I'll be "live blogging" periodically throughout the day with my observations from the polls, the latest voter suppression efforts, and reaction to the state-by-state returns. History is truly being written on AB.com today, so check in for periodic updates and leave your comments.
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11:03pm
CNN just called the race! Kisses, hugs, and tears all around the house! Gimme a sec to digest all this. I am going outside the dance in the street!
10:58pm
The party is slowly dissipating. I don't see the victory speech happening before 1am. NC and VA are still in shambles. What's up with this?
Roland Martin looks like a guy knows his girlfriend is about to dump him after the prom. CNN scaled him back after the Democratic primaries, now he is headed to the unemployment line. I hope TV One is hiring.
10:52pm
Obama thumped/waxed/drug/ethered McCain 92% to 8% in DC. Cue the cliched regional theme music.
10:50pm
To fill time, CNN is forced to "beam up" rapper Will.I.Am of the Black Eye Peas using their newfangled technology. Anderson Cooper looks like he's quietly dying inside.
And I will loudly die inside if I ever hear that friggin' song again. Arghhh!!!
Would they just end this already? Sheesh.
10:45pm
Just saw John King's 3D US Captitol in hi-def. After one Obama-tini and a Heineken, that is officially creepy technology at work. CNN clearly blew the load on bling.
10:42pm
I'm officially calling shenanigans in NC and VA. There's no logical reason for the results to be taking this long. This ain't friggin' Florida, it's North Cack and V-A. Count the effin' ballots already!
Something is very very fishy. Mark my words.
Ditto for Lake County, IN. Man, I can already smell the litigation.
Ted Stevens is leading in the polls in Alaska. The GOP is officially pathetic. This prolly says more about Alaska than it does the party, but what does all that say about Mrs. Sarah then?
10:30pm
3 hours and change after the polls closed and no results in NC, VA, or IN. Something is hella fishy here. CNN is providing no answers. We need to change the channel.
Obama is way ahead in FL and you know CA is going to him. Ricky Davis just conceded the race himself.
10:09pm
This picture says it all.
Toast.
10:00pm
In a fit of excitement, I jumped up and spilled my Obama-tini all over these white folks' computer my work laptop. Thank goodness it didn't ruin anything but my sweatparts. The show goes on.
9:58pm
AverageSis says McCain might not even crack 100 electoral votes. I think that's a stretch, but it's likely that this turns into a historic landslide.
What does all this say about America? That's we're "beyond" race? That good guys do finish first? That 'dirty' campaigns are a thing of the past? Or simply that Bush was the worst Prez evar? I'm sure the pundits will weigh in with some theory, but the decisive manner of the victory tells me this is something bigger than just an election.
I've been loathe to call this a "movement", because I hate that word. But anyone who pulls those sorts of crowds and wins by this big a margin is clearly bigger than just a politrician.
This is going to be hard for some people to take I know, but the majority of America has spoken, and they've elected a "bitter", "American hating", "elitist", who "pals around with domestic terrorists". Again, a tough pill for some to swallow, but get used to it or get gone. I hear Vancouver is nice.
9:46pm
I predict Sarah Palin will be less than gracious when she concedes, assuming they even let her hatin' arse talk. McCain will lay on the accolades and fall back like a true soldier. Someone just said they turned off the televised returns at McCain HQ.
Lights out. Literally.
9:43pm
CNN's John King, who clearly is a McCain supporter, is sorrowfully conceding the race to Obama, unless lightning strikes twice on a Tuesday night. JohnnyMac has to win every remaining contested race.
"I can't get him to 270. Not even a miracle could."
Toast.
9:42pm
This is still kinda surreal. A black man as Prez will prolly take months to sink in. Seriously, as recently as 3 years ago this concept was little more than a punchline.
My wife had a bit part in this movie since it was filmed in the DC Urreah, mostly in Baltimore as usual since it's cheaper there and all you need from DC is the street shots. Her scene got cut out of the theatrical version. She was so pissed we've never rented to DVD to see if it made it there in the extras. So, maybe she was in there. It was a lousy movie anyway.
9:32pm
The only way this could get better would be for Obama to win my home state of North Carolina. Virginia would be icing on the cake.
Back on CNN for good now. No more Fox News. Those guys are just sad.
And as someone already mentioned, I commend Spool for being a good sport. This has to hurt, but dude is still showing up for the thrashing.
We're thisclose to going over 100 comments for the first time evar.
CNN is panning the crowd in Chicago. Hundreds of thousands already in place. The McCain party looks like an interment.
9:29pm
I am celebrating with my first (of certainly many to come) Obama-tini of the night. Fox has Obama with 200 already. McCain is way behind. The whole network appears to be on suicide watch.
9:18pm
Someone asked about those Cabbage Patch dolls pictured above. They were made for charity and went for a grip on Ebay. Here's more pics. Yes, they made a Biden doll, complete with yarn plugs. How authentic.
I'll just say it, them are some ugly dolls.
9:06pm
Vanilla Latte says I should thank Hillary for smearing Obama to the point that McCain had nothing left to pick over but party talking points and garden-variety xenophobia. Good point, VL. Enjoy your Cyber CapriSuns.
9:04pm
I tuned to Fox News just out of curiosity. It looks like a funeral there too. Hatin' ass Brit Hume looks like he's about to choke on his lunchtime porterhouse. I am loving this so much I am going to Tivo Fox News so I can delight in this moment for weeks to come.
Not surprisingly, Fox has the race much closer than any other channel.
9pm results coming in now. Obama is up 174 to 49 right now. Barry has it locked up.
Still nothing from NC, VA, IN, or GA yet.
8:55pm
Hagan beats Dole handily in NC Senate race. This bodes well for Obama in my home state.
Go Tarheels! Go Barry!
Lots of polls close in 5 mins. This could be officially over in 15 mins.
8:51pm
AverageSis says she's a bit sad for McCain. He clearly sold his soul and ran a tasteless campaign to try and win. It didn't work. Now, his lifetime of service is forever tarnished. He is a two-time loser who will be known as having run the most negative campaign (maybe 2nd, behind Hillary) in modern history. And, horror of horrors, he lost to a black guy. That has to hurt.
I don't really feel bad for him though. He did this willingly. He could have run a noble campaign and lost nobly. He didn't.
Now he'll have to watch Palin run in 2012. That has to hurt even more.
8:45pm
Okay, now that it's over, lets talk about something superficial. I thought Obama's outdoor rally in Chi-Town was over the top. 1 Million people all together in one place is just doing it too big. But AverageSis says this is how the Obama campaign rolls. They aim to be larger than life. Thus, the outdoor rallies of 70,000+, Invesco Field, roman columns, and now, Grant Park.
That's gonna be a massive photo-op when Barry takes the stage with the Chicago skyline behind him. That photo will hang in black households worldwide.
8:40pm
CNN just called Pennsylvania for Obama. This baby is over!!!
Dana Bash just said the mood in Phoenix is conciliatory. John Mac is readying his speech.
Spool, put down the gun.
8:33pm
Watching the RNC Election Night PartyCam on CNN.com. This is pretty sad. There's about 300 people in some hotel ballroom listening to some covers band playing "Brown Eyed Girl". Nobody is really dancing. It looks like a repast.
Libby Dole is getting spanked in NC. Good! That's what you get for inferring that your opponent was "godless". How pathetic.
Can we agree that the GOP's blueprint smears are now ineffective? It's time for a new tactic, fellas. Folks are tired of that attacking sh*t.
The fat lady is sangin' "Lets Take, A Long Walk". Warm up the bus.
8:20pm
David Axelrod is on CNN with Wolf Blitzer. This dude must have an ego the size of the grand canyon now. He's sold not one, but two qualified black candidates (Deval Patrick to Mass Governor) to majority white populaces.
Axelrod, you da' man!!!
Someone says MSNBC just called PA for Obama. I'll believe it when I see it in the bible on CNN.
Dems are loading up on Senate seats too. Man, this could get very ugly.
8:14pm
The McCain funeral has begun. The delegate count is 77/34 Obama right now, but no real surprises yet. McCain is trailing Bush's 2004 numbers in most precincts however.
Somebody check Spool and make sure he's not near any sharp objects.
AverageFam is here. My brother (AOB) , his wife (AverageSisInLaw), and their 4 year old son are in the hizzouse. Loads of KFC and grape soda are being imbibed. Yes, we are black. Yes, it is very good. Don't hate.
Stay tuned. I suspect one of the battleground states is going to break soon. Start the death knell.
Quick shoutout to IndyBob! Stick with us and invite some friends over to join the fun.
7:49pm
Polls in 15 states and DC close by 8pm. Otherwise, nothing much is really happening right now. More cool graphics from CNN, lots of field shots. No new results.
Obama is waaay ahead in FL, and trailing by respectable margins in VA and IN. Neither state's "urban" centers have reported their numbers yet, so both should be considered in play.
Stay tuned.
