Tag Archives: Election

This just in: Hell has frozen over

For once I agree completely with a segment on Fox News. I found this over on Wonkette.

As I mentioned earlier today, I supported Ralph Nader, for a time, in the 2000 election. I’ve pretty much had it with him ever since then. Gore lost Florida by a few hundred votes, and it’s worth noting that in that same election, over 90,000 Floridians voted for Nader. There are plenty of arguments you can make as to what was the turning point in Bush’s “victory” in 2000, but in my mind, this has always been the one: Ralph Nader’s 90,000 votes in Florida. End of story.

Except it’s not the end of the story. For a third-party candidate, Nader actually had a respectable showing nationwide in that election, even buoying interest in the Green Party. But since then he has continued to run ever more irrelevant campaigns, with rapidly dwindling support. Yet he persists, not so much deluded that he might actually win the presidency — he knows he can’t — but deluded that what he’s doing isn’t having a net negative effect on the country.

And then there’s this, the piece from Fox News last night:

Uncle Tom??? Are you kidding me? Ralph, please go away. You have nothing left to contribute to this country.

What does it feel like to believe again?

It’s still sinking in that Barack Obama is going to be our next president. Is it real?

I’m so used to not believing in our leadership, I’m not sure how to handle myself. I would say that I haven’t felt this way since… something, except for the fact that I haven’t ever felt this way.

I was born just as Nixon was falling apart at the height of the Watergate scandal. Although I lived through Gerald Ford’s entire (brief) presidency, the first president I remember is Jimmy Carter. I knew we were supporting him in the 1980 election, and then… that was it. From the time I was in first grade until I was a freshman in college, our country was led by either Ronald Reagan or George Bush (the elder). Whatever enthusiasm I held as a student for native son Walter Mondale and amiable schmuck Michael Dukakis was in vain. (OK, he wasn’t really a schmuck, but even I remember him best for that ridiculous picture of him in the tank with the oversized helmet on his head.)

I turned 18 in 1992, and eagerly attended the (non-binding) primary election to cast my very first vote ever for… Bill Clinton. I voted for him again in the general, and again for re-election in 1996. I believed in him, and in Al Gore, though my enthusiasm diminished over years of rightward drift, ineffective battles with Newt Gingrich’s Republican House, and the whole Monica Lewinsky thing, which as far as I (and just about everyone I knew) was concerned, should have been a non-issue. But I never really admired Bill Clinton.

In 2000 I jumped on the “there’s no difference between the two major parties” bandwagon, going so far as to place a Nader/LaDuke bumper sticker on my car, before finally coming to my senses and casting my vote for Al Gore. Sadly, my primary season prophecy that, if nominated and elected, George W. Bush would find some excuse, any excuse, to go (back) to war with Iraq proved true. The rest is history. Except it’s still happening.

In 2004, I supported John Kerry, but I certainly related to the sentiment conveyed best by the infamous website, JohnKerryIsADouchebagButImVotingForHimAnyway.com. Seriously, Democrats, one of the demonstrably worst presidential terms in history, and this is the best you can do? And of course, the Democrats’ best wasn’t good enough.

But something significant did come out of that 2004 election. A (relatively) young senatorial candidate out of Illinois named Barack Obama made his debut on the stage of the Democratic National Convention, delivering a speech of such eloquence, substance and vision, that many (myself included) were left wondering, “Why didn’t we nominate that guy?”

This year we had our chance. Despite my leanings from day one of his campaign, soooo long ago, it was not until the eve of the Democratic caucus in February that I committed myself to supporting Obama. The eloquence of his speeches was matched by his calm, focused demeanor, by his thoughtful introspection and progressive vision in place of the usual political canned answers and paint-by-numbers policy platforms, and by the smooth, unfailing efficiency and organization of his campaign. He was simply the candidate for this moment in time. As America entered its darkest hour, here was a gleaming ray of hope for a new day, a new era, a new America.

So, like I said at the beginning, I’ve never felt the kind of passionate support for a candidate (although SLP described it as a “man crush”) as I did for Barack Obama, and I have never been so elated by an electoral victory. There simply has not been the kind of candidate, from either party, to move people like this in my lifetime. Some would argue Reagan, perhaps, but I believe (and always have) that Reagan’s vision was fundamentally flawed, tragically skewed to point our nation inevitably in the direction it has headed over the past 8 years, and largely over the past three decades.

