Post comments on returns HERE

Y‘all, I just got home and I’m going to go into the kitchen to get some of the dinner that Mamanem fixed, and then start paying attention to returns. But I thought I’d go ahead and put up this post in case y’all can’t wait.

On my way home from the office, right after the polls closed, I saw on TV over at my daughter’s house (where I had stopped to check on the twins) that one of the networks was reporting exit poll data that indicated the black turnout in Virginia was 22 percent. It was 21 percent in 2004, they said.

Data such as those cause me to say to myself, I’ll wait for some real numbers

47 thoughts on “Post comments on returns HERE

  1. Ozzie

    I’m surprised that PA was called so early for Obama. That suggests a bigger victory for him than the polls were suggesting.

  2. Brad Warthen

    The only thing that might have made Pennsylvania surprising is if we thought those “bitter” working-class white folks who refused to support Obama in the primary (and I still haven’t quite figured that out) were going to go for McCain.
    Pennsylvania went for the Democrat in the last four presidential elections.

  3. Brad Warthen

    Well now, that’s a bit of a surprise — the South Carolinians concerned about the economy went for McCain.

    There’s got to be a problem with the analysis there — or the implied analysis, at any rate. Certainly there’s no cause-and-effect relationship. Most voters in South Carolina voted for McCain. Most South Carolinians are also concerned about the economy. Duh. Doesn’t mean one has anything to do with the other. And I suspect it’s a meaningless correlation.

  4. Brad Warthen

    Take a look at the electoral maps to be seen on the boob tube tonight — or this one at the NYT site. We see a now-familiar sight — the Republican leading or winning more of the map in terms of sheer area, but (this time) losing in the electoral college. Basically, those northeastern states seem to have all the electoral college votes.

    Ya know, I’ve always been a fan of the electoral college, but sometimes, when I look at a map like that, I think, wait a minute… it begins to look like we’ve been snookered by some sort of Yankee trickery…

    (For those of you not familiar with me, that was me using that irony thing again.)

  5. Randy E

    Brad, there is a correlation between concern about the economy and voting for Obama. SC is simply steeped in republicanism.

  6. Randy E

    Rove thought he was creating a Republican super race with his puppet. 4 years after W bragged about spending all the capital the voters gave him, not only did he spend it, he took out a high interest loan which Brad’s twin grandkids and my kids will pay off.
    America will now regain the moral high ground in the world.
    President Obama, get used to hearing it!

  7. Bart

    If the trend stays on course, Obama will win the electoral in a landslide but only a narrow victory in the popular vote.
    NC looks as if it is going back to its roots in the Democrat tradition. The triangle area and Charlotte are predominantly Democrat including the upstate. Dole thought she had it won too soon and didn’t count on the Obama coattails. Her biggest problem was that she didn’t take care of her constituents according to my brothers who still live in NC.
    VA is still close but it looks as if it will eventually end up in the Obama column.
    Not surprised at PA. Always thought it would go Obama and Ohio is not a surprise either. My sister lives there and she told me last week Obama was almost a certain lock there.
    With the exit polls showing Obama with a substantial electoral lead, all he needs now to declare are the official results from California, Oregon, and Washington to win it all. He did what he needed to do.

  8. Ozzie

    Brad, don’t you think that voters in South Carolina can be concerned about the economy and still vote for McCain? I think the thing they want to hear is “cut taxes.” That’s the most important economic news in a conservative state. A bit short-sighted, perhaps, but isn’t that how most people vote?

  9. Lee Muller

    Obama’s Latest Endorsement – al Qaida.
    Abu Yahya al-Libi (al-Libi) has called for President Bush and the Republicans to be “humilated,” in the upcomming US election, according to news reports and messages at al Qaida sympathetic websites and bulletin boards. This marks another tactic endorsement of the Obama campaign by another radical organization. While I realize it may be unfair to say that Obama is supported by terrorists, or that Obama supports terrorism , I do find it quite disturbing that Sen. Obama’s campaign has been explicitly supported by Hamas, Hezbollah, radical elements in Palestine, and now, it would appear al Qaida.