7:20pm
Hot damn, now CNN is just showing off. They just unveiled some newfangled technology that shows you remote correspondents (like Jessica Yellin in Chicago) from the field, somehow "beamed in" via hologram so it looks like they're standing in the studio beside Wolf Blitzer (who is in New York I think. Maybe it's DC. Who knows).
Of course they chose the thin and shapely Jessica Yellin to try this out with first. Candy Crowley? Not so much. Still, pretty slick stuff.
Now, back to the polls. Looking for Indiana, Virginia, and other states to come in soon. This could be over by 8pm.
7:05pm
Kentucky goes to McCain, Vermont for Obama.
Mark "Watching Paint Dry Is More Exciting" Warner won the Senate seat in Virginia. This seems to bode well for Obama. Democrats in both Senate seats, plus the Governor. The writing is on the wall.
We are going to keep it locked on CNN all night. I can't even entertain Fox News' negativity, and MSNBC is still in standard definition, which makes it utterly useless. I will give CNN some credit, they have really stepped up their graphics game. Soledad and some old guy are working some cool video board that drills down on the particulars of their exit polls. Slick stuff. Money well spent.
Roland Martin needs a shape up. Tara Wall seems to have taken Amy Holmes' Angry Black Anti-Obama Chick role, and looks good doing it. Jeff Toobin? This cat is black. You can't convince me otherwise. Look at that fro' and Negroid nose/lips. [||]
Bill Bennett is being humble for once. Soledad looks painfully thin for a woman with ethnic blood. Wolf Blitzer looks lost as usual. Anderson Cooper is doing lots of squinting. Alex Castellanos looks like he's swallowing his own tongue. James Carville doesn't look very healthy. Everyone is wearing about 5 layers of makeup. I guess you have to do that for HD.
Maybe it's just me, but I've seen these folks more than my own family over the past 11 months. Enough already.
6:22pm
No Results Party. Weather and late voting are turning everyone off. McCain leads early returns in KY, no real surprise. Indiana will be the litmus test.
80% turnout in PA, 75% in MO. Take that as you wish.
CNN is reporting LOTS of issues with voting in VA, specifically the Tidewater Area and Richmond, where there's lots of Negroes. Machines are breaking down, voter registrations are missing, and lines are crazy long. Hang in there, my peoples.
6:01pm
Indiana and Kentucky just closed. Results coming shortly.
On an interesting note: CNN's exit polls show 72% of new voters nationwide voted for Barry. Cue the "ominous tone" music for McCain.
5:50pm
AverageToddler is up, and he wants his Daddy. Daddy is stepping away from the live blog. I sure don't want my boy in therapy 20 years from now behind this sorta negligence. See ya'll in an hour or so once the big returns start rolling in.
5:49pm
CNN is showing the site of Obama's rally in downtown Chicago's Grant Park. They are estimating a million people will show up tonight, win, lose, or draw. Wowzers, this has to be some record, right?
Imagine the crowds in DC the day he gets sworn in. It will put the Million Man March to shame.
On the flipside, John McCain is hosting an intimate gathering for a few dozen friends at the Biltmore Spa in Arizona. Yeah, that's a scene tailor-made for a pathetic and sad concession speech if there ever was one. Then again, I've actually visited The Biltmore for a business lunch and it's a freakin' lavish place, clearly suited for a multimillionairess and her Senator hubby. So at least McCain will sleep on some quality thread count sheets tonight. That's gotta be some concession, right?
5:26pm
Another protest vote? Apparently before his nap, AverageToddler went into the guest bathroom and unravelled a whole roll of toilet paper all over the floor and toilet. I just discovered this a moment ago. The kid is still napping, but I wonder if he's trying to send Daddy some message with all this defiance today. Does he dislike live blogging, and want his Dad's attention? He's about to wake up, I'd better make sure he gets some face time from me. Once the results party begins, it's a wrap.
5:19pm
Wow, I've been at this for 12 hours now! Woo Hooooo! Amazing how time flies when the kids are sleeping and you're still high on Red Bull. When I finally crash, I will crash hard. Hopefully it will be a pleasant sleep following an Obama win, not McCain/Palin nightmares.
Keep the comments rolling in. Let's set some new record. 100+, let's do it!
5:15pm
I'm watching CNN. They are delivering their "exit poll" info, and it looks bad for McCain. 50-some% of folks said the economy was issue #1. 9% said terrorism. Yikes.
She ain't exactly my type, but I must say, in the larger-than-life splendor of 50 inch HD Soledad O'Brien looks freakin' amazing! Dana Bash? Uhhh, not so much.
We're trying to finalize plans for a "Results Party" tonight, but with the weather and some peeps still voting, who knows what'll happen. You might catch the entire AverageFamily on this jawn tonight. I might even get real tipsy and post some party photos. Stay tuned!
4:35pm
The kids are waking up soon, so I hope ya'll have enjoyed this blogging explosion. It is coming to an abrupt end the moment AverageNewBaby wants his milk-milk.
Ya'll are leaving lots of comments, but few that have anything to do with my commentary. I've putting up good stuff here! Read it and respond. I know everyone is anxious to write Spool32's McCain's political obituary, but what about meeeee!?!?
Show AB some love. Read this live blog and talk about something, anything, you see in it. Please.
Signin' off for the moment. Baby is calling.
4:21pm
I am watching Michelle Malkin on Fox right now, discussing the Black Panthers. She doesn't know sh*t about sh*t. I officially hate her. Seriously, she wouldn't get the time of day if she weren't a minority and moderately (I said moderately) attractive. I have never considered punching a woman, but she might could get shaken pretty voilently.
Here's her getting slapped around a few times, just to brighten your day.
If you're offended by what I just typed, go stick your head in an oven visit some other site. This is AB's World. I don't owe Michelle Malkin sh*t!!!
4:20pm
Chew on this one...
109 Year Old Daughter of Slaves Votes For Obama
I am too masculine and brolic to even follow that link because crying is not a good look, but you gotta admit, win or lose, this has been very good for the country.
4:18pm
When Obamania runs wild...
4:15pm
So, Miss Sarah is finally vindicated of all charges in the Troopergate scandal. Score one for the Mavericks, three if it's Dirk shooting.
Wrong.
It was "it was up to the Alaska Personnel Board to decide if she broke any laws and that body has ruled that there was no breach of the state's ethics legislation", so this should be end of story, right?
The problem: the Alaska Personnel Board is comprised of folks Palin handpicked herself to rule on the case. An earlier ruling by a bipartisan group found Palin guilty as sin.
But seriously, who cares anymore? She's last year's news.
4:10pm
So, this is supposed to be "voter intimidation"? Seriously?
Really? Come on, watch the tape.
Thembi, what's this all about? Ciara, care to explain?
Fox News says this is "the Black Panthers" in Philly. To me, it looks like two random Negroes in leather jackets. If this is intimidation, then my son and I have been intimidated 5-10 times already today.
Just 8 more hours. Just 8 more. Hold on, folks.
3:50
Speaking of folks who'll benefit from an Obama White House: Black Obama Bashers stand to come up more than ever. Conservative media will need to bash Obama, but they'll need loyal Negro foot soldiers to spew their venom and deflect claims of racism.
Let's not get it twisted: I have been critical of Obama during the campaign and will be even more critical when he's in office. There's no such thing as "lettin' it slide" when you're running the country. I hope and expect him to do a good job, but I'll get in that arse when he doesn't. You don't grade Presidents on a curve, unless of course you're a Republican and we're talking about George Bush.
So, let's not get it confused, these guys I'm about to name aren't critics. They are, pure and simple, hired haters.
Here's the folks who are lining up for the coveted Barry Hatin' Negro gig:
1) Michael Steele - Dude is already a fixture on Fox News and always walks the party line. He has no future in politricks after getting his arse handed to him in the MD Senatorial race, so why not look for a media gig?
2) Kenneth Blackwell - See Steele, Michael.
3) Juan Williams - He already sorta has the gig, but the more he gives credit to Obama and keeps up his poorly veiled feud with Brit Hume, the more likely he is to be out of a gig. Tighten up, Juan.
4) Amy Holmes - Much like Jamal Simmons, she was more or less disposed of by CNN after the Dem nomination was secured. She isn't the brightest bulb in the socket, but she looks good on camera. Give her a gig.
5) Angela McGlowan - She's like Holmes, with even less knowledge and half the looks. I don't see her working anymore.
6) James T. Harris - James' meteoric rise to the top continues with an on-air audition all week with Fox and Friends. I could see him on a "panel" type show, or as a regular contributor, but he isn't well versed enough to have his own show.
7) Tara Wall - Cute, but vapid.
Who am I missing? Tell me in the comments.
3:40pm
It's now raining and very gloomy in DC. I sure hope this doesn't stop folks from hitting the polls after work. I already smell the built-in excuses.