A new day is upon us. This election is profoundly significant for many reasons, not the least of which is the unprecedented transformation in race relations that is now made possible by the pending inauguration of our first African-American president. That’s huge, it’s profound, and it’s long overdue. But that’s just part of it. As President-Elect Obama has said himself, there is not a black America, or a white America, or a Latino or Asian or Native American America. There is the United States of America. And today, despite the 20 red states on the map and the 46% of us who voted for John McCain, we have never been more united across the many long-standing internal divisions we’ve faced, than we are today.

The last politician who inspired this kind of enthusiasm and who brought America this kind of vision was Robert Kennedy. The last president who entered office at such a challenging time, with such a transformative vision, was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I believe Barack Obama has the potential to have the enduring positive impact on this country that FDR did, and perhaps even more. He may usher in a new era in the world, an era of greater understanding and cooperation and vision for our collective future as one people, one planet.

That’s a tall order. Barack Obama is brilliant, gifted, and committed, but he is just one man. The kind of transformation his election demands is something that will affect, and be affected by, all of us. But it’s a transformation we should undertake, to believe in ourselves again, to believe in each other, to believe in a world that will be better tomorrow than it is today, and to believe that anything is possible. We just have to make it happen.

Oh great, now Minnesota is the new Florida (or Ohio)

Reading this New York Times article about the looming recount in the Senate race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken, I am seeing shades of Florida in 2000, or Ohio in 2004. Voting irregularities, legal challenges, hanging chads. Well, OK, we won’t have hanging chads, because we don’t use those stupid 19th century voting machines. But this could be as bitter and nasty, and protracted, as Florida in 2000, writ small. I’m glad we in Minnesota handed a decisive victory to Obama, but now all eyes are on us, especially since at this point it still looks like a Franken win (along with Democratic pickups in three other close races) could give the Democrats a razor-thin filibuster-proof majority.

Honestly, though, I’d rather not have that majority. With Obama’s commitment to breaking down partisan barriers, I think a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate would be a bad thing, and is probably unnecessary anyway. And if the Democrats did get it, it would only be because Joe Lieberman would still be caucusing with them. A frightening proposition. He doesn’t need that power, and we don’t need to let him have it, either. Better that the Democrats can enjoy their solid (but not commanding) majority, and disregard Lieberman altogether. (Say goodbye to your committee positions, Joe!)

I like Franken; I supported him. I don’t like Coleman, the opportunistic ex-Democrat, and the tool of Bush that he’s become. But I can live with him in there if I have to. Amy Klobuchar is my senator, thank you very much, and I’m looking forward to a brighter future with little regard for Coleman’s place within it.

So Al, go ahead with the recount; under law it will happen anyway. Just don’t fight it too hard. I watched you last night, addressing your DFL supporters, and although you invoked Barack Obama’s name, and although you’re new to politics yourself, you sounded an awful lot like the same old tired politicians we collectively are ready to say goodbye to. I’d like to see you in the race again in 2014, but more importantly, I’d like to see you walk away from what appears to be a narrow loss with your dignity intact.

In other news: Things looked good on the ballot for me, other than Al. Every candidate and ballot measure I voted for won or passed, except (possibly) for Al Franken. I was very pleased, especially, to see that my choices for the three seats on the Minneapolis School Board all won, and especially that the homeschooler came in second-to-last. I’m sure she’s a good person, but I fundamentally believe that if you do not support public schools (which she clearly doesn’t), you have no business running for school board!

Election night liveblog HERE!

OK, I’m going to give this “liveblog” thing a shot. I’ll be posting timely updates here as I think of them, trapping every fleeting thought in amber and preserving it for subsequent humiliation. Don’t miss it! The page will automatically refresh every 5 minutes to annoy you keep you up-to-the-minute with the nonstop excitement that is bound to ensue.

11:37 PM ▸ They’re already talking automatic recount on the Senate race. Maybe it’s time for bed. For those of you who’ve hung in there with me, thanks for reading! Yes we can! And we did!

