An elusive surge
Out and about this morning in Northern Virginia and DC I met all the expected enthusiasm, though no long lines - no signs of people turning up and going away again. But this fact in itself is causing concern among Democrats: where is the turnout, they murmur? Where is the record-breaking surge (I am talking now about Virginia in particular) which could propel Obama to the White House? The answer may well be that the surge came early. Or will come later. Or...
Hello, I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~08~RS~)
Comments
Sign in or register to comment.
And I suppose the heavy early voting in Virgina has nothing to do with it? Do you have a really large bet on McCain Justin?
Complain about this comment
I voted this morning in Northern Virginia (Arlington). Where were you? My precinct had a 50 minute wait at 7:45am, and other people in line had come back after showing up at 7:00am with a line twice as long. Another friend in Arlington showed up at his polling place and there was a 2-hour wait so he decided to try again later. Also, keep in mind that those of us who work in DC are eligible to vote early (at least in my county) and many have done so.
Complain about this comment
If it's anything like out west, there will be a long line right as the polls open, which will die down to nothing by 9am. Then, a big rush will come around 11-11:30 which will probably not taper off much. Naturally, lines will probably be longest from 3pm to close because everyone's at work.
I voted! Obama/Biden 08!
Complain about this comment
# Bravo Josephina !
(and Nate Silver says don't on any account take any notice of exit polls - they're always wrong).
Complain about this comment
My friend who is off work today emailed me to say the lines were long already at 7AM (in Pittsburgh). It is the same place I vote and it is usually pretty dead all day long.
Complain about this comment
...or that Justin is hoping for that impossible and altogether undesirable McCain victory.
Complain about this comment
I had no problem voting mid morning.
One person ahead of me in line, and even more gratifying no political signs outside the voting venue.
For those in Massachusetts: Hope you all voted in favor of Question1, aboloshig the State Income tax.
1 name: Diane Wilerson
Complain about this comment
Everyone is first standing in line at Starbucks for the free coffee. Then vote , last stop Krispy Kreme for a donut . Justin are you at Krispy Kreme ?need to watch the waistline with all the campaign food .
I voted weeks ago . My wife a Brit , just became a US citizen so it was her first time to vote .
Two for
Obama 2008
Complain about this comment
Greetings
It's too terrible to contemplate a McCain win - on his own it would have been fine, but with Palin it's another story.
I have been reading the posts of the past few days (mostly in one sitting!) and some of the comments are astounding. It amazes me that islamic fundamentalism is viewed with such animosity and fear and yet all the other forms of fundamentalism voiced are barely a shade different. For the country that maintains to be the beacon of freedom and democracy, the tone and content of many of the comments are quite scary and even more so are the people at the Palin rallies. That there should be this level of bigotry and racism today is unacceptable. It's time for the right wing in the US to realise that we are in the 21st century and there is no room for fundamentalism of any sort in today's world. Until they can practice tolerance they need to stop preaching to the rest of the world what they can't abide by themselves.
I hope Obama wins - America needs a change and the world needs a change!
Complain about this comment
Interesting that there is ample evidence of large turnout in generally Democratic voting areas, but Justin and his colleague Richard Lister are reporting light turnout in their areas.
Justin, could it perhaps be that you and Richard live in the more genteel 'repulican' voter areas and that it is the Republican vote that isn't turning out?
If so, could this turnout to be a landslide afterall?
Complain about this comment
Oh dear and as a journalist living in the US, I was always taught to be unbiased. Justin, why don't you wear your John McCain badge and admit to being a member of his fan club. Has the BBC sunk so low as to have you as their representative? Do you not know how election turn out runs in the US? First of all Brand and Ross and now another comedian.
Complain about this comment
No problem voting in New York (Long Island) my wife and I got ours done early before going to work.
TWO for McCAIN............ Nobama
Complain about this comment
shivers down my spine
O has got to win this election
I hope the white folks will turn up and do their duty
Complain about this comment
I see that the media, to their shame, are still busily hyping up this non-existent McCain 'comeback'. Oh, I'm going to have so much fun at the pundits' expense when those results come rolling in and a comprehensive victory for Obama becomes clear as day.
