First thoughts: A viewers' guide to tonight

Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 9:48 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carrie Dann
*** A viewers guide to tonight: Finally -- Election Day. And perhaps the best way to gauge how McCain and Obama are faring is by following the poll closing times for key states. The first closing times come at 7:00 pm ET for Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina, and Virginia. In particular, if Virginia is called early for Obama, that will be a sign of a possible big night for the Democrats. But if there isn’t an early call, that could be some welcome news for McCain. While Georgia and South Carolina aren’t considered true battleground states, they could also signal how the night is going; in short, these are the landslide indicators: If they’re too close too call early in the night, that will tell us that African-American turnout was HUGE.

Video: NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd takes a look at the electoral map and details the key states to watch as the polls close on this Election Day.

In addition, Kentucky’s polls close at 7:00 pm ET, and that will give us some early insight into Mitch McConnell’s political health and whether Democrats might have what it takes to reach 60 Senate seats. (Note: Polls actually close in the Eastern Time Zone parts of Indiana and Kentucky at 6:00 pm ET, but the races won’t be called until 7:00 pm, when polls close the Central Time Zone in those states. However, we will see returns start coming in at 6:00 pm.)

*** From 7:30 to 1:00 a.m.: The next batch of poll closings comes at 7:30 pm ET, for North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia. At 8:00 pm ET, polls officially close in Florida (although for most of the state, it’s actually 7:00 pm ET), Missouri, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. If Pennsylvania is called early for Obama, that would be a severe blow to McCain and would force him to hang on to virtually every state that Bush carried in 2004. But keep an eye on the four states of Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia. If Obama wins just two out of the four, it becomes nearly impossible for McCain to get to 270 -- even if he wins Pennsylvania. And if Virginia is called for Obama, then it's down to the Iron Triangle of survival for McCain: Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio. Add any one of those three to Virginia and it's basically checkmate. So McCain has to win three of those four state. At 9:00 pm ET, polls close in the Western battlegrounds of Colorado and New Mexico. At 10:00 pm ET, polls close for Iowa, Montana, and Nevada. At 11:00 pm ET, polls close in California, and this is important if the night is going especially well for Obama: Because of its 55 electoral votes, probably the earliest that we might see the election called for Obama (i.e., him going crossing the 270 mark) would be at 11:00 pm ET. The last state to close its polls will be Alaska at 1:00 am ET, and that will be a time to check on the status of Ted Stevens’ re-election bid. By the way, consider the following: Even in victory, it's possible McCain underperforms Bush in every single state in the Union.

*** Obama wins Dixville Notch and Hart’s Location: As usual, residents of tiny Dixville Notch in New Hampshire began the voting at midnight, and Obama came out ahead -- the first Democrat to do so since 1968. The New Hampshire Union Leader: “The town, home to around 75 residents, began voting at the stroke of midnight. The final tally was 15 votes for Sen. Barack Obama and six votes for Sen. John McCain. Dixville Notch has opened its polls shortly after midnight each Election Day since 1960, drawing national media attention for being the first place in the country to make its presidential preferences known. The last Democrat it picked was Hubert Humphrey over Richard Nixon in 1968. President Bush won the town in a landslide in the past two elections: He captured 73 percent of the vote in 2004 (19 residents picked Bush while six preferred Sen. John Kerry), and secured 80 percent of the vote in 2000 (21 votes for Bush, five votes for Al Gore).” Also in New Hampshire, “Hart's Location reported 17 votes for Obama, 10 for McCain, and two for write-in Ron Paul. Independent Ralph Nader was on both towns' ballots, but got no votes."

