Send Joe Packing

I don't understand why there has to be a protracted discussion about Joe Lieberman's future in the Democratic Caucus. It's one thing to disagree with the party on issues. It's another thing altogether when your disagreement leads to actively campaigning for your party's defeat.

Lieberman should be stripped of his committee chairmanship, reagardless of whether he threatens to bolt the party or not. Democrats don't need "supporters" like that.

The Real Good News Story from Last Night

After the record setting 2004 election, the predictions were that 2008 was going to be another banner year for voter participation.

As it turns out, that was the case:

More than 130 million people turned out to vote Tuesday, the most ever to vote in a presidential election.

With ballots still being counted in some precincts into Wednesday morning, an estimated 64 percent of the electorate turned out, making 2008 the highest percentage turnout in generations.

In 2004, 122.3 million voted in what was then the highest recorded turnout in the contest between President Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.).

This, more than anything else, give me great hope.

Regardless of which party one supports, the fact that we are seeing such great participation from Americans means alot. While listening to the C-Span call-in segment after Obama's acceptance speech, I heard some people who demonstrate a profound ignorance about Obama (and some about McCain), these people are a tiny minority, and their impact on the outcome is blunted, and overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people who chose to participate.

Let's hope this trend continues.

President Obama

Get used to it.

Poor Lanny Davis

After watching his pal Joe Lieberman sink into the abyss, he tries his hand at the new meme:

Whether Barack Obama or John McCain wins the presidency today, it should be clear that at no other time since 1864 have the need and the chance for a bipartisan coalition government been greater.

With the American public seemingly ready to vote in a Democratic President, and expanded Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, what gives Lanny Davis the idea that the American public wants a bipartisan Obama administration?

Oh, that's right. The beltway punditocracy wants that, so they can pretend they are still relavent.

Lies of Omission, or Just Plain Ignorance?

The Right is all up in arms, because supposedly Republican poll watchers are being ejected from Philadelphia polling stations:

Both campaign finance fraud and voter fraud have become significant elements of the Democrats' electoral strategy. Reform is urgently needed, but the Democrats won't let it happen.

However, and with most breathless pronouncements from the likes of Powerline, redstate.com, and the like, there is more, much more than they want you to know.

Namely, not just Republican poll watchers, but, all poll watchers are being asked to leave, because of overcrowding:

Leventhal spoke to a Republican poll watcher who said he'd only be allowed "intermittent" access to watching people vote; a Democratic poll watcher said the same thing. That's because it's the law -- observers can check in and make sure everything's running as it should, but watchers can't just take up space in a crowded precinct and watch every voter pick up a ballot.

The level of paranoia is outstanding to watch.

America's Finest News Source

George Bush's latest press conference:

"So it's over, right? Can I stop being president now?" Bush said after striding to the podium in a Texas Rangers cap and flannel shirt, carrying a fully packed suitcase. "Let's just say I'm done as of now. Presidency over." When informed by Washington Post reporter David Broder that his presidency would continue through early January, Bush stared at him quizzically, sighed, and shuffled silently back into the White House

*sigh*

76 more days.

The Counting is Fast and Furious

The second round of vote tallys are in, from Hart's Location, New Hampshire.

The results?

Barack Obama: 17
John McCain: 10
Ron Paul: 2

I don't know if we can keep up this pace of counting ballots.

Vote

Yes, today is the day to vote, even if you are a Democrat, and someone told you the Democrats are supposed to vote on Wednesday.

They lied to you. Shocking, I know.

Dixville Notch, New Hampshire

The first votes counted in the 2008 Presidential election:

Barack Obama 15
John McCain 6


Welcome to election day (well, still 45 minutes from now here in Austin).

Barack Obama's Grandmother

My condolences to Barack Obama and his family.

So Long, Farwell

I don't know if flory is right, when she saysMcCain will ride off into the sunset with a hearty "Fuck You!" to the Republican Party, but nonetheless, reading her interpretation of McCain, I am reminded of Dylan Thomas' poem:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Now Is Not The Time ...

For overconfidence.

I know that the polls show what could be an easy win for Barack Obama, however for those of you who are Formula One fans and saw the Brazilian Grand Prix yesterday, should know, it's not over until the checkered flag falls.

For those of you who didn't see the race, a quick summary.

Ferarri driver, Felipe Massa and McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton came into the final race of the F1 season battling for the drivers championship, separated by only a few points.

The final standings were going to be determined by where each driver finished the race. Approaching the final corner of the final lap, Hamilton was in sixth place, which would have given Massa the championship based on the number of race wins (they would have been tied in points, and the tie breaker is based on the number of wins, and other factors).

When Massa crossed the finish line it looked like he had the drivers crown in the bag, since Hamilton made a mistake, and dropped from fifth (the furthest back he could finish) to sixth. On the final corner, with rain falling, Toyota driver Timo Glock, on dry weather tires, could not hold his fourth place position and slid wide on the final corner, allowing Sebastien Vettel (5th), and Lewis Hamilton (6th), both on wet weather tires, to pass him giving Hamilton enough points to win.

The lesson here (other than that McLaren should have been fighting for a higher position throughout the race), is that eventhough the finish line is within sight, it's not over until it's over.

Make sure you, and all your friends and neighbors get out and vote.

And We're Back

I don't know how much I will be able to keep this up, but for election night, I definitely will be watching.

Tomorrow will be a wild ride.

Goodbye.

I hate to do this, because I truly enjoy working on this blog. However, because of my new job, I have to suspend daily writing on this blog.

I'm sure it has been obvious, to the few readers I have remaining.

At some point, in the not too distant future, I will resume writing this blog. However, for now, we have reached a stopping point.

Cheers,

David