3:36pm
All the conservative hand-wringing over a possible Obama Presidency is comical to me. Beyond the immediate disappointment of losing the race, this will be a virtual 4 year field day for talk radio, bloggers, and Faux News. Seriously, they are back to being victims of liberal propoganda. They can do their favorite thing, bitch, all day, and actually have some meat/reason behind it. What's not to like? I would wage that an Obama Presidency would be the best thing ever to happen to guys like Rush and Hannity.
Does it undermine the "strength of their movements" to a degree if the guy they slandered for months actually wins? Sure. But folks who hate Obama will need a place to gather their talking points, and folks like Glenn Beck and Michael Savage will be in demand as never before.
Seriously guys, imagine the possibilities. New yatchs for everyone. Spread the wealth!
3:22pm
What do you talk about on an election day when you're intentionally dodging all forms of political media? Why, rap music of course.
I don't care for this new Busta Rhymes song, "Arab Money". Well, let's be honest, the Ron Browz track is a banger, and the song's inventive enough to show Bussa Bus still has it. I even like the stoopid dance, mostly because even a dude like me with 2 left feet can pull it off.
But something about the "Arab Money" chant just seems very polictically incorrect to me.
I mean, seriously, what if somebody came out with a song called "Kike Dollars", or "Spic Scrilla", "Chink Change", or God forbid, "Pickininy Pocket Lint"? Negroes or all colors would be up in arms, and the NAACP would have already issued a press release.
I guess Middle Easterners either have better things to worry about or just get no respect. For for a guy who is a member of the Nation of Five Percent, you'd think Busta would be a tad bit more sensitive to such things.
Okay, maybe not.
3:03pm
I am looking forward to "getting my blog back" once this is all over. I've been on this Barry 4 Prez tip the past 18 months. It is wearing on me and I can't wait for it to end, win or lose. Watching all these unsavory characters has added 10 pts to my systolic pressure.
Besides, this ain't a political blog. Talking politricks has gained me the most notoriety, but it's hardly what I'm all about. I look forward to more pop culture crap, Negro Nonsense, and general greasy talk very soon. I hope ya'll stick with me.
3:01pm
Man, TV sucks. I am trying to avoid watching any cable news until 6pm at soonest for obvious reasons, but it's hard. There is little on but B-grade judge shows and telenovellas. Where's Netflix when you need it?
On an unrealated note: I am going to try replying to comments here in the live blog since I can't keep up with all them and do this, and watch the kids at the same time. I ain't that good.
3:00pm
AverageSis just voted. She was in and out in 3 mins flat.
2:57pm
Hey, did anyone else know Allen Iverson got traded yesterday? How'd I miss this?
Carmelo Anthony apparently cut off his braids in protest. He should have just cut them on GP. Cornrows are sooooo 98'.
2:55pm
They say hitting a baseball is the toughest task in sports. Passing the bar isn't easily. Lots of folks get stumped by Sudoku puzzles. But for my money, there is no harder job than getting a 25 month old and a 1 month old to fall asleep simulatenously.
Yes, I am The Man.
2:21pm
I know that whole "Wardrobe-gate" thing shook poor Sarah Palin a bit, but this is crazy. Now, intent on solidifying her Hockey Mom image again, she is reverting back to her own closet to find dudes for the trail. Now she's gone from Neiman Marcus back to PTA Mom and looks a hot mess.
Seriously, Mom Jeans? WTH?!? And the song they're dancing to is called "Redneck Woman". Could you imagine Obama playing Apache's "Gangsta Bitch" on the trail? Me neither.
Only 12 more hours before the carriage turns into a pumpkin and Mrs. Sarah is merely the flipside of a Trivial Pursuit card. Lovely.
1:43pm
As a guy who shorted his first son and went back to work early, I truly feel blessed to have taken a month off work for AverageNewBaby. The bonding time cannot be replaced, and it's great that my employer gives me 2 weeks, and my boss was willing to let me take another 2 for vacation.
That said, I wonder when some politician will get around to making paternity leave a national priority. FMLA provides women with maternity leave protection on their jobs, but men get no such guarantee. The state of California gives men a whopping 6 weeks with 6 weeks of partial pay, but other states are scattershot or leave it up to the employer.
For the record, the United States is one of only four countries in the world do not offer some form of paid parental leave. The others? Liberia, Swaziland, and Papua New Guinea. Great company to keep, guys, great company. Even most of Africa, for all it's flaws, offers 2 weeks with 100% pay to dads. Simply amazing.
For a party that's all about "family values", it's amazing that the GOP has never gotten behind this. Then again, they're about "less government", except when it pertains to a woman's uterus. I don't see it anywhere on Obama's agenda either, but if the gov't is serious about strengthening families, this wouldn't be a bad place to start.
Just the 2 cents of a loving father. Man, I will hate going back to work Monday. Arrgh.
1:33pm
As a person who lost his Dad on the eve of what was then a massive personal accomplishment (albeit not as big as the Presidency, but still big to me), I could only imagine the mixed feelings Obama will endure as he delivers the big speech in Chicago tonight. That's gotta be tough, but a win prolly helps. Like my Father, I have little dought thast Obama's grandma will be smiling from West Heaven, win or lose.
If you think what I just wrote was corny, go stick your head in the oven. You have no human emotions.
1:28pm
Now AverageToddler is protesting his mac & cheese lunch and not eating. First breakfast, now this. Perhaps the kid is on some Obama-fast that he isn't telling me about. It's getting on my last nerves, I know that much.
1:25pm
I think some of you might have mistaken my earlier note about Obama thanking Black America. I obviously don't mean thank Black America at the expense of all America. Nor to I expect Blacks to get any special treatment should Obama get in office. This has nothing to do with that.
I guess if nothing else, acknowledging the history he is making and the sacrifices of those that came before him would be enough. That's all I'm asking for. Don't treat this like it's "just another election". It isn't. There's no need for him to hold back on this like he did in Denver. Revel in your history, Barry. You did it.
1:19pm
I was out running some errands with AverageToddler and drove by my polling place again a few mins ago. There was no line. If you're looking for a good time to ditch work and go vote, this would be it. The lines will surely be bananas come 5pm when everyone else tries to go.
Conservative radio talkers are in mourning already and seem to be conceding defeat. Even Bill-O is already talking about what 4 years of Obama will look like. Like many, he is also bemoaning the possibility that Obama might return the Fairness Doctrine. This is complete BS, Obama is on record as saying he won't, but that doesn't stop every GOP talking idiot from using it as a reason to not vote for Barry. Returning to the Fairness Doctrine would allegedly mean the end of Conservative radio as we know it to listen to these guys. As if Obama doesn't have enough other sh*t to worry about.
10:17am
How lame is John McCain's new "Mac Is Back!" campaign slogan. Dude is trailing in erry poll, but apparently "Mac Is Back"? Please. How about "John Is Gone"?
9:56am
Obama held a press conference with "black leaders" yesterday to thank them for their contributions, but I wonder if he'll made a special note to thank Black America for their role in electing him when he speaks tonight. Yeah, I know it wasn't PC to do so during the campaign, but if he's got it in the bag, then why not reach out and say a very pointed thank you to the folks whose backs to rode to office? This doesn't need to be lengthy, nor does it need to come with any promises, but it seems appropriate and timely to do so.
I honestly might feel a tad bit disappointed in him if he doesn't seize the opportunity to acknowledge the moment in history and thank the folks who rode with him. A concession speech is no time to be politically correct or speak in code. Tell us "thank you" Barry, don't hold out on us. What do ya'll think?
9:48am
There's no excuse for this sorta nonsense. I know folks are antsy about the election and all, but why take it out on innocent kids?
What a douche-bag. This chick needs her arse whipped. Somebody send Trick Trick out to Grosse Point Farms.
9:45am
Various news outlets are reporting dramatically increased turnout, even in states that aren't even in contention like MD and NY. This can't possibly bode well for McCain, whose chances of winning are about as slim as my chances of keeping AverageSis off BabyGap.com.
I will make a very bold prediction: The black vote is going to be the defining theme of this election. Barack's solid showing with blacks won him the primaries. The huge turnout of Black voters and new registrations among Blacks are going to have a huge bearing on the final tally today.
I'm sure the MSM won't bother pointing this out since it's assumed Blacks are only voting for Barack since he's Black, but I am willing to bet the final count of Black voters will be astonishing.
9:25am
AverageToddler is staging his own protest vote. The kid is going all Michael Evans on me and refusing to eat his oatmeal. It must be contagious.
8:50am
Let the Obama LoveFest begin. The cast of MSNBC's Morning Joe figuratively fellates the Beige Savior as he and his family cast their votes in Chicago. I'm all for Obama and whatnot, but the constant gushing over him is enough to make even me cringe.
8:15am
Some random Fox News weatherwoman forecasts a mild day across America, which should mean the conditions won't effect turnout. On a related note, she no longer seems to be on Fox, but weatherwoman Domenica Davis has to be the most unlikely weather chick evar? Seriously, look.