*** 726 days: To us at least, the presidential contest officially began on November 9, 2006, when Tom Vilsack (D) filed paperwork to launch his presidential bid, becoming the first major candidate to do that. Since then, according to MSNBC’s Vidhya Murugesan, 726 days have passed in reaching today’s Election Day. And it’s been quite a ride -- taking us to Hillary Clinton’s online announcement (“I’m in and I’m in to win”; isn't it amazing btw, the neither Clinton nor McCain ever formally announced in front of a live rally?); that frigid February day in Springfield, IL where Obama declared he was running; the countless Dem and GOP primary debates across the country; the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary, and some 50 additional nominating contests (including Puerto Rico?!?!?) we closely followed through June; Hillary eventually bowing out; the Dem and GOP conventions; the surprise Palin VP pick; the financial crisis; the presidential and vice presidential debates; and the final stretch of campaigning. And today, it all comes to an end. (Until Bobby Jindal heads to Iowa at the end of the month, but we digress…)

*** And five months: While the presidential contest has lasted some 20-plus months, it’s once again worth emphasizing how short -- by comparison -- the general election has been. In fact, today marks exactly five months since the day the general election officially began, June 4, after Obama clinched the Dem nomination. We spent more time deciding the nominees than deciding the president. Ss that a good thing? Good government types: Discuss!

*** Welcome to the 21st Century: Win or lose tonight, history will note that not only was Obama the first African-American presidential nominee, but that he was the first true 21st Century candidate. His campaign used the internet in part to raise some $700 million over the past two years. It fired off countless text messages to supporters to get them to volunteer and vote. And it utilized social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace to bring its supporters together. No doubt about it, future campaigns will be modeled after Obama’s.

*** The GOP’s bright spot: Even though national and state polls suggest that he faces an uphill challenge tonight, it’s important to remember that McCain has remained the Republican best suited to run in this political environment. Let’s face it, Republicans down the ballot are poised for big losses tonight. In fact, Democrats could pick up House seats in 27 different states. Win or lose for McCain, one of the best political stories over the next couple of years will be how the GOP tries to fix many of the shortcomings it currently faces. The party could find itself a regional party after tonight -- not unlike what happened to the Democrats during the last turn of the century, but in reverse.

*** When red states turn blue: The two red states that have lifted Obama over 270 in NBC’s current electoral map are Colorado and Virginia. What do they have in common? They happen to be the two lone states Bush carried in 2004 that rank in the Top 10 in education (bachelor’s degrees or higher) and in fewest senior citizens (i.e., they’re the youngest states). Virginia also was the sole state that Bush carried four years ago that ranks in the Top 10 in median household income. Demographically then, these two states were poised to be pick-up opportunities for the Democrats. And if Obama wins them tonight, the GOP’s challenge in future presidential elections will be to find a way to win them back -- or reach 270 without them. Republicans don't have any more states they can afford to slip into the tossup/battleground column. The Democratic base in the Electoral College is getting awfully large (CA, NY, IL, NJ, New England, the Agricultural Midwest). If CO, VA, PA and MI are added in, what does that leave the GOP? And then in four or eight years, Texas will begin slipping into competitive territory. Who says Democrats ought to be in favor of scrapping the Electoral College? This may become a Republican movement.

*** Taking the initiative: Unlike recent past elections, there aren’t many high-profile ballot initiatives this year that have grabbed the nation’s attention. The two biggest are the abortion ban in South Dakota and the gay marriage ban in California. Could California become the second state (Arizona was the first in 2006) to defeat a gay marriage ban?

*** On the trail: McCain begins his day in Phoenix (where he votes at Albright United Methodist Church), holds a rally in Grand Junction, CO, does some retail stops in Albuquerque, NM, and then returns to Phoenix, where he will watch election returns from the Biltmore Hotel. Obama, in Chicago, already voted at Shoesmith Elementary School, and then he heads to Indianapolis for a retail stop before heading back to Chicago for his election night party in Grant Park. Biden votes in Delaware, makes a campaign stop in Richmond, VA, and then travels to Chicago. And Palin begins her day voting in Wasilla, AK, and then heads to Phoenix.

Countdown to Electoral Vote Count: 65 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 77 days

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Comments

Quiet Heroes

Yesterday, Barack sadly proclaimed that his grandmother was a quiet hero, and that across the nation there are many, many more like her. It matters not what be your political affiliation. It matters not what be your economic wealth, race, creed or religion. What matters is that you do vote. Be a quiet hero today and vote. Honor all of the quiet heroes who have given so much to us.

Chuck, NY (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 9:54 AM)

So here we finally are . . .

after the superdelegates endorsed,
and
the voters were classified,
and
the funds were raised,
and
the attendance records were broken,
and
the lies were told (and repeated),
and
the hopes were raised (and dashed),
and
the vice presidents were selected,
and
the biases were exposed,
and
the jokes were told . . .