  10. Norm Ivey

    Here’s something that surprises me, mostly because I have never considered this course of action in my 28 years of voting. It appears that nearly half of all voters in Richland County cast a straight party ticket. I had no idea.
    Also, it appears that our School District 2 Bond Referendum will pass. And we will be able to buy beer on Sunday. We’ve got some good people in the County.

  11. Brad Warthen

    It’s just not what you respect to hear. Perhaps I am merely committing the most obvious mistake — supposing other McCain supporters are like me. But I think it’s a reasonable supposition that people who put the economy at the top of their list generally tend toward the Democrat, and it’s certainly never been McCain’s best topic. I know I didn’t support him because of the economy. But then, as I said earlier, I didn’t think either of them knew what to do on that issue. Obama just talks it up more, and his supporters (such as our own bud) see the economy as Job One.

  12. Randy E

    IF Obama can win reelection, my 2 year old and 4 month old will grow up with an African-American as president being a normal situation.
    What a great image.

  13. Brad Warthen

    Here’s a potential surprise in the making, and the first of my predictions to be wrong, if the trend continues. I see that with 19 of 22 precincts reporting, David Herndon is leading Anton Gunn, 54 percent to 46 percent.
    It occurs to me that I may have placed too much emphasis on the Obama Effect, whereas in S.C., we should consider the possibility of a McCain Effect — at least, outside Richland County. And a goodly chunk of that district is in Kershaw.
    Actually, what we could be seeing is just a matter of the district’s demographics; I’m not sure. The district has been Republican, but moderately Republican, resending Bill Cotty until his retirement this year. And Mr. Herndon, who was endorsed by Mr. Cotty, has positioned himself as a moderate, defeating one of the school choice movement’s fire-eaters in the primary. We’ve heard a lot about the district tending Democratic, even while Cotty still had it, but perhaps that has been inaccurate.
    But if Anton Gunn loses, it still surprises me. He was probably the most impressive legislative candidate I saw this year, and Mr. Herndon was about what you expect from an earnest first-timer. Nice guy, but not nearly as thoughtful or insightful about issues, and not nearly the talker. That’s what makes me think in terms of the partisan proclivities of the district, rather than anything about the candidates themselves…

  14. Brad Warthen

    I see the presidential race is likely to be decided before California gets around to reporting. Serves them right — if they want to matter, they should get up in the morning with the rest of us, and get the job done.

  15. Lee Muller

    If you claim to put the economy at the top of your issues, it makes no sense to vote for Obama, a hard core socialist, with no experience in anything, no good advisors, who wants to abolish 401-k plans and destroy the coal, petroleum, and automobile industries.
    The Democrats just finished wrecking the housing industry and banking with their mandated loans to unqualified blacks and 5,000,000 illegal Mexicans. The covered it over with $700 BILLION in deficit spending.
    These clowns will have the economy down from +2.8% growth now (same as Clinton) to a recession by March or April.
    Several of my friends, even liberal Democrats who voted for McCain, are moving their work and assets offshore until Obama is gone.