I realize this will come off as somewhat sexist, but c'mon, who wears that sorta sh*t to forecast the weather at 9am?
She should be on Telemundo along with this lady.
And no, I had nothing to do with the slo-mo on that clip.
When you mix in weekend jumpoff Julie Banderas, it's easy to see why Fox News leads in the ratings. Journalistic integrity? Not so much. Latina eye candy? Si se puede.
8:05am
Conservative talker/random House Negro James T. Harris is truly pimpin' his 15 minutes of fame. Dude is on Fox & Friends and bashing Obama for "still being an unknown" and "not even releasing his grades from college". Pathetic, but predictable. Still, I can't shake the feeling that this guy is auditioning for the role of "Black Obama Hater", a gig I see all major networks filling in the coming months. Face it, it's easier to have a black guy criticize another black. You can pass off the same vitriol without really being called racist. Brilliant. Stick a pin in this one, I've got a post about this coming soon.
7:50am
Maybe it's just me and only me. I don't particularly care for Eminem, but this new "Welcome To Detroit City" joint with rapper/grownup bully Trick Trick makes we wanna move to Southfield.
If you're not feelin' that song, you either have a stock factory stereo system in your car or should have your pulse checked.
On a related note, enough of these "Welcome To [Insert Your City/State Here] hip hop anthems already. I listen to enough mixtapes to deem this trend officially dead. Come on, I heard some bamas rappin' "Welcome To Omaha" on a mixtape the other day. Enough already.
7:45am
Now that I've left the polls, something just occurred to me: I wasn't asked for ID. MD doesn't require this, only verification of address and you're free to cast your vote. I know this varies by state, and was the focus of a notable NAACP kerfuffle awhile back. Personally, I think the possibility for fraud is low (you'd have to know the actual address of the fraudulent registration and still wait in a long line), but I still don't like it a bit.
I also cast my annual Protest Vote, vs Congresswoman Donna Edwards, who is actually already in office thanks to some shady maneuvering and an expensive special election that was held last Summer. AverageBro.com has at least one vote!
7:35am
Well, that was quick. In and out in less than 30 mins. Getting up early truly paid off because the before-work line is now about 5 times longer than when i can in. Still, the polls out here in the burbs are so much efficient than when my wife and I lived in the barrio back in 2004. We got there about an hour early that year too, and the line was far shorter but it took much longer to vote. So, maybe we will stay in the suburbs after all.
Anyways, I'd' be interested in knowing how easy/hard it was for you to vote today. Fill me in.
6:15am
I'm here. The line is already long, but not "wait 8 hours" long. I should be on the way back home by 8am. But since I got in line 5 mins ago, it has already nearly doubled in size. It pays to be early.
Although the folks in line are largely black (this is the blackest section of a very diverse county) there is no pep band or revelry. Folks are cold and quiet, except for two black women behind me discussing the race. They keep using the word "African American" when referring to Barack, as if they are in mixed company and need to be PC. This naturally makes zero sense to me. I need to tune these chicks out. There are prolly voting for Crazy Cynthia McKinney anyway.
On with the headphones.
6:05am
We are officially off to a bad start. As I sat in my idling car, I noticed something fogging up the windshield. The wipers only made it worse. When I stopped to get my Red Bull, I drove up to the gas pump to use the squeegee, and sure enough, I discovered the culprit. Egg.
That's right, the guy on the block with the prominent Obama poster in his window gets egged. For about the 10th this this year.
Spool, dont talk sh*t to me about no freakin' "liberal bias" until you can keep your folks from destroying my personal property. When Obama wins tonight, I am going to lay in wait for these assholes to return. It's On!!!
Change folks. Vote for Change.
I might need to move back to the hood where people vandalize your car for a good reason.
5:50am
...Not so fast.
Before I leave the house, I have to spend 10 mins picking up the contents of my trashcan, which while sitting curbside overnight was rifled through by some vagrant yet again. This seems to happen with amazing regularity of late, a sign of the times. Yes, people are scouring trashcans for whatever they can get, even in my lily white suburban hood'. The economy is just that effed the eff up.
Change folks. Vote for Change.
And a bigger trashcan.
5:15am
Well, I'm up. I set the trusty Blackberry alarm for 5:00am, awoke, took a shower, and am headed to my local polling place which is a high school that has more students than Wasilla has residents. You betcha.
The goal is to load up on Red Bulls, grab a paper and prepare to wait. My hope is that getting there an hour before polls open will allow me to get in and out. I will come home and AvgSis will tag in, then go vote herself. Somebody has to keep the chill'rens.
The temp here in DC is a seasonal 55 degrees already with a forecast for rain late in the evening, which means the weather shouldn't be a factor in VA. No excuses in The Commonwealth. Show up and represent.
Unlike the Redskins, who didnt represent and got their clocks cleaned by the Steelers last night. I knew Jason Campbell was gonna turn back into Jason Campbell sooner or later. Arghh. Yep, I am totally off the bandwagon.
On to the polls...
12:50am
I'm sleeping right now. This post auto-published. Cool huh? I'll be up at 6am to hit the polls early. Check back then.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
AB Is Live Blogging Election Day!!!
Tags Popped: AvB Instant Classics, Barry 4 Prez, PoliTricks as Usual
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"Cool huh?"
You betcha! What else do you have up your blogger's sleeve?
Happy voting everyone!
My dad is voting at Deerfield Run Elementary School in Laurel right now. He tells me that before the polls opened, the line was wrapped around the building. This has never happened in his 30someodd years in PG County.
Gotta say, I'm studying up here in Mass, but I would KILL to be back in PG tonight. It'll be better than 2006, and that was damned fun.
Awesome blog I have to say. I'm down here in St. Mary's County MD. This is definitely not Obama land.
Looking on the local news here in the Charlotte, NC viewing area...
Black folks are in West Charlotte en masse..at the crack of dawn. The lines were long but during the live shot they had reduced to 'normal' levels. Astonishing.
It must take something really significant to get that many people up THIS early. :^)
By the way, with the Steelers winning over the 'Skins (23-6) last night, that bodes well for Obama.
In all but one of the 17 US Presidential elections since the Redskins moved to Washington from Boston, the winner of their last home game before the election
has correctly predicted the winner.
Redskins (home team) lost, the incumbent party (the party currently holding the Presidency) loses the election. This year, that would mean a John McCain loss.
Steelers (visiting team) won, the challenging party wins the election. This year,
that would mean a Barack Obama victory.
EG
Voted in Jacksonville, FL this morning at 7:30; no line, no wait. Of course, we had early voting and I think like half of either FL or my county voted early or by absentee ballot. Either way, I dropped off the baby, voted and still got to work on time. Good stuff.
I may be going to Starbucks to get my free whatever-they're-giving-out for wearing my "I Voted" sticker.
@Ebony Gent
Funny you bring that up today because I was thinking about that last night. I guess when you been around long enough you notice these things. I could hear my husband cussing throughout the game so I knew things were ugly...and I couldn't remember if that was good for "O" or not.
@ James
Welcome. My family is scattered throughout Calvert, Charles & St. Mary's. They're not all conservatives down in "those parts"! I'm sure if I still lived down there my house & car would have been egg'ed regularly.
In Michigan the polls opened at 7 AM. I was in line at 6:25 but did not get to vote until just after 8.
The holdup was that there weren't enough booths or volunteers. The volunteers were generally senior citizens who worked at a slower pace.
Still all thing considered things went pretty well. When I left the line had increased by a multiple of 20 or so. I think I'm getting absentee next time.
Calvert county. In line behind about 30 people at 6:45. Polls opened at 7, out by 7:15. Another 30-40 in line at that point. It's pretty rural in those parts.
And like Vanilla Latte said, it's bluer than you might think down there.
it's a great day! we got in line @ 6:25 with our 4-year old son in tow. it was a beautiful sight. about 50, mostly black, voters in line in the dark. our crowd was quiet too. but i know we were all SHOUTING on the inside :) we were out by 7:40. it was a beautiful thing. i considered going later in the morning since i only work 5 minutes from my house but i didn't want to chance it! and we also wanted to vote as a family. one of my greatest childhood memories is going with my parents to vote for carter in 1980- i was exactly our son's age then. i remember the super long line and my dad letting me pull the LEVER!!! LOL!! today, my son pushed the button for barack :-) like i said, today is a great day!
forgot to mention- we're in Montgomery Cty, MD just across the dc line.
@deedee
Weren't there a lot of smiling black folks IN LINE?!? :)
@vanilla
Here's the real irony in that NFL game last night. Steelers QB Ben Rothlisberger got hurt last night was replaced by a black QB named Byron Leftwich. Leftwich is a NATIVE OF WASHINGTON, DC!
You can't make this stuff up!
Leftwich went 7/10 passing, 129 and 1 touchdown.
EG
No lines at 8:15 in Western Mass. Feels good to vote!!!!