The time has finally come to VOTE!

May God bless and keep this great country. May we all unite behind our new President.

Thanks for the opportunity to share my thoughts this election season – it has been an honor. And thanks for all the insights from the other posters here – we may not always agree, but I love you all anyway. (And yes that includes you J. Merle! *muah* )

Oh yeah, for those of you who are still undecided . . . here’s a tip:

Obama/Biden ‘08/’12!

Nashville_fan (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 9:57 AM)

While the presidential contest has lasted some 20-plus months, it’s once again worth emphasizing how short -- by comparison -- the general election has been.
******************************************************

And ironically, in retrospect, these five months seem to have taken sooo much longer than the first 15 months. I can't wait until this thing is decided.

http://thepajamapundit.com/

the Pajama Pundit (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 9:58 AM)

I just hope that ALL votes are counted this time no matter how long it takes; that no vote flipping software has been deployed in the now notorious swing states; that there is no legal wrangling involving the Courts afterwards to determine the winner; and that no matter WHO wins, the people of this country can remain calm and rational in the aftermath.

MartaFL (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 9:58 AM)

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 – Election Day
A Little History On This Historic Day in America
Election Season, 19th Century Style

Over the course of 100 days in the fall of 1896, William Jennings Bryan gave more than 500 speeches. He was the Democratic nominee, and his presidential campaign was so broke, he took his message directly to just about every Midwestern town with a train station and a soapbox. Several million people showed up.
He was a fantastic orator. Picture him with 10,000 screaming Nebraskans behind him, and you can imagine what his Republican rival was up against.
"You had William McKinley," says historian Jennifer Burns, "who knew right away that he was going to lose in any head-to-head battle if it came down to personality [and] oratory.
"[McKinley] said, 'I might as well put a trapeze on my front lawn and go against a professional gymnast if I go up against Bryan.'" So he didn't.
While Bryan thrilling crowds with his charisma and his rousing speechifying, McKinley relied on a well-funded, highly-skilled network of political operatives and entrenched party loyalists. Then he just sat back and let the machine work for him.
"He simply sat on his front porch," says Burns, "and let people come to him."
Welcome to the world of pre-modern presidential campaigns. A time when, if you wanted to know what William McKinley or James Garfield or Benjamin Harrison thought about trade policy or international affairs, you could literally get some friends together, knock on the candidate's front door and ask him. But he wasn't going to come to you.
"It was essentially this idea that you were trying too hard," says Burns. "If you want the presidency, there was something inherently problematic about that."
Historian Edward J. Larson says that for more than a century, thanks to our first president, there was this idea that the office should seek the man. The man should not seek the office.
"George Washington came from the Virginia elite," says Larson, "where people stood for office, at the call of the people, where it was improper to campaign."
This was easy for George Washington. Because, he was George Washington. But after him, if you wanted to appear presidential, you wanted to appear Washingtonian. It became bad form to go out and let people know you actually wanted the job.
But behind the scenes, they campaigned a lot, Larson says.
As early as 1800, rivals Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were writing anonymous articles disparaging each other. They set up partisan newspapers and paid people to write smear articles. Their campaign committees were inventing the American election: they had people canvassing for votes and bringing people to the polls.
In New York, Jefferson's future vice president, Aaron Burr, was circumventing the rule that only people who owned land could cast ballots.
"He'd buy a small tract of land," says Larson, "and put it in the names of 400, 500, 1,000 immigrants. And suddenly, they'd all be property owners so they could all vote."
Historian Burns says, "if a presidential candidate were more passive, that doesn't mean that presidential campaigns weren't full of passion. They were full of conflict and ... partisan rumor and innuendos and aspersions on the candidates' sexual lives. Mudslinging is absolutely nothing new in the American political system." The voting public hung on every bit of news. The white, landholding, male voting public loved it.
Michael Holt, a history teacher at the University of Virginia, says elections were fun. "There was a lot of folderol and hurrah techniques and mass meetings and swilling the electorate with hard cider and whiskey and all this."
Burns points out that it's not like these people had anything better to do. "If you think about what the entertainment options were at that time," she says, "there weren't many. There were no movies, no TV. So it was a huge party. People would come and vote and get drunk."
Turnout was often incredibly high. More than 80 percent of the electorate voted in 1876, despite the fact that the candidates never personally stumped for votes or went on Leno.
Michael Holt says the presidents of the past would never believe what is required of today's candidates. "The personal campaigning would leave most 19th century presidential hopefuls dumbstruck," he says.
But, Holt adds, the electorate is better off now than it was a century ago. During the campaigning today, you see the candidates in all sorts of situations and under extreme pressure. You get a sense of what they might be like as president.
"Demands on the modern candidate are so intense: being so exposed, having your every word, thought, emotional moment parsed on national television and repeated endlessly on the Internet," Burns agrees.
She also wonders if we're entirely past the notion that we want the office to seek the man or woman, and not the other way around. After all, the type of person who can withstand that scrutiny is perhaps what Americans of the past generation were afraid of. It's someone who really wants power and prestige, because only someone who's really ambitious will subject themselves to that sort of treatment.
By: Nate DiMeo, February 2008