Obama 364-174. (52-45 in the popular vote).
Dems 58-42 in the Senate.
Complain about this comment
Oh come on Justin, this really is a snapshot picture. This morning at 7am I was in downtown Las Vegas and there was a trickle of people. I drove a few blocks west to J street and predominantly African-American neighbourhood and the lines were very long-40-50 people.
To conclude I have passed by 7 different polling stations and the turnout has ranged from slow to heavy. It is still early and I am expecting a rush in the next few hours-school is out and the day starts around 9-10am. All this and over 50% of the electorate have already voted early in Nevada.
So come one Justin, you have to do better than your entry. We need some meat to your piece-is there early voting in Virginia and DC? what is the early voting turnout? what areas did you visit? middle-class, white, suburban, rural?
Complain about this comment
Barry thinks Justin is biassed towards McCain. I think he's probably just being terribly BBC-ish, and wanting to be balanced by appearing to favour the guy who's behind in the polls. (I suspect Justin's true position is much further towards Obama.)
Complain about this comment
Polls in Ossining (formerly Sing Sing) and Croton in NY state were empty at 9am but apparently there were lines outside early on.
Complain about this comment
So Justin posts a snapshot of what he sees and that makes him biased?
In the past few weeks he's been labelled as a McCain and an Obama supporter.
Some people above should be disbarred from voting - they have to look through their rose tinted glasses everytime anyone says anything. Can't you just take a post at face value?
Complain about this comment
by the looks of today's postings everyone is voting for Obama except Bluepaddy and his wife.
Even regularjosephina, who I'm sure was leaning McCain a few weeks ago...
Here comes the landslide.
Fingers crossed tomorrow is the moment I have been hoping for on a daily basis for the last 8 years!!!
Complain about this comment
i see this must be Justin's first election.
Complain about this comment
It's sad to read that Justin Webb was little-johnny-no-friends in Virginia.
Concerned at reading his comment, I trawled across the blogs and cable networks who all report unprecedented business at the polling booths.
The video of Obama voting with his family struck right at my heart.
And Joe the Vice President looked pretty fit too.
Complain about this comment
The Chicago Sun Times has a web cam of Grant Park.. watch the preparations , enjoy the view of the lake and join the party tonight !
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1258368,grant-park-camera-obama-rally-110408.article
Complain about this comment
13. At 4:37pm on 04 Nov 2008, Parrisia wrote:
shivers down my spine
O has got to win this election
I hope the white folks will turn up and do their duty.............................
The white folks will turn up and vote for the best man for the Job
John McCAIN, that is their duty
O has not got to win this, we need to protect the nation from radicals like him
Complain about this comment
Give Justin a break. He's not supporting McCain, just wants to be different from all the predictions of Obama victory.
#2 RhodyDiver: your experience doesn't count, because you aren't in real Virginia, as any pfool knows.
Complain about this comment
Bluepaddy's Father in Law, and his squeeze, also at work, Joe, rich and Giancarlo in International, in Accounting Debbie, Phyliis, jean all voting McCain........
This myth that its so one sided, is namely that a myth. A lot of people who stay quiet are not Obama fans either !
I do not think it will be a landslide, but obama is unfortunately going to win, with the media openly on his side influencing people with this myth that its a landslide,
slim chance is its creating a backlash, at my wifes job, her friends there about 4 of them are going for McCain cause they are sick and tired of having obama rammed down their throats (and they would have gone Hillary)
Complain about this comment
#15 Tigermilkboy
"So come one Justin, you have to do better than your entry. We need some meat to your piece-is there early voting in Virginia and DC?"
Did some quick Googling and yes Virginia has early voting, and quite heavy apparently.
Complain about this comment
In Oregon we vote by mail. According to the local news a greater percentage of Democrats have returned their ballots (6% more) than Republicans (so far).
People are dropping as yet unmailed ballots into conveniently-placed ballot boxes and the last-minute drop-offs are usually very high.
My son and daughter-in-law are both Democrats who voted for Obama.
Almost all of her family are Republicans so we can guess who they voted for (even though they are all sorry they voted Bush last time around).
Her Aunt is a Democrat who voted Obama.
Two of my Republican friends voted for Obama.