11:33 PM ▸ Al believes he’s going to win. I’m shocked. But no matter what happens, he says, “Know this: we have changed this country.”

11:30 PM ▸ Has Al Franken been drinking? I suppose that’s OK, we’re all celebrating our new president-elect. I met Al in person at the Minnesota State Fair — last year — and I promised him my vote. He got it. Let’s hope it counts.

11:25 PM ▸ What’s Coleman on about? Looks like he got a new haircut. Seems a bit premature for him to be up addressing his supporters though. Ugh. This Senate race is going to be long and painful.

11:16 PM ▸ Wow, a president who’s not just thinking of how much he can take from the next four years, but how much he — and we — can give to the world a century from now. Vision. We have it again.

11:09 PM ▸ “This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance to make that change.”

11:03 PM ▸ See, everyone? Obama = puppies! Yay!!!

11:01 PM ▸ I know whether you’ve won or lost plays a factor in this, but when McCain mentioned Obama, his supporters booed. When Obama mentioned McCain, his supporters cheered.

10:41 PM ▸ OK, I’m back, two Baileys-es later. Let’s see how the lesser races go. Come on, Al Franken!

9:40 PM ▸ Congratulations to Joe Biden… for winning re-election to his Senate seat. I’m going to put the computer away for a while and toast President Obama with a tasty beverage!

9:36 PM ▸ OK, we can stop talking about how a year ago everyone was thinking this would be a Clinton vs. Giuliani race. I do like how they’re tiptoeing around the obvious fact that Obama has California and the other West Coast states. None of what they are saying is even remotely relevant! It’s over!

9:19 PM ▸ Yes, folks, it’s over. The networks can’t “officially” call states where the polls are still open, but there’s no real doubt that Obama will carry California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. If he’s already got 207, plus California’s 55, that’ll put him at 262. (To say nothing of the other three states I just mentioned.) Eight more votes from any of the other states, which he’s certain to get, and it’s over.

9:16 PM ▸ Wow, John Murtha got re-elected despite his missteps in referring to his own constituents as racists and then, in his semi-apology, as rednecks.

9:04 PM ▸ Now Nate Silver joins me in calling it for Obama, as of 8:46 PM.

8:54 PM ▸ Taking a break now for the kids’ nighttime rituals, slightly abridged.

8:52 PM ▸ Tim Russert, we miss you and your whiteboard.

8:47 PM ▸ Hmmm… as this map is starting to fill in, it’s looking like a Civil War map. All of the northern states are blue; all of the southern states are red. Let’s see how Virginia and North Carolina go. It would certainly be symbolic if the old Confederate capital, at least, went for Obama.

8:33 PM ▸ Combining the call of Ohio with FiveThirtyEight.com‘s “safe” votes, we’re at 279. Folks, I think it’s over!

8:31 PM ▸ Virginia’s coming back in line… I’m giddy! 200-to-85 right now.

8:27 PM ▸ Obama wins Ohio! Big news!!! Jw can breathe a sigh of relief.

8:26 PM ▸ Now that Minnesota’s in for Obama, I’m waiting to hear about the Senate race and the 6th District House race. I also want to hear how the Minneapolis school board results turned out. If you want to homeschool, fine. But, if you ask me, a homeschooler simply doesn’t belong on the school board!

8:17 PM ▸ Ugh. The “I’m a PC” ads sucked bad enough before they were all shot on $20 Walmart webcams.

8:15 PM ▸ FiveThirtyEight.com is now saying Obama has 259 “safe” electoral votes. If they’re right, he only needs to snag 11 more out of the toss-up pool and it’s over.

8:14 PM ▸ I now have a mispronunciation that I hate more than “nucular.” It is not pronounced “pundint”!!!!

8:05 PM ▸ Grant Park, Chicago: They got their tickets “in” the Internet? Don’t you mean the “Inter-Tubes”?

8:04 PM ▸ I am now seeing the benefit of HD. There’s all kinds of extra data crammed into the sides of the screen. I guess we’ll be sticking with the broadcast networks now. (Too cheap for digital cable.)

8:03 PM ▸ Painting a map on the ice rink at Rockefeller Center. Sweet.

8:01 PM ▸ W00t! Obama wins Minnesota. Arizona TOO CLOSE TO CALL. Hmmm….