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:01 AM)

The "swing" states are haveing voter machine problems already. Mainly in Virginia...I see troubles! We cannot afford to have this election stolen like 2000.

Mia in Miami (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:01 AM)

I'm leaving to vote at my Town Hall now. It is an old schoolhouse, and an amazing place to vote. You can feel America inside those old walls.

Will be watching and listening to the results.

Happy birthday to my now 21 year old son! Congratulations on voting in your first Presidential race.

sotiredofignorance (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:02 AM)

Today is the day! To all those whose posts I have enjoyed, thank you. I'm gonna forget names, I'm sorry. Libratine, Jawillie, Erik from Mechanicsburg, Pat in Huntington, vote! Thanks to you, too, First Read. This is our time! I'm off to the polling place now but as I cast my ballot for hope, I'll be thinking of how we stood by our man when others sought to bring him down. Si se puede!

Bailey Quarters, Mpls, MN (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:02 AM)

Thanks First Read crew for such a wonderful campaign season. First Read is the best place for us to come to read great articles and be able to get our reader comments posted. Thanks to all the Obama supporters for hanging tough and defending our Hero!

I am so stoked to be able to go vote in a few minutes here in sunny California! I am so going to enjoy watching the results tonight. I really enjoyed David Shuster doing a late night show last night to bring us the great news that the first NH town went for Obama for the first time in 40 years voting for a Democrat over the repugnant ones.

Go Obama/Biden 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:03 AM)

GOOD MORNING AMERICA ! TODAY IS THE DAY , TODAY IS THE DAY WE STOP THE WAR IN IRAQ, TODAY IS THE DAY WE DEMAND HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS, TODAY IS THE DAY WE GET SOME TAX RELIEF, TODAY IS THE DAY WE START WORKING ON "TRUE" ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, TODAY IS THE DAY WE START PROVIDING HIGHER EDUCATION TO "ALL" AMERICANS, TODAY IS THE DAY WE START CLEANING UP THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL, TODAY IS THE DAY WE START REBUILDING OUR NATION, TODAY IS THE DAY POLITICS AS USUAL HAS CHANGED FOREVER, TODAY IS THE DAY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PAYS FOR ALL IT'S CORRUPTION OVER THE LAST 8 YEARS, TODAY IS THE DAY AND TOMORROW WE WELCOME THE "CHANGE".

Z (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:03 AM)

Dixville Notch goes for Obama 15-6 - sounds like change is coming there, and probably to neighboring Hogwaller Meadows, too.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:05 AM)

I just voted for OBAMA/BIDEN in MA!

R.I.P. Grandma Dunham! Your grandson is about to become the first black President of the United States! You did an amazing job in helping to raise Barack, and we know he will make an excellent leader!

Ms Jenny (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:06 AM)

It's Redemption Day for us Democrats who have waited 4 years for this wonderful day. After two election cycles of Revenge of the Sith we finally have Return of the Jedi! Oh Happy Days we have overcome the ignorance, fear and smear with intelligence and grace. It's Judgment Day for McNasty and his Wicked Witch and they will be cast out by Mainstream America!