After this election they're going to make it a holiday or at least a weekend thing. One day in the middle of the week to vote? Silly.
@eg-
yep! but they sure didn't top the ones on each and every one of our faces on the WAY OUT!!!!!!! it was a CHEESE-fest!!!! i LOVE it!!!
My polling place in NYC (north harlem) had a 30+ minute wait (depending on your election district, mine only had a few people but there were some with lines of 50 plus people once you got inside the school) It was pretty inspiring.
We were in the Lower East Side of Manhattan at 6:30am and there were already about 30-40 ppl in line. I already voted by absentee in FL (hope it gets coutned) but my boyfriend voted (for the first time at 33 SMH). So I packed our almost 8 month old in the stroller and we stood out there waiting for BF to get in. I had to leave after awhile to go to work, but BF stayed in line and voted around 7:30, so it was pretty slow, but I warned him about leaving. I am so emotional about this election, considering I had a son this year and to think that he'll know a totally different world than I grew up in. One where we can mean it when we tell him that he can do anything. Go Barack!
just got an email from a friend in PG county. she got there at 6:30 but didn't leave until 9:15 or so. simply put: BLACK FOLKS ARE COMING OUT TODAY!!! this is just too awesome.
as far as whether barack will directly thank us for his support. it would be nice, especially after all the hard work so many of us have put into this campaign. but honestly, i'm feeling compelled to tell him thank you. i can't even begin to imagine the toll this year has taken on him. the sleep deprivation alone boggles my mind.
My husband and I were at the polls by 5AM and the first in line. By the time the polls opened, a nice line had formed behind us. The crowd was mostly Black, since we live in a predominately Black district (Indianapolis). It always takes them a while to find my name, thanks to my husband I have 3 last names. All in all it was pretty smooth.
@dwarrior - I too have a son born this year and often think of the significance, win or lose.
Re: thank you, I am not trippin on that point. I don't need a thank you from him on this, he has worked harder than all the black folks supporting him, especially those of us that did little other than send a few bucks here and there and show up to vote. I feel we as black folks tend to get hung up on stuff like that and it is not important. It's just words after all - get in office and deliver on at least some of these promises and I'll take that over "thank you" any day. When will the calls for him to continually show and prove that he is truly one of us or "with us" cease?
Re: "Mac is Back" and similar foolishness, this is what makes me nervous. He is trying to paint a picture that there is hope for him so it won't seem like the obvious coup it would have to be if he were to win. I mean, sit down old man, what are you talking about, "I can feel it; we are going to win this election!" He is scaring me with this!
Wow even when it's cold the weather is Hot with those weather ladies. I don't get Fox news- doesn't anybody complain about all that flesh at 8am? I guess not.
@AB:
Univision weather babe Jackie Guerrido is a fixture on the local sports radio here in the Charlotte area. The sports hosts gush over her every afternoon at 5:30pm. HOOOO-LAAAA!
@everyone
Just read this on the Australian news wire: Madelyn Dunham, Obama's grandmother DID vote before she died....
She voted ABSENTEE. W-O-W!
And yes, the vote WILL count.
http://tinyurl.com/6593vd
Yes, the entire world has its eyes on us!
EG
There weren't long lines in my small state, but I don't care I cast my vote and I feel great.
I'll celebrate later.
Be part of the solution not the problem.
Vote!!!!
Oh, by the way, here's some scary stuff to temper our tendency to celebrate too early:
http://www.truthout.org/110308A
The Reverse Bradley Effect DOES exist! XD
A minute ago I was talking to the center-rightish editor of the small weekly where I work, and I asked him if he had voted yes or no this morning on a proposed new state law. He hadn't voted yet, but he surprised me by saying "I've been for McCain all along, but...I can't do it. I just can't."
"Can't do what?" I prodded, wanting to make sure I was understanding him right. "Vote for either of 'em?"
"No, I'm voting for Obama," he said. "We need a change. We just can't afford for more years of..." He stretched out his arms and grimaced, unable to find whatever noun he was looking for at the moment. "Even if he doesn't do anything," he went on, "At the very least it'll just make us feel better."
"Like Reagan in '84?" I thought but didn't say out loud.
"We need to improve our world reputation," the editor said. "Obama can do that. I really believe that."
Will wonders never cease.
Awesome story marbles.
The Black vote (over 90%), the Latino vote (over 70%), the youth vote (?)- now even the Republican vote... is for Obama.
I just took several students to their polling place. All first time voters. They were confused as hell (checking the bubbles instead of filling them in, asking ME if they should vote on the legalize marijuana bill (yes)) but they were also super proud.
@ ezra:
That's actually on the ballot? Where?!
Awww...first time voters are so cute. XD
Hah. These weather chicks got nothing on the ones who do the weather (and sometimes even report the news) in Los Angeles. They look like buttoned-down church ladies in comparison.
Barack the vote! Is it cheesy to say that yet?
I stood in line here in Massachusetts for the first time ever! 1 hour, 40 minutes. Folks were still wrapped around the building when I finished.
My coworker voted this morning in Springfield, VA...he got to the polls at 5:45a. He said there were about 400 folks in line already!! People came prepared with lawn chairs, water, etc.
Don't forgot...if you need a caffeine fix head to Starbucks for a free coffee (not latte) after you vote. Note: not a plug...just a suggestion.
Turnout in Texas is huge... I wouldn't start celebrating yet, folks.
Murtha is going down, and PA will flip red with him. Those few here who are GOP, don't believe the hype! Go vote!
Spool, for your Pennsylvania prophecy to come true in spite of the polls, we'd have to be dealing with silentest silent majority that ever remained silent.
I was up at the polls at 7 this morning in Philly, about 50 people were on line. I've been on the corner by my campus directing students to the polls, so I don't know what the polls are looking like now out here.
And it started raining...
Wow, AB. You've got to pace yourself. It's barely after noon and you have written several days worth of copy. It could, but probably won't, be a long night. (It will definitely be a long night, but I'm talking in terms of election suspense.)
Regarding the "no candy for you" lady in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, I'm wondering if there are severe racial overtones there. While the denied kid in the story I saw was White, it's been a long source of tension each year when Black churches from Detroit bus kids into GP Farms for trick or treating. (It's not so much that GP Farms has better pickings, also I'm sure it does, but much of Detroit is not a safe place for anybody on "Devil's Night" with the tradition of arson and assorted mayhem.)
If he thanks black folks he should also thank the white folks in Iowa who gave him that first big primary win because keeping it real a lot of blacks didn't think he could do it until after that.
I went this morning at about 8:20(Hampton Roads, VA Newport News/Williamsburg area) and waiting for about 30 minutes. It wasn't bad at all and it was my first time voting in that particular district. They went through the lines offering hot apple cider and they even had carside voting for the disabled. I thought that was so nice. It rained but I had my trusty umbrella(ella ella eh eh....ok I'm done lol) and wasn't bothered at all. There was one girl behind me with nothing on her head. Dedication.
We did however have one d-bag pacing up and down the street next to the line with a McCain/Palin sticker on....going past the cutoff point for campaigning (or whatever the hell it's called). He did this about 3 times before somebody caught him and told him he could not go any closer to the front door than where the other signs were posted. Other than that it was pretty uneventful.
BTW I agree with blackand married and Michael Baisden, he's gotta thank EVERYBODY not just black people. When I was standing in line to vote there were about 4 black people behind me. Only 2 out of the 4 actually voted :( for reasons unknown to me, they may have been denied or just moved or whatever, who knows. But Obama won't win just because of the black vote, he's got a lot of other people to thank too!
@ bmwk & missjay-
great points about him thanking everyone. we are a minority in this country and we were a minority on the campaign trail as well- at least in the 5 states i volunteered in. we as black folks didn't get him where he is on our own. it was an amazingly collaborative effort. which makes this whole thing so awesome.
@ vanilla- GO SPRINGFIELD!! the "mixing bowl" is representing!! that's a lot of dern PEOPLE at 5:45 AM!!!
oh but someone who def deserves a thankyou is AVB!! thanks for this post today- it's fun and i really needed a place to release my giddy energy.
@spool- nice try but you can't steal our joy TODAY!! bc today is not ALL about the outcome of the race. it's about what we are witnessing with our own eyes- this historical solidarity. my husband and i went to chick fil a for lunch and the energy was magnetic! on the way we saw a white man stop to help an elderly black lady out of her car. THAT is what it's all about. this coming together. you repubs might see that as as soft but it means a whole lot to me. obama represents unity. i don't think mccain offers even a sliver of that.
I too feel that Obama needs to thank all people. Most of the people I've seen with campaign signs, bumper stickers, and speaking out on what he represents have been primarily whites. (Not considering the blogs/internets). :)
Let's not alienate anyone already. That would be a mistake.
There are many people of all backgrounds that are looking forward to their futures because of him.
