Bushes, not the Clintons. Not the Reagans. Maybe Carter.

[Rebecca]

Thanks for sharing those, Voronwë.

They're some really great shots. And I agree, very real.

[yovargas]

I noted how very few of the private ones show Obama smiling.