I am so looking forward to McNasty's concession speech and Obama victory speech. I'm sure that Barack will deliver yet another great speech tonight.

What a despicable desperate fool McNasty is trying to campaign when people should be voting. I guess he wants one more day of adoring crowds. Tomorrow he'll be suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder as the press leaves the loser in the dust to go interview the winner. On the bright side McNasty can go back to the Senate and nap in peace.

Go Obama/Biden 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:08 AM)

Yes, only 77 more days until Obama/Biden take office ! Change is just around the corner, let's keep walking it the correct direction. Obama/Biden '08

Broke in Florida (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:08 AM)

Billion $ Dollar Party at Grant Park tonight! Barack is sparing no expense in throwing a party we'll never forget on a historic night. There will be food, drink, entertainment for all who come. Be there tonight. Come early for best areas.

Louis F., Chicago, IL (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:10 AM)

Just watch Fox News. They have all the answers and accurate info.

fair game. (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:10 AM)

Nah Nah Nah Nah, Hey Hey Goodbye! Yes Goodbye McNasty and his Wicked Witch of Alaska. Good riddance!

Now it's time for the repugnant ones to Wail Baby Wail! It will be so much fun watching the repugnant ones casting blame at each other. I'm sure the misguided McCainiacs will still whine one more day here but then will get lost here at First Read, the Best Place for Politics on the Web!

Yippee it's time for me to go vote for Obama and all the Democrats and to vote against Prop Hate! I will be so glad when that disgusting Prop Hate ad comes down from First Read's front page.

Win One in Memorial to "Toot"!
Go Obama/Biden 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:13 AM)

Lines in Staunton, Virginia are longer than I have ever seen. We are a small town in the valley that usually goes Republican; maybe we can change too.

Proud Voter, staunton,va (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:14 AM)

Three of the women in my office are voting for McCain. Why? Their fathers were Republicans, or their husbands tell them how to vote. None of them watched the primary or Presidential debates. When I asked one of them if she was at all worried if the 72 year old McCain dies in office and Palin assumes the presidency she said she "didn't know much about Sarah Palin." These folks don't care enough about politics to think about the issues, but, by golly, they are patriotic enough they always vote! This is what we are up against: the No Nothing Voter. Pray to God enough African Americans vote, enough young Americans, enough moderately open minded voters, otherwise this country is going down the tubes due to a large mass of nice, but not too bright, American voters.

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:15 AM)

This election year has been a roller coaster ride and I have really enjoyed MSNBC, including Pat B. and Joe Scarborough (LOL).

This blog has provided an outlet to the daily madness and my fellow bloggers have made this election very memorable..there are so many I can't name everyone!

I did not begin watching MSNBC until this election. No matter how this election turns out (let me retract) hopefully Obama wins, MSNBC has won this viewer and my family across the US for life.

Thanks MSNBC, especially Keith O, Chris M., and Rachel Maddow!

I am curious though, I KINDA' figured Chris M. was a republican, but I can't help but think he voted for
"THAT ONE"????

Michelle Zee (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:15 AM)

First Read's coverage of the campaign has been valuable in this election. One comment in this post, however, reveals a lot about what's been increasingly wrong with media coverage of elections and elections themselves (which are more related than ever) over the past three decades. "...it’s once again worth emphasizing how short -- by comparison -- the general election has been. In fact, today marks exactly five months since the day the general election officially began.." Compared to just about any other democracy, this is an extraordinarily long campaign season. And for all it's length, we don't get a very deep or informed discussion of the issues. The media, with its obsession with soundbites and sensational scandalgates and general disinterest in context, analysis or historical perspective, must take its share of the blame for this. This election has been a little better, but this has largely been because two campaigns have (for the most part) resisted attempts to trivialize the issues and the election. Americans should demand better.

J May (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:15 AM)

John McCain is a dishonorable man running a dishonorable campaign. His actions have proven him to be both unpatriotic and unAmerican. Let's review McCain's sad history.

In the Navy he did not take flight training seriously and while hotdogging he crashed four multi-million dollar jets.

He participated with his North Vietanese captors in anti-aAmerican radio broadcasts calling himself a war criminal.