I'm an Independent who voted for Obama.
Complain about this comment
I always vote by absentee ballot. No lines.
--Obama vote
Complain about this comment
It does not matter where you are in the country. We are in New York, at the same
polling station for more than 25 years. We went early, about 6:45 a.m, ; we had never seen so many people lined up to vote so early in the morning. I usually go early and it is normally pretty empty, not today!!!That says quite a bit!!
Complain about this comment
bluepaddy - did you have any reasons for voting McCain other than being tired of reading about Obama? Not wishing to put words in your mouth, but that seems to do a disservice to your country, to assign your choice of C-in-C based purely on media exposure.
Complain about this comment
Heavy voter turn out in my city in central California started yesterday. I work around the corner from the county elections office, and the office opened 30 minutes early because the line to vote Monday morning was already around the corner. It was just as bad when I left work Monday afternoon. When I got to work at 7am, the line was there again.
The presidential election, of course, is the big draw, but we also have the hot-button vote on banning same-sex marriage (Prop 8). Together, they will create a record voter turnout for my city.
I will have to wait until this afternoon to vote... Will be another one for Obama, no on 8....
Complain about this comment
#25 Bluepaddy13:
"Bluepaddy's Father in Law, and his squeeze, also at work, Joe, rich and Giancarlo in International, in Accounting Debbie, Phyliis, jean all voting McCain........"
Good that you all voted but you do realize that there's as much chance of McCain winning New York as there is Obama winning Texas?
Complain about this comment
18. At 4:51pm on 04 Nov 2008, Jordan D wrote:
So Justin posts a snapshot of what he sees and that makes him biased?
In the past few weeks he's been labelled as a McCain and an Obama supporter.
Some people above should be disbarred from voting - they have to look through their rose tinted glasses everytime anyone says anything. Can't you just take a post at face value?
----------------------------
If we did that we might miss out on truth.
Gherkin has proven to those that read hear his racism despite the fact that some of his post do not appear that way.
Justin has a record through this campaign of always giving the edge to who ever is running against Obama.Be it Hillary or Mc Cain.
His consistant aproach to this from this angle is what has offended those that have read these posts through out the whole campaign.
Now he may be an Obama fan. but I doubt it.
Complain about this comment
MCain will win ,HES GOT A SENCE OF HUMOUR and Palin ,and its last chance saloon for Americans
The next election 5 years from now will bEthe turning point for USA and the World
Complain about this comment
30. At 5:04pm on 04 Nov 2008, ChiefWhiteHalfoat wrote:
bluepaddy - did you have any reasons for voting McCain other than being tired of reading about Obama? Not wishing to put words in your mouth, but that seems to do a disservice to your country, to assign your choice of C-in-C based purely on media exposure.
I would accuse him of being an unpatriotic traitor to his nation.if he is american.
if he is a Brit then I would still say the same.
Because america will have an effect on the UK.
Complain about this comment
nessie 27 Coos bay has the lowest turn out so far. Is that all them republicans that moved up here to retire that are kicking back at the GOP.
Obama got two votes from me:);)
Not, but he got 1
Complain about this comment
Hope Rules - GO OBAMA !
Complain about this comment
The presidential election, of course, is the big draw, but we also have the hot-button vote on banning same-sex marriage (Prop 8). Together, they will create a record voter turnout for my city.
--------
I have wondered why this issue is being raised AGAIN.
Not that I am unsympathetic ,but I would like to see Pot legalised ,Just that now is not the right time to bring this up again.
GW already got back in on that issue alone last time.
There's a time to fight and a time that's not the right time.
Complain about this comment
her friends there about 4 of them are going for McCain cause they are sick and tired of having obama rammed down their throats (and they would have gone Hillary)
but hillary is another socialist dem
so it would not be that you just know a lot of racists then ,could it.
before you say you're married to a minority which type of minority?
There is no love lost between Pakistan and India. for example of two minorities in the UK that have had issues with each other.
Complain about this comment
I just voted-no lines, I walked right in and dropped my early voting ballot in the box and walked out. Where are the long lines I see on TV? Really, was sort of disappointing.
I feel I missed out on the excitement somehow.