7:59 PM ▸ Flipped to KARE-11. Not that I really need to see these guys in High Definition. I thought the one dude was Newt Gingrich at first. *shudder*

7:55 PM ▸ MSNBC, you’re losing me. If I gave a crap what Tom Delay thinks, I’d watch Fox News.

7:53 PM ▸ Chatting with SLP over Facebook even though we’re sitting in the same room. This is ridiculous.

7:45 PM ▸ I wonder if the Republican Party is on track to be relegated to the margins the way the Democrats were in the ’50s, such as in 1952 and 1956 when (both times) Adlai Stevenson only won a small band of Deep South states against the Eisenhower juggernaut. I don’t think that transition is happening this year, but based on how things go over the next four years, the 2012 electoral map might look like a mirror image of the 1952 map.

7:38 PM ▸ I don’t think this is going to move as smoothly as I had initially hoped. Virginia was looking solid Obama over the last few days on FiveThirtyEight.com.

7:31 PM ▸ Virginia… ouch. Too close to call, but McCain is way ahead with roughly a third of the precincts reporting… THIS JUST IN — Elizabeth Dole lost her seat. That was a pretty nasty campaign.

7:27 PM ▸ OK, it’s on. We’re watching MSNBC. Ann Curry was just talking about white voters in North Carolina who said race was a factor. (I think it was North Carolina. Some southern state, at any rate.) Apparently 24% of white voters in that state said race was a factor, and among them 30% “still” (that’s a quote) voted for Obama. Isn’t it possible that race was a factor for some of them in a positive way? I’m white, and I think it’s about damn time we have a black president too!

7:25 PM ▸ Is it over? I just got home. I heard on NPR in the car that Obama took Pennsylvania. Big news. McCain has a steep climb to recover from this position.

5:23 PM ▸ This will probably be my only update-by-iPhone. The on-screen keyboard is just not designed for coding HTML. Anyway, I’m at the mall with the kids, having Chicken McNuggets shoved in my face. Not by choice. Oh well… the cashier at McDonalds gave me a free milk when she saw my Obama button. Let the redistribution begin!

2:27 PM ▸ OK, time to go think about something else for a while. I’ll be back when I just can’t stand it anymore.

1:56 PM ▸ Tick… tock… tick… tock…. Is it over yet?

11:54 AM ▸ My Voting Story. Since I’m already starting to hear tales of woe from friends and acquaintances in other states, I felt like I should share my own story. Gloat, if you will. We decided to vote after the kids were off at school, so we ended up walking to our polling place (the Methodist church at the end of our block) around 9:15 AM. We talked to some neighbors along the way, who had already voted, and they mentioned that there had been a bit of a line earlier as people voted before work, but now things had tapered off.

We walked right in, no line, signed in, walked over to the ballot table, took our ballots to the little folding (and flimsy) voting carrels, marked ’em up, took them to the Tabulatron 2000™ (or whatever it’s called), fed them in, and that was it. Got our stickers and walked out. OK, the Tabulatron spit out my ballot at first so I had to give it a second try, but then it worked. I even distinctly heard the sound of the ballot dropping, intact, to the bottom of the big metal box inside, so I’m fairly sure it was not shredded.

Now, lest you get the impression that the electorate is staying home around here, that is not the case. The place was humming with people. It just happened that the capacity of the polling place was precisely matched to the number of people coming in to vote at that time. I could almost hear a Raymond Scott tune playing in the background.

Go Minneapolis!

11:39 AM ▸ Popcorn has been requested. Here you go…

11:23 AM ▸ He hasn’t even won yet and they’re already renaming buildings after him.

11:11 AM ▸ I managed to work for an hour. Now it’s time to get some lunch and think about the election some more. And post some asinine status updates on Facebook.

10:11 AM ▸ Currently on the U of M campus. Election buzz is tangible. Lots of Obama love. Also clean water amendment. Yay, sales tax! (I voted for that, too.)

9:25 AM ▸ The deed is done.

6:34 AM ▸ Let’s get things started by dropping in the MSNBC election dashboard. This will serve as the Al Michaels (or, if you’re old skool, Pat Summerall) to my John Madden.