He cheated on his first beauty-queen wife after she became disabled and everntually divorced her to marry another beauty-queen second wife who was rich.

He tried to protect Charles Keating as part of the Keating Five.

He palled around with domestic terrorists like G. Gordon Liddy and communists such his North Vietnamese jailer, who has endorsed his presidential run.

Selected the unqualifed Sarah Palin to be his running while her husband was a member of a political party that wants to rip a star from the American flag creating a new nation and Sarah Palin never condemned that group.

John McCain is too to unAmerican to be president

David, Baltimore, MD (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:15 AM)

Spread the word. RNC has a plan for a massive voter turn out that has their people coming out in force after 4PM EST today. I got a copy of the text message email that was sent late last night. It's a plan to throw the early polls off. Keep your eyes open after 4 today. Nick name Rope A Dope.

Ahleed Malak, NY (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:16 AM)

"Rich people are simply a better demographic of people. The middle-class and the poor...I don't give a crap about them." - John McCain.

Full Moon (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:17 AM)

The "conservative" Full Moon has won my heart.

Seattle Sue (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:19 AM)

I just proudly cast my vote for Barack Obama! Not only did I vote for a man whom I respect and admire; a man who first manifest honesty and brilliance with his Hyde Park speech on Oct. 2002, but I was able to cast a vote against the most misdirected and disingenuous administration (of GW Bush) in my lifetime. It was a joyous occasion for me and I am cautiously optimistic. My prayers are with the new president; he has a seemingly insurmountable challenge ahead.
Obama/Biden '08

Mitchell Feldman, Vestal, NY (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:20 AM)

Whichever candidate wins or loses tonight -- I hope and pray for civility. We support Obama - but my children have come home from school with awful messages from kids saying - "I hate Obama", "Obama is a terrorist", "If you are a real Christian you would be supporting McCain" "Obama kills babies" -- We have our children learn as much as they can about the issues, encourage them to look at all sides and try to promote tolerance. I'm so sad that other parents don't do that - and I'm sad for our country that so much hate has been promoted through this election process. Again I hope and pray for civility with whatever outcome. We are all Americans and love our country, and part of our strength comes in the diversity of our views and the ability to disagree in a respectful way. That's what America and Patriotism should be about.

Teri Sel, WI (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:20 AM)

I voted this morning and I still have goose bumps. I'm so overwhelmed to have voted for Barack Obama, the most intelligent person ever to run for POTUS. I'm especially proud that he is an African American, and I'll will cherish my vote this election for years to come.

God Bless the United States of America....

Gerri of PA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:21 AM)

I voted for Barack Obama this morning. I was so proud this morning when I arrived at my voting precinct in Richmond, Va at 5:30am to find that there was a line around the block. In my 19 years in living in the eastend(city), this precinct has never had a line to stretch outside the building not to mention down the street and around the block in the "rain". People are serious about the direction they want our country to go. There were young and old in the rain. Majority of the people were African American. It took me 2 hours to actually vote. God Bless America.

Angela Johnson, Richmond Virginia (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:24 AM)

Z, Explain what you feel to be the corruption specifically, from your first hand knowledge. We would all like to know. Ready, set, GO.

Maurice Graham, OH (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:43 AM)

With Obama announcing that he will bankrupt the coal industry, one has to wonder how many more people will lose their jobs.

So much for that free money that Obama promised the lazy people. They will have to use that money to pay the ever rising electric bills that will be given to them courtsey of BHO.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:45 AM)

Ask yourself truthfully if you benefited at all from the Bush dependent deduction amount increases, the 2 stimulus checks sent to all of us (1st Term and 2nd Term) (except the rich) and the tax decrease on all Americans he inacted during his first term. His quick and powerful response to the Terror Attacks on America in 2001, less than a year after he was in office. I know there are many things that can be pointed out that have not gone as desired but like Bill Clinton, who saw passage of NAFTA which allowed jobs to begin moving out of America, he did many good things too that have been overlooked. We are victims of a flash and burn society with little tolerance for anything, very long. Whoever our new President is, he will find himself in the same situation before the end of his first term. No room for error in this society.