I early voted on Saturday, and stood in line for about 2 hours. This morning I went out and canvassed for 3 hours!
My 19 yr old son voted in his first presidential election. He went at 6am - left because the line was to long, he went back at 10 am - no line.
(I work for the g'mnt and have the day off, he's a student.)
Mr. Obama made his final campaign stop in Indy at a UAW hall on the southside of the city.
Your inspiration for today:
2 Chronicles 7:14 (New King James Version)
"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
Get out and vote today!
The souls of those who gave their lives in war and civil rights need you to raise your voice...because theirs are silent.
EG
"O" will thank everyone 'cause that's just how he is. I don't know that he needs to single out groups...'cause I'll tell you what, I've seen every demographic of folks at the Leesburg, VA Obama headquarters. Young, old, black, white, hispanic, male, female, yuppies, country folk (like myself), men in business suits, etc. Can I tell you...the "kids" were running the show. When I volunteered the people in charge were in their late teens/early 20's. I've NEVER seen anything like it out here...And Loudoun Co is very diverse...but even more so when you roll into Obama's headquarters. It was an amazing experience...one that I hope can continue here on out.
I was so keyed up last night I couldn't go to sleep and then I got up early to vote so now I'm here at work about to crash from the missed sleep. But it was worth it. Happy voting all!
@deedee:
Sorry, Obama doesn't represent unity. He represents the capstone to a Democratic supermajority in Congress that will systematically shut the Republican Party out of every decision.
I understand the message you're getting at, and the thing is... I agree with you, but it's not Obama's doing. He certainly won't be about unity in government (assuming he wins) any more than he has been so far... i.e. not at all.
Which brings me to AB's Fairness Doctrine comment:
Nevermind whether he claimed to support it on the campaign trail... the question is whether or not he'd veto legislation that reinstates it, because I can count at least 7 prominent Democrats who say it's on the cards for 2009.
Would he veto a Fairness Doctrine bill? Of course not:
@marbles:
Damn right. Watch it happen! Murtha goes, and the internal polls have PA with a 1.9% split last night.
I guess I'll chime in finally.
I just got a big hoot outta the fact that Sarah Palin will be reduced to some random trivial fact after all is said and done--granted her Palin 2012 movement doesn't catch fire.
Yeah, I looked back and realised I have seven posts to have dropped by 7pm tonight and if I have internet tonight somehow, yeah, I will have written a book tonight as well. Enjoy it while it lasts because...um...yeah, Monday cometh.
@last EG
I hate that scripture...it's always used outta context--but it's definitely preachable!
Cute Dolls. Of course I'd want the Obama one.. Its pretty unique then most I've seen.
i'm LOL over here!!!
1st- "the flipside of a Trivial Pursuit card"- HILARIOUS!!!!!!! where do you come up with this stuff, avb?!?!?
(btw- can anyone please explain the whole sarah palin phenomenon?? i just don't get it!)
2nd- @ spool- hey, i like your definition, too!! although i don't see him shutting the reps out all together. but can you honestly say that the reps deserve another shot after the last 8 years we've had? it's been CRAP! people are tired of living like this. here's the point- dems and libs have suffered under Bush. H@ll, reps have too!! but i don't hear conservatives complaining about the way things were under the clinton administration. Nearly everyone was doing better then than the are now. Oh, there's that unity theme again...It just won't seem to go away.
SPOOL - maybe I missed it in another post, but can you state how you feel comfortable putting Sarah Palin in the VP position with a prez who would exceed his life expectancy in his first term? What makes you ok with her being a heartbeat away from the presidency?
In the Clinton Administration, the Congress was majority GOP starting in 1994. :) It's no surprise conservatives aren't complaining.
Yes, I think the GOP Congress needs a sound beating... but that doesn't mean I want to see a Democratic enabler in the White House, rubber-stamping Pelosi/Frank/Schumer/Reid economic and foreign policy. They deserve to get wrecked in the Congress. The nation doesn't deserve to suffer under the new Democrat dominion.
What could possibly lead you to believe the Republicans won't be closed out of government? There isn't a single shred of evidence in his entire history, bar riding Luger's coattails on a nuclear proliferation bill that was the legislative equivalent of a bill supporting fuzzy puppies, that might lead you to think Obama would govern as a centrist.
This is not unity you guys voted for... don't BS me or yourselves. I'm voting for a divided government that forces consensus... you're voting for All Democrat, All The Time.
------------
Nikki:
I'm not as comfortable as I might have been with other people, but I don't think she's as terrible as the media massacre has portrayed her. She's a governor with experience taking on the old guard in her own party and and destroying them. I'm good with that. Also, McCain's mother is a sprightly 96... good genes! He won't die in the next 4 years.
Reverse the question - how do you feel comfortable putting crazy Joe Biden a heartbeat away from a smoker who has been so worn down by the campaign that his hair has gone grey since January?
In other words... regardless of what you think of Palin, Biden is a hundred times worse. She might be incoherent, even ignorant, but Biden routinely makes up outrageous lies with a straight face.
Between the smooth-talking liar and the earnest but incoherent rookie, which one would your momma tell you to watch out for?
----------
Speaking of people your momma says you shoudl watch out for, check these fine upstanding "security guards" at a PA polling site.
Nightsticks and Black Panther-style berets at a voting site? Not a good look...
I voted in Baltimore County (Maryland) at 11 am. The line was long but moved pretty quickly. The school gym where we voted was organized and there were plenty of volunteers to keep things moving. I was back in my car exactly one hour later.
On line, everyone was quiet and contained. A guy a few people ahead of me turned back, looked at the line behind him, and said into his cell phone "It ain't no one but 'us' out here." I'd say the line was 98% Black with a sprinkling of other people (white, Asian).
BTW, AB, I voted against slots. I guess we'll see what happens.
As for Busta Rhymes, I'm originally from Long Island, so the Uniondale connection is hard to shake. That said, I really wish we could show a little more respect for people.
spool- didn't know this house issue was such a hot issue with you. i can feel your rancor through my monitor. but give obama a break. he's not responsible for the congressional and senate elections. we are. direct your energy toward getting your foes voted out. and thanks for the heads up b'c you've no galvanized me not to sit on my laurels for the next 4 yrs. i better get out the vote for my representatives, too! just voted for van hollen this morning (MD Dist 8- he got a prime time slot at the convention.) i know that probably makes you cringe :)
spool - my mama would have two totally different sets of criteria for picking my president than picking say, my husband, but how about we leave my mama out of this.:)
This is politricks; lying is par for the course, being incoherent and ignorant is not. Not to mention SP also lies her behind off without even so much as her signature wink - this is on top of being incoherent and ignorant. So, I'm much more comfortable with JB than I am with SP. Plus, even a smoker with rapidly graying hair has better odds of survival than a torture and cancer survivor approaching octagenarian status.
But at least you admit she is ignorant and incoherent.
Oh, but for real I can see how people would be scared of the two late trick or treaters in the Panther costumes...what do they think they are doing? lol my people, my people.
RICHMOND (AP) - Virginians are voting at a record-setting pace.
The executive secretary of the State Board of Elections said at a briefing in Richmond that 30 percent to 40 percent of the state's more than 5 million registered voters had cast ballots Tuesday morning. Nancy Rodrigues said that typically the turnout is about one-half of that pace.
She estimated that more than 75 percent of Virginia's registered voters will have cast ballots by the time the polls close at 7 p.m.
While Rodrigues acknowledged long lines at the polls and some problems with voting machines, she said it is not extraordinary given the historic nature of this vote.
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain have heavily courted Virginia, a battleground state in the presidential election.
Source: Fredericksburg.com
I think this bodes well for O.
@ spool:
I'm sorry, but Obama is a centrist. He's a bit more left than your average American politician, but that's not saying much.
To declare that the unity vibe is coming from everywhere *other* than Obama himself....well, I don't know what to say to that. Whatever my problems with the guy, he has consistently been the grown-up voice among hordes of grabby, pushy juveniles. He has stuck to his policy guns while retaining a clear "We're all in this together" message that sticks out like a sore thumb in the narrow-lensed, hyperpartisan environment the GOP has created over the last 15 years.
Regarding the "All Democrat, all the time," charge, personally I'm caught between the strong desire to banish the Conservative Movement --and its only legislative organ, the GOP--to a place far, FAR away from the halls of power where they have created so much damage over the last eight years, and a fear that an overwhelming Democratic government would just be a different symptom of the same disease. Abuse of power is abuse of power.
The only consolation I take is that most Democrats, by nature, are not authoritarians. Whereas the modern GOP is filled with bellicose, goose-stepping draconians (yes, I know that's not technically a noun, but I stand by it), whose every legislative impulse during the Bush era has been to either enable or propel the erosion of the principles that guarantee our liberties (after Bush's six-year broken record syndrome, I never want to hear that word "freedom" again.)