  16. Bart

    If the media wanted to, they could call it for Obama right now. There is no way McCain has a remote chance of winning at this point.
    The popular vote is in Obama’s favor by almost 2 million and increasing with each update.
    I also think it would be safe to call VA and FLA for Obama at this point. I don’t think there are any big pockets of voters for McCain left uncounted.
    For all of the Obama supporters out there, congratulations. It has been a lot of fun reading your comments and the back and forth defense of your candidate(s). This is what it is all about.
    We can disagree and get upset with each other but in the end, we took part in the process. I am disappointed with the McCain loss but the world won’t end, the sun will rise in the morning, and we will move on with our lives.
    I never thought for one moment that George Bush was anything other than a man and a politician. Not a god or some omnipotent being, sent to earth to lead us out of the darkness. Neither is Barack Obama. Just don’t pin too many hopes on him because in the end, he will let too many of you down and once he is fully exposed to the light of day by his actions, I think many eyes will be opened and for some, buyers remorse will set in.
    This country will have the governing party they asked for and then some. Lets hope the right choice was made.
    And, don’t let the notion that suddenly, the rest of the world will love us when in truth, they never did even before Bush. I traveled and worked abroad well before Bush and the hatred for America was palpable and real. I see nothing that has changed that hatred and intense dislike.
    All you need to do is ask this one simple question after making a simple observation. Not one European, Far Eastern, or Pacific Rim nation has ever elected a black man to any position of power, especially to the highest office of president or prime minister. Then ask yourself why they have taken it upon themselves to criticize us about the same thing. We have moved beyond those barriers with the election of Obama tonight. When will they do the same thing? Until then, all it is is just more criticism and envy.
    When you are the most successful, most powerful, progressive, and inventive nation, others are jealous and want nothing more than bring you down. That is human nature and the nature of governments.
    But, when they get in trouble, who do they eventually turn to? Where did all of our detractors run to when this current economic disaster hit Europe, Russia, China, and Japan? You guessed it, America. If we are on our way out, why turn to us for stability and leadership? When the going got tough, the EU turned inward, protecting their own, not the Union. So, are we really irrelevant and on our way out?
    We never lost the moral high ground, the world just changed the definition to suit their purposes. And I will be willing to wager that under the same circumstances, those nations who were criticizing us the loudest would be willing to do much worse than the charges leveled at us because of Abu Gharib and Gitmo. Another point to consider. The world kept silent when terrorists cut the heads off captives and broadcast across the world for all to see. How many captives were decapitated and filmed by Americans?

  17. Lee Muller

    Did you see the video earlier where Obama complimented McCain on a good campaign, then scratched his cheek with his middle finger to the camera?
    He did the same thing to Hillary.

  18. Bill C.

    God help us all. Now I know how those soles aboard the Titanic felt that fateful night. This country is about to be tested like we haven’t been tested since 1941. With all the lies and promises made by the Democrats, let’s be happy if they can follow through on 10% of them. I see sales of guns and ammunition flying off the shelves starting tomorrow.
    As far as Anton Gunn, Brad don’t feel too surprised, he’s nothing more than a career politician that can’t get elected.

  19. Norm Ivey

    Ozzie,
    I agree. That was exactly the right speech to give. It’s the best I’ve ever heard him deliver.

  20. Bart

    Lee,
    I just want to express my sincere appreciation for your dedication and staying on message. Not once did you waver or hold back on your beliefs and convictions. I may not have agreed with everything you said but I sure did agree on most. You, p.m. and several others held the line through all of this campaign and took some very nasty comments and criticisms.
    Now, it is time to hold their feet to the fire and question every move Obama and the Democrat controlled congress makes. Liberals and Democrats have called conservatives and Republicans every nasty name in the book and hurled insults and charges at every opportunity. Now, they are in control and now they have to produce and live up to the campaign rhetoric.
    Let us see just how far left Obama will try to move this country and it will be us to us to call his hand at every turn. Count me in.
    And to perform preventative measures against the expected charges of racism coming from some quarters who post here, I do not consider Obama a black president, I consider him a Socialist Democrat, nothing more.
    Let the countdown begin until 2010 when we start taking it all back, then onward to 2012 to complete the process.

  21. Lee Muller

    Obama isn’t sworn in, yet.
    Obama still has not proved he is a US citizen.
    Until he does, no law he signs is valid.
    There is still impeachment, on grounds of being financed by illegal Muslim contributions.
    But the main thing is to clean out the GOP of spineless RINOs and those who want to work with socialist Democrats in order to stay in power. The reason the GOP lost was because Bush, Lindsay Graham and others betrayed the base with rampant welfare spending, and failed to stop the corruption of the Democrats. They were rightly seen by voters as being no different than Democrats.