Hillary Lane, Tampa, FL (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:45 AM)

726 Days - Seems like a lifetime ago.

My heart goes out to Sen Obama and I look back at these past 21 months with much pride and gratitude for this man who has withstood so much.

He was not able to breath a sigh of relief after capturing the nomination of the Democratic party due to the drawn out primary and having to jump right into the general election fray. He was not able to fully savor the nomination of his party at the convention due to McCain announcing Sarah Palin immediatly following the convention to purposely squelch any "bounce" Obama may get. Now, on the eve of Election Day, he has to look back on it with bittersweetness due to the death of his beloved grandmother.

There are no coincidences, however, and all the circumstances that he has seen, will shape and mold him into a most fabulous president. His grandfather, grandmother, mother and father would be so proud and amazed at all that he has accomplished in these past 726 days.

GOD BLESS YOU, PRESIDENT OBAMA

J. Ellis, Virginia (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:46 AM)

HOPEFULLY AMERICAN VOTERS WILL SEND BUSH,ETAL. AND THE G.O.P. TO THE DUSTBIN OF HISTORY.

TOM TYSKIEWICZ, FOREST HILLS, PA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:46 AM)

Voted for Obama in Minnesota this morning! Can't wait until tomorrow (or earlier?) when they call the election for Obama. I will be nervous about Republican shenanigans until then. Hoping Franken can defeat Coleman here in MN -- it will be very close.

Woman Voter in Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:54 AM)

I am so full of JOY at this moment in time... I want to thank all for participating in this glorious democracy of ours, no matter what side you're on. And to David, Anders, Tx : you need to take your abject racist ass and do us all a favor by jumping off a cliff somewhere... There is no need in this world for your brand of racist b.s., Democrat or Republican. You'll get yours when it is time to meet your maker. Enjoy.

Kevin , Denton, Tx (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:56 AM)

Just voted for Barack, Franken and McCullum in MN!!! It felt great! Good weather too. Unseasonably warm, inside and out. :) My heart was warmed by the sight of so many enthusiastic Obama supporters exercising their right to vote.

The line for me was 1.5 hrs. long just to get into the polling place, but from there -- no proboems. The ballots we used were easy to read and clear to understand. No confusing candidate name placement, hanging chads, or butterflies...lol. You simply marked your own ballot with a pen, then went and physically place your paper ballot into a machine that counted it. It is a great system because it is simple and has worked well for years! The only thing "electronic" about the whole process was the scanner that counted the votes as it accepted the completed ballots. Voters literally marked their own ballot by hand -- as it should be! Remember the old saying, "Have a hand in electing your next President"? That line literally comes from the age old tradition in our country of "hand marking your ballots, and then putting them in the box yourself" -- having a direct hand in the process, in a physical sense of the word. OK, the box has changed a little bit because now it counts the votes automatically, but for the most part, the system remains unchanged. It worked just fine all this time. We don't need electronic voting machines to figure out how to mark our own choices.

Joe, MN (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:56 AM)

I proudly cast my ballot for Obama/Biden at 7:30 AM MST in Logan, UT. It was the first time I had used electronic voting machines, everything was running smoothly and the poll workers were working hard.

Utahn for Obama (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:57 AM)

First of all, i'd like to Thank the reporters at & associated with 1st Read for allowing us the oppurtunity to put our thought's into word's for everyone to comment on. America is such a wonderful country(i'm sure other country's are also).

From here in Rural Kentucky, i say Thank You to all of the Barack Obama supporter's for helping express our reasons for wanting to Elect him as Our President.It's been a great Joy being able to converse with ordinary people from all walks of life.

Its been an extra long journey getting to today & hopefully our effort's will pay off in Victory for our candidate. We've done all we can do, now go Vote, so we can begin writing a new chapter for America.

Delusional Thinking By Commonsense American's Is Over !

Barack Hussein Obama, The Next President of The United States Of America !

Rick ( Hussein), Ky (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:59 AM)

Thank you Toot... your amazing grandson is going to make a wonderful president. I know that with a President Obama families across this great country will once again feel like they're a part of government. After all, without a solid middle class there are fewer and fewer to purchase the goods and services of the upper 2%.

A President Obama will restore The United States to its leader of the free world status.