Complain about this comment
Bluepaddy.
Been a Republican for 30 +years . Was very active at one time in party politics .
Have lots of relatives that dont like Obama .Thoughout the campaign they have sent me loads of anti -Obama e mails most bordering on hate filled claptrap.
Cant pick one's relatives however ,so this time voted for Obama and switched parties become active in the Democratic party .
They cant believe it but I have changed the world has changed and change is in the air .
Complain about this comment
I would vote for whoever has the most sound economic policies. This is based on the fact that my pension is currently in the toilet thanks to irresponsible lending practices in the USA.
Complain about this comment
30. At 5:04pm on 04 Nov 2008, ChiefWhiteHalfoat wrote:
bluepaddy - did you have any reasons for voting McCain other than being tired of reading about Obama? Not wishing to put words in your mouth, but that seems to do a disservice to your country, to assign your choice of C-in-C based purely on media exposure.
You are not putting words in my mouth but you are not reading clearly what I said., I said the girls at the office where my wife works are sick and tired of having obama shoved at them. I on the other hand, would not vote for him due to everything he stands for, his lack of Qualification for the job of C in C is a glaring one, his lies about taxation are another, on one hand he says he is not raising tax on 95% of working families yet he is rolling back the Bush tax cuts, that means MY TAXES are going up to pay for his socialist policies. And I do not care for someone who point blank lies about sitting in a church of a racist for 20 years and pretends he never heard any of it, the guy is a racist and is laughing at all the idiots voting for him. He is in my opinion a danger to the country, you can not treat terrorists like Criminals you need to stop them BEFORE the carry out their attacks, HE wants to deal with them after the event, then it’s too late, you want me to carry on?
Complain about this comment
In Northern Virginia the Democrats very aggressively urged supporters to take advantage of the opportunity to vote early. I voted 2 weeks ago. My wife went to vote last Saturday and was told there would be a 1 hour wait.
One thing Obama does not have to worry about is turnout in Arlington.
Complain about this comment
perhaps this blog entry and following comments explains it?
http://pastaqueen.com/halfofme/archives/2008/11/early_voting_diary.html
seems there is rather widely reported early/absentee voting. in fact larger queues for early voting than today's voting.
Complain about this comment
I voted in Alexandria (Northern Virginia) this morning. I got to the polling station about 6:30 and didn't vote until 7:20 because of the amount of people. When I was done the line was much smaller as it appears a lot of people voted early before going to work. I imagine there will be long lines in the late afternoon (most people enter and leave work very early here) Overall things ran smoothly and were well organized.
Go Obama!
Complain about this comment
As a British citizen I'm not able to vote. I went along to a polling station in the Carrol Gardnes area of Brooklyn, New York at 0630 this morning with a friend, already the place was mobbed. Obviously there will be no surprises in the way NY votes, but turnout at such an early hour was definitely bigger than previous years.
Complain about this comment
The idea that there are folks out there voting on a particular candidate not on vital issues but because they are sick of the media exposure of the rival fills me with dread. Woe onto us if peace and prosperity in the world depends on the telebigotry of "rural" Americans.
Complain about this comment
35. At 5:15pm on 04 Nov 2008, jacksforge wrote:
30. At 5:04pm on 04 Nov 2008, ChiefWhiteHalfoat wrote:
bluepaddy - did you have any reasons for voting McCain other than being tired of reading about Obama? Not wishing to put words in your mouth, but that seems to do a disservice to your country, to assign your choice of C-in-C based purely on media exposure.
I would accuse him of being an unpatriotic traitor to his nation.if he is american.
if he is a Brit then I would still say the same.
Because america will have an effect on the UK.
*********************************
The unpatriotic ones would vote Obama, you are mistaken as usual. The traitor is not I, but YOU
Complain about this comment
Blimey, some of you really don't understand rolling reporting, do you? It goes like this: you say what is happening as it's happening. If the polling stations are dead at the time of one entry, that's what you say in that entry. And if they are teeming with people a few hours later, you say that in your next entry. Got it now?
Complain about this comment
Bluepaddy - warms my heart to think of all the Bluepaddy family effort going into voting for McCain in New York.