  22. p.m.

    Thanks, Bart, but I’ll be taking a rest from the naysaying until I have a fresh batch of ammunition.
    I believe in being a good loser, so congratulations, oh ye disturbing socialist horde of malevolent malcontents.
    I just need some clarification on one thing I saw here, though.
    Brad said, “I think it’s a reasonable supposition that people who put the economy at the top of their list generally tend toward the Democrat.”
    Huh? Isn’t that backwards? Because taxation limits the economy, and Democrats love taxes almost as much as getting a government check in the mail, I think people who put the economy at the top of their list generally tend toward Republicans.
    Brad, of course, thinks taxation is a wonderful thing, and now that gasoline prices have dropped back to about $2 a gallon, he’ll probably start plugging his lamebrained $2/gallon sales tax idea again.
    Seriously, though, guys, your president-elect handled himself well tonight, and hope springs anew, if only until Obama discovers that no one elected him king and the turnip has no blood left in it.
    Really, though, I fear the Democrat-controlled House and Senate more than the new ayatollah.
    And most of all, I fear the possibility of an Al Franken victory. I’d rather Kucinich were president than Franken in the Senate.

  23. Michelle

    Again Mr. Muller, you are wrong. The state of Hawaii certified Mr. Obama’s birth certificate as being genuine, true, certified and every other measure as being an authentically-born United States citizen. I’m not sure exactly where it is that you get your news from but I really do highly suggest you expand your world view and deal with publications and sources that report fact and not opinion. I know they’re hard to find but they do exisit.

  24. Lee Muller

    The State of Hawaii CLAIMS to have a genuine birth certificate for Barack Hussein Obama, but they refuse to show it to anyone.
    If Barack Obama has a valid birth certificate, it would be so simple for him to produce it, submit it to the federal court for examination by independent experts, and settle this matter.

  25. Alicia

    Brad,
    I am not a fan of the Electoral College in this day and age, but the fact is President Elect Barack Obama won the popular vote as well so it really does not matter how the map is color coded. Furthermore if you believe and I quote “we’ve been snookered by some sort of Yankee trickery” then the same trickery would have won Al Gore the election 8 years ago because he won the same states, only then it was southern trickery in the lovely state of Florida governed by Jeb Bush.
    Truth is the people have spoken Obama won the election. He even won 45% of our great state, more than any other democrat in the past and he won 20 counties. Lets cut the crap and get to the business of undoing the Bush debacle.

  26. Lee

    Well racism is alive and well in South Carolina although I am not surprised it still feels like taking a bullet. Don’t get all defensive, check your self because God knows what is truly in your hearts and minds.
    And let me say this Lee you are a… well let me keep that to myself, don’t you know taxes pay for our police, firemen, military, and they pay our teachers salaries. I pay them willingly because I support my country no matter who is president. I am patriotic are you?
    Bush cut federal taxes which cut federal funding of state institutions like colleges and universities which increased state taxes which cost tax payers across the board more money. Since President Bush took office, states have raised taxes by a total of $14.5 billion, after 7 consecutive years of cutting taxes under the Clinton administration. President Bush also increased taxes on Veterans. Research people the truth is out there.