I fear the Democrats going from lily-livered chickenshits to overbloated, corrupt gorillas after becoming a majority, because that's the nature of power. But I do NOT fear them doing anything to help steer this country toward a new, gentler form of fascism, which the GOP has worked overtime for. The only way they will help the GOP in his arena is the same way they have helped them over the last 8 years---sheer indifference and complacency.
AB,
First of all...I applaude you...Live Blogging on an Election Day! Nice!
Okay I'll try and talk about some of the stuff that hit me.
1) That trick trick joint is old. But I love it like you do. I haven't heard it in months (rotated it out of my new shiz pod list) thanks for reconnecting me with it. And by the way, I love Em. He's the shit and I'm happy he's coming back. We can talk about whether he's the best MC alive later. *lol*
2)Obama is scary. I agree with the crazy chick. Its scary to think that this dude is so cool, laid back, controlled and intelligent enough to not fall for the okey doke that we'll actually not have an idiot in office for the first time in years. Yeah...that is scary. I better hide my college education. Its scary to be an elitist. *lol*
3) (1:43pm post) don't you know that staying home with children is WOMAN'S WORK. no self respecting man would stay home with the woman that just birthed his seed. What's wrong with you? *lol* Yeah i agree. I never figured out with all the "family first" propaganda that the right pushes why they haven't jumped on that bandwagon. But shit look at Obama he should actually be the poster boy for the repub's. He's a black man who pulled himself up by the boostraps, is married and doesn't have babies outside of that marriage, he has a job and an advanced degree. Plus he's against gay marriage! I mean damn if that ain't republican party line I don't know what is. *lol* (of course he did say he's against Prop 8 in CA but who cares about that Log Cabiners should still like him).
4) Arab Money...the stupidest shit next to anything Soulja Boy puts out (or says see shout out to slave owners). I mean really black man...five percenter? C'mon! I love Busta as much as the next chick but let's raise the bar a bit shall we? Hip Hop is losing life to internet losers can the old heads please stop making mp3's for dummies? (by the way the music is sick)
5)*lol* Voter intimidation. Hmmm...remember back in the day when there was a whole bunch of that shit going on? Including sheriff's standing in front of polling places. Remember forcing people to try and read the rules in Chinese? Oh yeah that shit happened. Oh so things have changed huh? Okay...well maybe the scary black man shouldn't have the baton but what's wrong with making sure black people aren't disenfranchised? but I agree AB those dudes look like two black guys in jackets to me. Say hi to 'em and keep it pushin. I mean you should start getting used to seeing positive black faces on tv every few weeks anyway...its time to start saying hi to the nice negros. By the way I don't think they want your purse.*lol*
I've been keeping the TeeVee tuned into MSNBC since 9am this morning.
They had Baby Russert talking about the surge in young voters, and how that didn't happen with Kerry/Bush.
I think the GOP underestimated the impact Barack Obama would have on young voters of ALL races.
As my graduating class (May 09!!) faces a sour job market and massive student loan debt, we started paying attention.
We watched 30 student loan lenders pull out of the business and in turn saw our financial aid packages shrink.
We saw Pell Grants disappear.
We watched our parents get laid off work and deplete their savings to pay bills and keep a home that we could go to.
We watched our grandparents decide which medications to pay for that month.
We are no longer self absorbed and myopic in our view of the world.
Barack Obama brought together people on my campus together who would have never met otherwised. We realized that regardless of our race, THIS election affected each and everyone of us.
Barack Obama is giving us a glimmer of hope. At this point, it's all we have.
@AB
Do we have to take a number and get in line to take a shot at Michelle Malkin? I'm number two--behind you, please.
No cutting in line for the rest of you!!
Daughter of a slave voting for O is inspiring and a real tear jerker. I've been getting misty at some of the Obama videos I see.
LOL @ Michelle Malkin clips and shaking comments...yeah, I guess she's reasonably attractive but there's something freakish going on with her mouth.
Sarah isn't fooling anybody with her dress down election day garb. Where I live in Atl, man PTA moms are in the carpool line wearing pearls. I had to step my own game up!!
@ Missy
I know AB said stick to the topics but AB will need to post a thread dedicated only to "Real Housewives of Atlanta". I have so many comments and questions.
Sorry, AB!! I'll get back on topic. But please make a note for after election day...we need a thread on "Real Housewives of Atlanta". Those ladies deserve a thread.
:-)
@ errybody
Sorry I can't keep up with the comments, but PLEASE keep them coming. I will try and sneak in some responses as I live blog.
Thanks for sticking around. Roll with us throughout the night, and keep checking in with your opinions!
@ v-latte
Keep feeding me good leads and I'll give you your post, even though I've never even heard of that show.
@ AB
Go to bravotv.com
Then you'll see a link for "Real Housewives of Atlanta". It airs every Tuesday at 10p...previous episodes at 9p. There are also either links where you can read about the ladies, etc. I'm NOT a fan of reality tv but this show rocks it. NeNe is one of my favs.
Please do reserve a thread for a later time. If folks watch the show they'll appreciate it.
***Sorry to go off topic but when Missy mentioned the PTA moms in
Atlanta it made me think of the show.
Thanks,
Vanilla
Post is awesome AB. Don't worry.
Apparently Busta Buss really enjoys his time in Dubai.....
Lines in GA (where I live anyway) not too bad. Over 30% of our state voted early. We had mad long early voting lines....
With regards to the ´black panther intimidation´ Fox has been running for hours now (first time I decided to take a look at Fox News, they're running that story for hours and hours...):
Apparantly the man in question is a black panther, but not an Obama-supporter:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1108/Panther_vs_Obama.html?showall
Bit of a non-story, no?
Anyone going to watch Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert tonight?
Hey AB Obama did thank Black folks the other night.
http://www.thecharlottepost.com/index.php?src=news&refno=1243&category=News
I saw one of those "panthers" in an article about hate groups and Obama and he is not an Obama supporter at all.
Woo Lord, Please don't mention that show. I live down the street from one of the cast members and she's nothing like she's portrayed on the show. NOTHING! But anyway, yeah...PTA moms over here have definitely got their game on. Coming from Texas where we basically came out in sweats and tees (year round because it never got that cold and we weren't getting out anyway!) HERE...its a totally different story...even going to the local gym is an "exercise" in excess...
t.d. jakes-the new talking head?!?!? i just saw him on msnbc....
i've been trying to watch more msnbc and less cnn in protest of the dl hughley show but cnn ha it on lock in terms of production. the channel and the website make msnbc's formats look totally bootleg.
question- who knows anyone who DIDN'T vote?!?!?! (speaking strictly of those who actually had the ability but didn't step up.) did you slap them silly???
you know there are always issues in our neck of the woods. is that by design or just coincidence?
@deedee
My sister in law with the 4 kids didn't vote...or maybe she did. My other sister in law did tho.
@AB
My ipod Shuffle has it locked on "Flossin" by Mike Jones.
@errybody
My wife and I were laughing about this: In light of an Obama victory, how many "Barack babies" will be concieved in bedrooms across America tonight?
EG
This is the BEST election live blog yet!!! Love the Michelle Malcom collection, love the AverageToddler stories.
Thanks for combining seriousness and levity, even sports, so well,
Indiana Bob
@ Missy
OOOOOh!! I'm so excited to "chat" about "the ladies". If AB does a thread please participate!!! I'm dying to hear details!!!
VA has their share of voting issues this year. It's ashame because our Governor is a Dem.
NAACP sued the state of lack of
machines, etc. Lawsuit came too late though.
Very innovative post.
Stop by my blog for live election chat in collaboration with Highbrid Nation.
@Indiana Bob (me)
I should have said Michelle Malkin - my bad.
I also agree about the strategy of using Strickland, Blackwell, et all, to spread the hate.
On a it's-only-sports-and-shouldn't-matter-on-a-day-like-this - that Detroit/Denver trade was quite the shocker. I think AI is a good fit for Detroit, which bothers me being a Pacer fan..
Ok, back to politics
Best Live blog on the inter-tubes!!! great work!
DANG!
CNN is all on the Star Trek thingy with the "Virtual View."
Ted Turner is smiling right now.
EG
@EG
Hell yeah!!
I almost dropped my food when I watched the CNN virtual Capitol building pop up when John King hit the button!! That ish was the BUSINESS!!!
WTF is up with the black panthers with night sticks?? Someone go tell them to go home and stop scarin' the white folks!
The hologram killed it for me!!! I was thinking of turning the station to see what everybody else had going on. When I saw the hologram I thought "Nobody is beating THIS right here" LOL
I agree with the other posters...I love the levity along with the serious. Nice swirl action going on!
80% Turnout in PA? Here's what I think of that...
Just saw Blackwell on MSNBC, and he was quite tame.
That's a good sign I suppose.
MSNBC just called PA for BO!!!!!
That was one everyone thought McCain HAD to win.
No red to blue switch so far, though. That fact keeps me worried.
Go Obama!
