Inspire Political Discourse: From Inspire Emotion: Live Blogging Election Day

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04 November 2008

From Inspire Emotion: Live Blogging Election Day

Vote for integrity Vote for Obama

Good morning. Are you ready? I am SO ready! Bring it on, let the ballots roll, baby!

A few tips: - Take your government-issued ID and your cell phone, if you have one. If you have problems, or see problems, call a hotline immediately (see below). If you have trouble with your registration, ask for a provisional ballot.
- Avoid Straight Party Voting, if it's an option in your state. Vote for each race individually, even if it takes a little longer.
- Verify your vote. If you’re voting on an electronic voting machine, check the review screen to make sure it reflects your vote. If the machine produces a paper record, check as you go along that everything is working correctly. If not, speak to a polling attendant—don’t leave until you’re sure your vote has been properly recorded.
- Document problems - If you encounter difficulties, or see others experiencing difficulties (excessive lines, voter harassment, malfunctioning machines, etc.), make a detailed record. Get all the facts you can—location, names, specific problem.
- Report problems encountered during voting to 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683), which has volunteer lawyers in 15 locations standing by to provide rapid-response assistance. [.....]

TRACKING [times are EST]

◄ 11:00PM | ABC News has just projected Barack Obama to be the 44th president of the United States with at least 297 electoral votes!

◄ 11:25PM |
Obama >338-EV
Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Virginia, California, Colorado, Colorado, Florida, Washington, Oregon, Iowa,
McCain > 155-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Arizona, South Dakota, Utah,
◄ 11:00PM |
Obama >297-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Virginia, California, Washington, Oregon, Iowa,
McCain > 145-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah,
◄ 10:42PM |
Obama >207-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Iowa,
McCain > 141-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah,
◄ 10:02PM | Obama takes Iowa!
Obama >207-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Iowa,
McCain > 138-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Utah,
◄ 9:40PM | Barack takes Ohio! It is very unlikely at this point that McCain can get to 270 electoral votes. A Republican has never become the president without taking Ohio*.
Obama >200-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*,
McCain > 130-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi,
◄ 9:05PM | Dems have picked up 4 Senate seats thus far.
Obama >174-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota,
McCain > 90-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia
◄ 8:30PM | Elizabeth Dole has lost the Senate race in NC.
Obama >102-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania,
McCain > 49-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas,
◄ 8:01PM |
Obama >102-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania,
McCain > 34-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina
◄7:36PM | CNN has an excellent electoral map, and allows you to track things like which states are processing votes, etc.. I am using the info from ABC live television for tracking, however.So far, Vermont has gone to Obama, and Kentucky for McCain. No surprises there.
* indicates battleground states

ELECTION NEWS and whatever.....

► Ha ha. Palin hates the blogosphere and also said that she would like to “help improve the profession because she has “great respect for the world of journalism.” ” [.....]Yeah, I bet. By shutting down our first amendment rights, no doubt..
► Exit polls indicate that 8 out of 10 people say that the economy is the most important issue.
► In the Detroit area (listening to wxyz in Detroit now), the wait is 6+ hours, largely due to understaffing. Although the polls close at 8pm in Detroit, if you are in line at 8pm, you will be able to vote.
►In an interview on CNN today, Rick Sanchez makes Joe the Plumber look like what he is -- an opportunistic idiot who needs to get a clue. [video]
► An hour ago (approx. 4:30pm EST) the GOP filed a lawsuit re provisional ballots in Ohio. No news on the net as of now.
► From MSNBC - heavy voting reported as polls approach closing times.
► DAMN the GOP! GOP Poll Watchers in Indiana Violated Court Order On Foreclosure Lists
► I am so freakin' tired -- I could not sleep last night. *sigh*
► Ten reasons why you should ignore exit polling data.
► Reports of voting problems all across Virginia this morning.
► The Alaska state polls will be the last to close tonight, at 12am EST. The last to close that will truly matter are California, Oregon, and Washington, at 11pm EST.
► African-American community in Florida, only one machine.
► GOP Officials Trying To Disqualify Iowa Student Ballots
► Across the country, polling places report long lines and heavy turnout.
► In California, same sex couples rush to beat the ballot. “With polls showing the outcome of a ballot measure on Tuesday on outlawing same-sex marriage in California a tossup, couples were not taking any chances on Monday”
► Who is funding California's Proposition 8? “The Mormons' donations are well known, and are a source of outrage among the church's more moderate elements. But little attention has been focused on two of the proposition's biggest individual donors: Elsa Broekhuizen, the mother of Blackwater founder Erik Prince, and Howard F. Ahmanson Jr., the reclusive theocratic millionaire who inherited $300 million from his philanthropist father at age 18.”
► Keith Olbermann produces evidence (cue cards) that Palin was scripted to compliment Tina Fey for her impression when she appeared on SNL but ad-libbed and left the line out. Not really surprising as she is known in Alaska as an inveterate grudgeholder.[video]
► At 7AM, 1000+ students lined up to vote at Penn State [video]
► John Kerry on the short list for Secretary of State [.....]
► Carl Rove predicts huge win for Obama: “The final Rove & Co. electoral map of the 2008 election cycle points to a 338-200 Barack Obama electoral vote victory over John McCain tomorrow, the largest electoral margin since 1996. ” Projections from other pundits.
► Palin's doctor released a brief letter summarizing her medical history. There are still many unanswered questions about her last pregnancy.