SO ANYONE WHO HASN'T VOTED, GO VOTE... IT'S IMPORTANT.

OBAMA/BIDEN 08-12

Donna-Charlottesville, VA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:59 AM)

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!! AMERICA FINALLY RETURNS TO ITS ROOTS AND VOTES FOR A TRUE STATYESMAN FOR ITS PRESIDENT!!! BARACK'S GRANDMOTHER DID GOOD!!!

MY WIFE AND I VOTED FOR OBAMA/BIDEN!!!!

A HARDCORE, RABID REPUBLICAN, FAT, OLD, SUCCESSFUL, PREJUDICED WHITE GUY FOR OBAMA/BIDEN

RD, ALEXANDRIA,VA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 10:59 AM)

Thank you FR, you've posted and linked to vast amounts of information, sifted through untold thousands of posts, taken a fair amount of complaints, a few of them from me, all on top of the other things you do in and out of electoral season. Thank you posters, who have shared your thoughts, contributed additional links and information, and been mostly respectful of others even when you disagree. You have made it worth tolerating the few hateful, bitter, deceitful rants, some of which will no doubt appear on this thread as well. Thank you to voters, who are turning out in amazing numbers in spite of those who work to decrease turnout, hoping their parochial interests will prevail if they can just get "their" voters to the polls while the "other side" statys home. We are Americans. We disagree, sometimes strongly, but people in this country overwhelmingly feel that what's best for the nation will ultimately be better for them personally. That's why we watch this process, that's why we vote, and that's why we'll all be watching for those in office to do the right thing as they take office and resume the people's business.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 11:01 AM)

Last I checked America was the land of opportunity not the land of sit on your butt and let others pay your way. No where does the Constitution state that your have the right to be GIVEN money for nothing. No where does it say that you have the right to have the GOVERNMENT pay your way. Everyone believes CHANGE is coming….DO you really want to be the AMERICA of hand outs and free loaders? I don’t think this is the AMERICA that our Founding Fathers would be proud of!!!

MCCAIN 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Georgia (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 11:01 AM)

Does anybody know what time the Tom Brokaw is doing the Tim Russart Toast? We orderd a few cases of rolling rock for tonights celibration just to join in and toast his memory, I just wanted to know so we can have them in peoples hands at the approriate time. I don't want a mad dash to the bar when it starts and have people miss out.

Paul Bell, Ellensburg, WA (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 11:03 AM)

It's all you need to know... Florida will go to Obama.

Broke in Florida (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 11:04 AM)

Everyone that is an Obama supporter... its imperative to vote NOW!!! If you turn out, it'll be hard to steal this election. Get out and vote... it matters. Your vote does count and you'll make a huge difference.

just the facts (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 11:04 AM)

On certain conservative blogs, it has been reported that the McCain campaign has summoned back to polling precincts GOTV staff with the expectation that they need to plan on pulling all nighters at those locations. Speculation is that early exit polling -- yes, I know, it's inherently unreliable -- suggests a very tight race that will not be called tonight.

Anyone hear anything similar?

njwolverine (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 11:07 AM)

"We spent more time deciding the nominees than deciding the president. [Is] that a good thing?"

Absolutely. During the primary season, we make decisions based on which problems we want the candidates to address and how. We identify, as a party, what we think is important and decide who we believe has the best plan to address these issues and the best chance to convince the most voters in the general election. This should take more time since we are trying to build a (more-or-less) unified consensus from millions of individuals, each with their unique set of concerns.

Once the party nominees are settled, it is a matter of Ideology: which party has defined the nation's needs more clearly and accurately, and which party's nominee has the pulse of the majority of the nation on which are THE issues and what is THE best path to follow.

It is rather similar to deciding on a place to live: the primary season is where we decide the state, town, neighborhood, and define our price-range. The general election is where we pick a specific house or apartment.

The mid-term election is where we refinance for a better interest rate (or to try to avoid bankruptcy).

Cheryl, New York City (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 11:08 AM)

My Vote goes to Obama/Biden - So sad that Mrs. Dunham did not live long enough to see her beloved grandson become the next president of the United States - Welcome President Obama!!!!!

Iowa-Military Mom (Sent Tuesday, November 04, 2008 11:10 AM)

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