Don't believe the exits.. :)
Damn, ya'll. I got to get one a dem dere holograms in my house!
I'll make a 3D hologram of my hot wifey and call her "Cortana."
Of course, I'll be "Master Chief."
WHAT, DEN?
EG
I'm following coverage on msn.com. I was about to be HOTTTTTTT that McCain won SC but the results looked like Obama should have won.
Yo, Libby!
Don't let the doorknob hit you in the crack on the way out our Senate!
Kay Hagan ain't a pagan!
She got the victory in NC!
EG
@ EG
LOLOLOL. You're better than Cedric the Entertainer!!
@AB
For Pete's sake...you'd better be thanking Ms. Hilary for slinging all that mud back in the PRIMARIES!!! That way Hil made darned sure there were no "October Surprises" left for the Rethugs.
Ayers, Rev Wright, Muslim, yada yada yada...all came out early and took the punch out of McCain's smears!
Thanks Hilary.
you're crackin' me up AB. I want to be at your house.!
@vanilla
I'll be here all night. Tip jar is just to the left...
Y'know.....gotta eat. :)
EG
@vanilla:
Rethugs? No words.
@EG You so crazy! LOL *places $5 in tip jar*
re: MSNBC calls: They're running promos for the network that say "Experience the Power of Change".
I guess they finally think it's safe to admit their bias...
@ missjay & EG
EG--if you're wearing a G-string consider a $10 spot thrown in your tip jar!! Thanks for making tonight special. How about a little mood music...like "Super Freak"??
@ Spool
Ooops. Typo... me thinks perhaps Freudian. Thanks for hanging around and being a good sport!!
I'm a little less anxious now but I don't put nothing pass the rethugs...One person said they would flip the script and say...Okay, I know how we've done it in the past but, now the one with the FEWEST votes wins!"
AB, how you just bust out with the KFC and grape soda and didn't offer us any???
I'm so mad at my backward GA peeps it's not even funny.
@ the ladies up in here,
Three things would happen if donned a G-string:
1. You'd go blind from shock. I ain't all THAT. I'm a husky dude.
I'll stick to my suit and bowtie.
2. Wifey would kick my ever lovin' black @$$.
3. After the beatdown, AverageBro himself would ban me for life.
But thanks for the love! I'm fatter-- I'm flattered! :^D
EG
If OH goes blue like Fox called it, I think it's over.
More "rethug" from Missy. I would be much more gracious if the GOP were winning.
A window into things to come... will the Democratic party cast off the toxic language of the past eight years? Of course not.
CNN's Dana Bash: "They've turned off the news at the McCain gathering."
Turn out the lights........the party's (almost) OVAH!
EG
@ Spool
Don't pee on the parade, Spool. Take it with a grain of salt. The worst thing said was "rethug"...
Do you think we're all such ugly, evil haters?? We're not...just having some fun after years of repression, depression, supression and recession.
Come Wednesday you're still invited to the party...what would AB.com be like without our favorite spoiler, Spool.
EVERYONE please give Spool a virtual hug...AB, how about mixin' Spool an Obama-tini?
Hi I am Renata from the online get togethers during the debates.
We had a perfect morning voting until drunk on power hungry heifer election judge messed up the lines for the three precincts that were on site. The line was single file around the church them ms. heifer comes outside and puts everyone into three lines. I have never seen so many people cut in line. Grown folks behaving badly and people not processing the situation before you put bad decisions out of their asses. Sheesh. Everyone who had been waiting in line toward the front was pissed. Several people who "thought" they were in a certain precincts "discovered" that they weren't and ended up going before a lot of us. It was a hot mess and then the chicky tried to argue with us about the fact that so many people who were in the back of the line ended up in front of us. Not a good thing to anger voters. My parents and I were out at 5:30am we all were finished and off to breakfast by 7:15 am.
It was a beautiful thing to see, but Obama is considered a home town hero in Chicago so I would have been very disapointed had it not been a high turnout.
I have family from the Carribean and they are absolutely excited. I was excited, no one in my house could sleep Monday night. I don't know what is more interesting, how we are responding to Obama her, or how people all over the diaspora are. My I will get a Obama Cabbage Patch for my family in Martinique. LOL
Also I am 21 and I registered as soon as I turned 18. The importance and power of our voice was always present in our home. And the fact that Michelle Malkin is a woman of color deeply disturbs me.
@spool
I'm amazed by your ability to engage so many people who disagree with you. You're like the Elizabeth Hasselbeck of the AVB comment section.
Definitely makes things more interesting!
Yeah man Faux news is just depressing. They're killing my buzz.
Spool kill the hatin' bruh. It's unbecoming of you. Take your loss like a man. McCain prolly will, so should you.
After all the gloating you've done here for months, people deserve some getback. I'm surprised it's not worse.
Have an Obama-tini. It's green apple and delicious.
So many things I could say but I prefer to bask in the glory of victory!
@Minnie: LOL @ killing your buzz.
*pours himself an Obamatini*
Is there supposed to be Kool-Aid in this thing?
.. ack!
Yeah! Looks like it really, really is going to happen!!! Woohoo!!!
@spool32
On behalf of the late Petey Greene, I am authorized to offer you some Watermelon for your soul.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-eitsutpOc
It's gonna be alright man. We love ya up in here.
*hugs*
Just don't touch the tip jar. That's for the ladies. ;^)
EG
@ Zen
Spool is far more intelligent and entertaining than Lizbeth H.
Although I bet he's not nearly as blond or perky...
And yes, Spool, you're invited to Thanksgiving and Xmas dinner at my house...provided you bring the wine.
@ van latte
I personally prefer blond & perky.
... me too.
;)
@vanilla:
I'll even bring a California red. Texas politics I like... Texas wines, not so much.
LOL @ TOAST!
@ Spool
I've got us covered on the Virginia riesling. You bring a good Cali red and we're set!!!
And I'll even let you sit at the "adults" table!! :-p
AverageSis is wrong... Everybody has McCain at around 130 already, and in a bizarre turn... ahead by over 100K in the popular vote.
lol!
One things for sure, this "New South" that is said to exist in modern times?
It's a total and complete lie when you look at CNN's map.
The Confederacy is alive and well.
NC is boggling my mind right now. There were more black folks out at the polls than ever, and yet the state is in a deadlock?
EG
@AB
Be cool, AB. Fairfax, Loudoun, & Arlington take a little while to tally...O's ahead in VA right now...they're counting the votes in the more populated counties in the state. It's all good. VA will be the icing on the cake.
HEY AB!!! HEY EVERYBODY!!!
I voted today in Philadelphia, which was my first time voting in a Presidential election (I'm 21). I'm excited, I feel like I did something. I will say three things:
1)The youth vote was crazy. I have never seen so many young people break one way for a candidate in my life.
2) The Black vote was astounding. A lot of young, Black voters too. To me, that says that the people actually back their words up and voted
3) The Obama campaign was on their ish today. They were definitely making sure that things were running and people actually got to vote (little technicalities can be avoided if you have allies in your corner), going out of their way to make sure that people had everything that they needed. They weren't playing this year and I respect that.
Obama '08!
I gotta give it to CNN, that hologram thingy is pretty dope.
AB, you are outdoing yourself tonight! Go easy on the Obamatinis...
VA goes blue... I think it's done.
Sincere congratulations to everyone here... I hope to be part of the conversation on how to recoup and rebuild the Republican party, and I dearly hope Obama is up to the challenges of the next four years. He'll have my best wishes, as a member of the loyal opposition, and I wish him well.
Congrats, guys.
AB,
I think two things happened with this election. Yes, Bush was the worst Prez EVER. And the Obama ran a superb campaign. The campaign deserves a lot of credit.
Ciara,
I was shocked with what I saw in Philadelphia today. As much as I despise this city, I'm proud of Philadelphia today. It appears as though people really did turn out (unlike the primaries).
Damn near every student that voted today had an Obama "I voted" sticker on today. I think I saw about 5 people that advertised that they were McCain supporters.
"I hope to be part of the conversation on how to recoup and rebuild the Republican party"
That convo ain't happenin here, buddy. But thanks for the congrats.
...you pain in the ass
Wow, Spool, is that sincerity?
*sniffling, and wiping tears* Thanks, man.
YES WE DID!
Are they calling California for Obama. The Hologram is attention getting.
That Damn Malkin woman has got all these reporters forming at the mouth waiting for the Chicago rally to turn into a riot.
As to the New Old South, it really is not a surprise.
Hey yall "That one" won. They are calling it.
@ AB
Cool video yet I have two minor comments...No mention of the Washington Caps...and during the song when they referenced the mayor and crack they showed a picture of current Mayor Fenty. They should have featured Marion Barry. LOL
Otherwise, total props to Chuck Brown. I ran into him on occasion when I worked in PG County. Cool dude. Godfather of Go Go in case some of y'all don't know!!
Yes, even the white folks out here know who Chuck Brown is...and E.U.
:-)
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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