  27. Bart

    Alicia, you are right in your comments. It is time to get past the “Bush debacle”. But, to get past it, don’t we have to be honest and truthful from both sides and admit once and for all, one man alone did not create the mess we find ourselves in now? Didn’t it take involvement and complicity from both sides of the aisle? Didn’t it take a preconditioned attitude about Saddam Hussein from several prominent Democrats who on record called for his ouster and for nation changing by Bill Clinton in the late 90s? Didn’t Edwards, Hillary, and others including Kerry call for the removal of Hussein and declare on the Senate floor just how dangerous this man was to America and the world?
    If the Obama administration is to be an honest one as everyone is declaring, shouldn’t he be the first to place responsibility on the shoulders of everyone involved including complicit Democrats as well as Republicans?
    Shouldn’t he name members of congress who willingly gave cover to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac during the days of free flowing money under the guise of subprime loans? Didn’t he and Chris Dodd receive the most money from those two government founded institutions?
    If Democrats really want to get past the so-called Bush debacle, shouldn’t they along with Republicans step up to the plate and admit none of this could have happened without the aide and abetting from both sides of the aisle?
    And the last thought for you and others to contemplate. What would you have done if you were sitting in the White House on 9/11? What would Gore or Kerry have done? Who had suffered an experience like the one this nation suffered on 9/11? Who had the expertise and knowledge of how to respond to the willful slaughter of almost 3,000 civilians? To paraphrase Obama – “That is above my pay grade.” Is it above yours?
    If you and the new administration are serious about pulling this country together, then they need to get past their unhinged hatred of Bush and swallow some truth serum of their own. It is not all the fault of George Bush. He made mistakes but if you want to be at least a little honest and fair, at the very least, factor in the unique situation he was placed in on that fateful day.
    I know it changed the lives of many of my friends in Manhattan who live close to Ground Zero. How could it not change the life and focus of the President from domestic affairs to one of national security? Were mistakes and miscalculations made? Yes they were. But, apparently they cannot be forgiven nor forgotten by Democrats and those on the left.
    Clinton made a lot of mistakes and Republicans wouldn’t let it go and look where it got us. If we can’t learn the lessons from over 8 years ago, we are never going to learn. We have a lot of history to work with now and should know how to correct missteps made along the way.
    If you keep shoving it in our faces, believe me, it will come back to haunt you just like the Republicans experienced yesterday.
    The choice is yours.

  28. Alicia

    Bart,
    As someone who missed being in the World Trade Center by 9 minutes because I was late for work on September 11 2001 and as someone who lost friends and colleagues on that grave day. I know what we as a nation have lost. Also as someone whose husband has been away for the last 8 months fighting, in my opinion, the wrong war I also know what we as a nation are continuing to lose.
    As a registered independent who leans to the conservative side on most issues I don’t blindly support any party and I don’t hate Bush, I just think the only thing he is qualified to run is a race.
    I can’t answered the question of what I would have done if I was president, although if someone asked me I would have said the first thing is don’t lie to the American people and lets finish the war that was started with the destruction on American soil. I would have not gone after Saddam Hussein because he was not the immediate threat at that moment, but that is just me and hindsight is 20/20.
    Truthfully McCain almost had me and had he chosen a vice president more wisely (I was actually hoping for Mitt Romney) and ran a more tactical and truthful campaign on the issues he would have had my vote. The thing that scared me most was a women less qualified than me was a heartbeat away from the highest office in our nation.
    I agree Democrats mess up royally and then Republicans win then Republicans mess up royally and Democrats win and so on and so on and so on. Once we get pass us and them maybe change will come and that is what I am hoping President Elect Obama will achieve. A girl can only wish 😉

  29. Lee Muller

    Just realize that the banking crisis is theh result of Democrats forcing banks to make quotas of loans to 4,000,000 blacks and 5,000,000 illegal aliens who had no credit. Democrats in Congress protected their cronies at FNMA and FMAC, who were issuing false financial statements in order to collect huge multi-million dollar bonuses.

  30. Lee (not Lee M)

    Oh please Lee M, just because you say it doesn’t make it true and drinking all that Kool-aid is very unhealthy. Banks did that for money not because a gun was held to their heads. All those bad loans and credit cards paid great interest when times were abundant and when time got rough and people defaulted and the banks cried foul, they were not crying foul two years ago.

  31. KP

    “Mamanem” — that made me laugh, thanks. Like the time I picked up Cold Sassy Tree and came across the expression “pea turkey” for the first time in 20 years. Sorry about your laptop.