And as you seem to be saying that you earn over $250,000 a year you are (a) fortunate and (b) lucky that you're earnng anything at all after the way your Republican party has tanked the economy.
Complain about this comment
#38. jacksforge: we also have the hot-button vote on banning same-sex marriage (Prop 8). Together, they will create a record voter turnout for my city.
"I have wondered why this issue is being raised AGAIN."
Because the California Supreme Court overturned the previous vote and this time it's an Amendment to the Constitution. The objectors to same-gender marriage are largely evangelicals and Catholics, the commercials "Vote Yes on 8" are paid for mostly by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic organisation. No reputable paper has endorsed it, both Mr Obama and Governor Schwarzenegger are against it, as are many other prominent politicians and groups. The amendment appeals to downright bigotry and the only vote reasonable people should cast is 'NO ON 8'.
Complain about this comment
My husband and I voted in Northern VA - he had to wait 1/2 an hour at 6.30am, and we are in a rural part of Loudoun County. I went at 11.30am and had to line up to park. Never seen it that busy!
Complain about this comment
I live in Blacksburg VA and I go to VT. I had to wait about an hour to vote. The woman at the station said it fluctuated all day. Apparently people thought the same and went to the station at the same time
Complain about this comment
39. At 5:26pm on 04 Nov 2008, jacksforge wrote:
her friends there about 4 of them are going for McCain cause they are sick and tired of having obama rammed down their throats (and they would have gone Hillary)
but hillary is another socialist dem
so it would not be that you just know a lot of racists then ,could it.......................
Just because they are Hillary fans, does not mean they automatically go for Obama, a lot of Hillary fans did not like the way she was treated, by Obama, the Media (Obama's tool). A lot of women wanted to vote for a woman, unless Obama is hiding even more secrets and lying more than he is already I doubt he is hiding that he is really female.
So no I do not know a load of racists, do YOU? after all, the biggest racist in this race is Obama.
And don't let me repeat this do not ask personal questions, you are not a friend, Pal, buddy or Mate
Complain about this comment
51. At 5:46pm on 04 Nov 2008, eightypercent wrote:
Bluepaddy - warms my heart to think of all the Bluepaddy family effort going into voting for McCain in New York.
And as you seem to be saying that you earn over $250,000 a year you are (a) fortunate and (b) lucky that you're earnng anything at all after the way your Republican party has tanked the economy...........
I did not say I earn OVER 250,000 typical liberal distortion and lies. show me where I have ever said that.
And its not all my family either, dozens of people where I work are voting for McCain too, not everyone is brainwashed you know
Complain about this comment
Hello From Virginia-
There are plenty of signs of big turnout and lines in my State. There is always a lull in the mid day. However my precinct in Arlington was way way more active and full of voters (despite only a 5 minute wait) at 11 am - than in the past 6 national elections by far!
Here are reports from the ground from my friends/fellow Obama volunteers/extended family in Virginia-
1.5 hr. wait at 6am in Westover Precinct in Arlington - 10 minute wait at 1030am.
2.5hr. wait (line began at 4:30 am) in Stafford County - majority African American Precinct -
20 minute wait at 11 am.
2.5 hour wait at 6am in Clarendon - Arlington, VA.
Huge lines in Richmond City - Virginia.
Here's a report from a family member in Norfolk, Virginia:
"At the Chrysler Museum 10 AM no rain we waited an hour. The museum is large enough that we were inside and the line snaked around. Republican and Democratic workers outside handing out literature. The wait to vote earlier had been up to 2 hrs. Smaller voting facilities on the news showed people standing outside with rain. The election workers were very professional and voters were upbeat. We voted electronically which was easy to do. Could not find out but it appeared that they were processing 250 per hr. Great process. "
Complain about this comment
I live in Northern Virginia, and it is necessary to point out a few issues over the past few weeks:
1. A mailer was sent out telling voters that due to higher turn-out this year, those registered Dems would be voting on Nov5.
2. An email was sent out to students and employees at George Mason University (~35000 people) from the "provost" (his acct had been hacked)--telling them to vote Nov 5. This is a primarily democratic college.
3. Phone calls are being made telling voters (falsely) that their voting locations have been changed.
Is this what it takes for Repugs to win?
And yes, there have been lines.
Complain about this comment
Bluepaddy is in a terrible temper. What does this tell us about how things are going ?
Complain about this comment
32. At 5:12pm on 04 Nov 2008, AsaScot wrote:
#25 Bluepaddy13:
"Bluepaddy's Father in Law, and his squeeze, also at work, Joe, rich and Giancarlo in International, in Accounting Debbie, Phyliis, jean all voting McCain........"
Good that you all voted but you do realize that there's as much chance of McCain winning New York as there is Obama winning Texas?...............
**********************************
So should we just not vote, is that your suggestion? and its not just McCain, we are voting for Lee Zeldin got my vote as well, so do refrain from talking shiite, ol son. You obviously do not understand there is more voting going on than jsut for two people.
Complain about this comment
...not at all.
Heavy early voting nationwide is an unknown factor this year.
70% of my precinct voted early.
Expecting solid GOP majority, people here own or work for small businesses, and we get our electricity from a coal fired-plant fifty miles west of here. They not at all amused by The Beloved Leader's intentions.
Complain about this comment
In North Carolina, an astonishing 38% of registered voters waited in long lines to vote early. As usual, I voted about 10:00 this morning with no wait. This mornings rain could have impacted the normal lines before work when the polls open. Otherwise the lines will come later in the day.
Complain about this comment
#38
I have wondered why this issue is being raised AGAIN.
------------------------
It is coming up again because Californians actually passed a proposition effectively banning same-sex marriages (as astonishing as that seems to me, as a native Californian), only to have it struck down by the State Supreme Court.
It has been suggested that it was intentionally put on the ballot *now* to rile up the conservatives and get them to their polling place...where they can vote McCain while they are at it.
Complain about this comment
shamanjake (#50), Mr. Webb did more than report what he observed, he drew a conclusion from it which was not reasonable given his small sample, and most likely not correct.
Complain about this comment
58. At 5:58pm on 04 Nov 2008, snosilla wrote:
I live in Northern Virginia, and it is necessary to point out a few issues over the past few weeks:
1. A mailer was sent out telling voters that due to higher turn-out this year, those registered Dems would be voting on Nov5.
2. An email was sent out to students and employees at George Mason University (~35000 people) from the "provost" (his acct had been hacked)--telling them to vote Nov 5. This is a primarily democratic college.
3. Phone calls are being made telling voters (falsely) that their voting locations have been changed.
Is this what it takes for Repugs to win?
And yes, there have been lines.
********************************
A mere drop in the Bucket when compared to Acorn, 200,000 false registrations in Ohio ALONE. 16 states Acorn being Fed investigated for voter fraud, and what do you have to come back with, a teenage hackers prank !
get real
Complain about this comment
So OK. Let's look at John McCain's qualification. Daddy was a 4-Star Admiral, Johnny was a flyboy who kept crashing his plane because he didn't read the manuals. He sat out the Vietnam war in prison and blabbed to the Viet-Cong. Could he be the Manchurian Candidate? What ever happened to Name, Rank and Serial Number.
He has spent 26 years in the senate achieving very little except voting with his President 90% of the time. Oh I guess that does make him a maverick. The meaning of maverick... contentious, aberrant, nonconformist; see also quarrelsome 1, radical 2. The dictionary could have thrown in curmudgeon.
So why Sarah Palin. Well he had to have someone with a shotgun to replace Dick Cheney.
Complain about this comment
43. bluepaddy13 wrote:
"you want me to carry on?"
No.
Complain about this comment
Chaps, bluepaddy, jackforge: can we chill out a bit, it is going to be a long day. I know we have differences, but all this erm, vitriol is getting tiring to read. People have the right to vote for their choice, it is neither patriotic nor unpatriotic to vote for one candidate or the other. Neither candidate is racist, neither candidate is socialist, neither candidate loves their country more than the other. They just have different ideas, and you are free to choose between them. There will be zealots on either side who will try to subvert your choice, but they are few and the majority should not be tarnished by their actions.