  32. Brad Warthen

    Folks, pay attention to Alicia — she’s the swing voter who decided this election. If you want to know what the election results mean, don’t listen to the voice of left and right. Listen to Alicia.
    Me, I’m one of the swing voters who did NOT decide the election, so pay no attention to the man behind the curtain…

  33. Jerry

    Senator McCain took the defeat with all of the class and character that I expected. It is too bad that he had to take the loss that President Bush and the base and the Neocons really earned and desereved.

  34. p,m,

    P.M. who is worse, Al Franken or Ted Stevens from Alaska? – bud
    Ask a silly question, get a silly answer:
    Your erratic spelling.
    And, in this case, your punctuation. Direct address requires a comma, bud.
    And, now, to be more direct: I never voted for Ted Stevens, bud, and I don’t know much about him, but I certainly don’t condone crime. I do, however, know quite a bit about Al Franken, and I’m sure his presence in the Senate, should he wind up winning, will serve only him.
    But that’s OK. If you want government to be a Democratic joke, I’ll be happy to laugh at it, though I might be crying on the inside.

  35. Lee Muller

    Anyone who doesn’t understand that the banking crisis was created by Democrat legislation and corruption, is too ignorant to vote.
    I have posted links to all the facts, for those who were shocked by my synopsis of the facts above. Please ask for details and I will provide references for you to read and catch up to history.

  36. Randy E

    PM, I don’t blame you for the focus on red herrings and side stepping the Stevens question. ANOTHER republican being convicted of a crime simply reinforces the reason the citizenry of the US cleaned house in 2006 and 2008.
    Don’t worry, Palin will return in 2012 to save your party. Hopefully she will have learned that Africa is an actual continent and can name the countries that participate in NAFTA (per a Bill O’Reilly interview, an aid revealed these problems about the VP candidate).

  37. Lee Muller

    Obama said he was going to revoke NAFTA.
    I don’t recall Obama being able to name the countries involved in NAFTA, much less the trade details, but when you’re going to abolish the deal, why bother to learn about it?

  38. Lee Muller

    Obama only won by 30 urban counties.
    Another way of looking at it is that Obama won entirely by absentee ballots. That is how a lot of Democrats seem to win these days.

  39. Lee Muller

    FEC Audit of Obama Campaign
    ABC News
    Jake Tapper
    October 05, 2008 4:59 PM
    The Republican National Committee announced today that on Monday it will file a fundraising complaint with the Federal Election Commission against the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., charging the Democrat has accepted illegal donations from foreigners as well as contributions that exceed the $2,300-per-person federal limits from American citizens.
    Obama’s campaign has raised almost $460 million so far, and almost half that has been raised by small donors contributing less than $200. RNC chief counsel Sean Cairncross today noted in a conference call that questions have arisen about those smaller donations, which by law the campaign is not required to disclose.
    Newsweek reported over the weekend that FEC auditors have asked the Obama campaign about a number of contributors whose contributions seem to violate campaign laws, such as “Good Will” of Austin, Texas, who listed his occupation as “You” and his employer as “Loving” and gave more than $11,000 total in $10 and $25 increments. Another questionable donor, “Doodad Pro” of Nunda, N.Y., gave $17,130 in similarly small increments.
    “The Obama campaign has a track record of accepting these,” Cairncross said.
    He also said that “the Obama campaign has accepted contributions from foreign nationals and has knowingly done so through at least its failure to reasonably investigate where all this money is coming from.” The RNC will ask the FEC to audit these smaller donations.
    Earlier this year the Obama campaign returned more than $30,000 from Monir and Hosam Edwan, two Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip who said that they’d purchased Obama 2008 T-shirts in bulk from the Obama campaign Web site.
    The FEC had asked for the redesignation or refund of 53,828 foreign donations, totaling just under $30 million.
    But none involves the donors who never appear in the Obama campaign reports, which the [Center for Responsive Politics] estimates at nearly half the $426.8 million the Obama campaign has raised to date.

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