Peace and democracy, from a friendly Englishman (for some weird reason I don't really liked being called a Brit ... go figue as you might say)
Complain about this comment
I voted early in Texas (2 weeks ago), and there was a line. I waited about 30 minutes, but it was well worth the wait in my attempt to turn this red state BLUE!!!!!
Obama 08!
Complain about this comment
It took 50 minutes for me to vote in Pittsburgh, in a very Obama-friendly ward. Pollworkers said it was a much bigger turnout than usual.
It all comes down to PA, I think. McCain has a shadow of a chance there (1%, supposedly). If he doesn't win in PA, he has to win all of VA, FL, OH and NC, and hope Obama doesn't win all of NM, CO and IO, none of which Obama looks at all likely to lose. So w/o PA, McCain is sunk. He's got to have a big blue state, and that's the only one he seems to still have a chance in.
If all the polls are wrong, and he does win PA, McCain has a real shot.
Complain about this comment
"Do you have a really large bet on McCain Justin?" - AsaScot
In a sense, he does: he predicted McCain would win the Presidency back at the end of 2007 - runing against Clinton. I think he's distinctly peeved that Obama has damaged his reputation as a prescient pundit!
Complain about this comment
59. eightypercent wrote:
"Bluepaddy is in a terrible temper. What does this tell us about how things are going?"
He is in a bit of 'a paddy', as my granny used to say when I got miffed, isn't he?
Complain about this comment
10:30 AM in San Diego, CA & the local PBS station is advertising the party locations that have begun for Obama
Americans love a Party
Complain about this comment
First, calling anyone a "traitor" because of their choice in this election is just a wee bit too much. It belies what this country SHOULD stand for. Niether candidate, in spite of what the McCain camp has been claiming, is a terrorist whose sole aim is to destroy the United States. The fact that the McCain camp has gained a following on this premise is disappointing, but not unlike Republican “fear” tactics of the past. Anyone remember the “honorable” Joseph McCarthy, Republican Senator who conducted the US Congressional version of the Salem Witch Trials? This Republican trait is one reason why I’ve never voted Republican. As the old saying goes: “You can’t tell much about someone by what other people say about them, but you can tell a whole lot about a person by what they say about other people.”
Second, voting for someone because they are "tired of having (Obama) rammed down their throat" is a thinly veiled way of saying these folks were going to vote McCain anyway and just needed another way to gripe about Obama. McCain campaign has been calling me day and night. I even got a call from a Catholic Bishop noting that I was going to Hell if I voted for Obama. Now, that is ramming. If those dear ladies or gents didn’t want to hear anything about Obama then they should have just tuned in to Fox News, although it is an election year: it is hard to hear just about your own choice on the media without a mute button.
Obama has conducted himself with steadfast dignity during this campaign and McCain/Palin have been running around like rabid dogs trying to scare people about Obama. Those easily fooled have been fooled. More fool to them. Hopefully the general electorate will not ratify their version of McCarthyism/Salem Stake burning by electing them.
I can’t imagine anything, frankly, more scary than Sarah Palin in the White House going “Golly, I thought that WAS Putin…and gosh darn, I just pushed that red button.”
Complain about this comment
63. At 6:06pm on 04 Nov 2008, mdalerwill wrote:
#38
I have wondered why this issue is being raised AGAIN.
------------------------
It is coming up again because Californians actually passed a proposition effectively banning same-sex marriages (as astonishing as that seems to me, as a native Californian), only to have it struck down by the State Supreme Court.
It has been suggested that it was intentionally put on the ballot *now* to rile up the conservatives and get them to their polling place...where they can vote McCain while they are at it.
*********************************
Only one flaw in that theory the Beloved one Messiah Obama also says he is against same-sex marriage, or was that just another LIE from him
Complain about this comment
#60 Bluepaddy13:
"So should we just not vote, is that your suggestion? and its not just McCain, we are voting for Lee Zeldin got my vote as well, so do refrain from talking shiite, ol son. You obviously do not understand there is more voting going on than jsut for two people."
A) I said it was good you voted, so you first question is just a nonsense isn't it?
B)You said you all voted for McCain, hence I responded to that, I am well aware that there are other components to the poll thanks.
Complain about this comment
Reporting from: Chandler, AZ (suburb of Phoenix)
Arrived at polling place at 5:50AM. It was still dark out. There were about 40 people standing on line waiting for the polls to open at 6AM. I voted there in 2004 at the same time (before work) and I usually have MAYBE one or two people in front of me.
Fortunately, since I had already prepared an early ballot (but waited too long to mail it), they allowed me to skip the line and go right in to drop my ballot envelope in the bin.
1 more vote for Obama! And, yes, I'm from ARIZONA.
Complain about this comment
55 pink paddy
A lot of women wanted to vote for a woman,
---------
that would be sexism.
--------------
And don't let me repeat this do not ask personal questions, you are not a friend, Pal, buddy or Mate
----------------------
Well MATE, you brought up ,in defence of accusations of racism that you are married to a person of colour.
so I will ask you again, is this true and if so what race is she?
Only because I do not believe that you are not racist.
Complain about this comment
Shorter bluepaddy13@43
"Obama's black."
Complain about this comment
66 Barry,
McCain only voted 90% with Bush over the last 4 years, not the last 26.
Just to be accurate...
Complain about this comment
"Blimey, some of you really don't understand rolling reporting, do you? It goes like this: you say what is happening as it's happening. If the polling stations are dead at the time of one entry, that's what you say in that entry. And if they are teeming with people a few hours later, you say that in your next entry. Got it now?"shamanjake@50
Nonsense. Justin Webb says in his post:
"But this fact [lack of long lines] in itself is causing concern among Democrats: where is the turnout, they murmur?"
This is hogwash - as we can see here, and hear from other sources. Turnout seems to be very high just about everywhere. Justin is quite clearly hoping at least for a close race, if not a McCain win - I'd guess to justify his reputation as a pundit rather than from ideological motives.
Complain about this comment
I went to vote at 7:30AM today. Two precincts vote in the same community center in my part of Davis, California (a small, affluent, majority-Democrat, college town), and there was an interesting contrast.
One precinct consists of upper-middle-class homeowners...at 7:30AM there were 50-60 people in line waiting to vote.
The other precinct consists of apartments rented by university grads/undergrads and single professionals...and there was no line, no waiting to vote.
...maybe the students voted early, or will vote after they roll out of bed at noon.
Complain about this comment
58. You've got a point! I think I'm going to fly out to Ohio today. Maybe I'll get a chance to see Mickey Mouse (bribed with a carton of cigarettes) vote for Obama.
YOU get real!
Concerns about fake registered voters who are unable to actually place a vote (unless they can present a driver's license showing them as Mickey Mouse at the polling booth) pale in comparison to the clear supressive acts to deceive ACTUAL living, breathing Americans out of voting. Efforts to deny an American the right to vote IS UNAMERICAN and should be prosecuted as treason.
Complain about this comment
52 63
it was a rhetorical question.
you are right if you say it is t stir up GOP votes, but then who filed the motion.
A bit like when the UK had the Criminal Justice Bill up for consideration.
Though I was close to the rave scene I could not understand why they pushed the issue when included in the act was a basic suppresion of the right to protest.
If they had concentrated on that as the issue and not said "we have the right to Party" there may have been a different outcome.
Unfortunately the ravers lost the issue for the country.
And I personally think a hell of a lot of people voted GW last time because of this Issue. ANd think that issue is the one that non americans do not understand as THE reason GW got back in, not the war, not terrorism.
Complain about this comment
Old South: "people here own or work for small businesses, and we get our electricity from a coal fired-plant fifty miles west of here. They not at all amused by The Beloved Leader's intentions."
give us a break. I'm a small business owner who creates jobs and economic activity - but since I don't work for a big company I don't have my own health insurance - so my wife can't leave her high stress job and pursue her dreams partly because of needing to stay with her current employer for reasonable health care for us and our kids. Don't you think our economy, people's entrepreneurial possibilities, and small businesses are hurt by the lack of a comprehensive solution to unaffordable health care in this country? we need a change there.
so you don't want traditional coal fired electricity plants to be upgraded to cleaner operating to prevent mercury and lead in the environment as well as chronic asthma? He doesn't want to bankrupt coal mining communities - he wants to bankrupt the building of old style 'pump out the pollution' energy solutions - technologies from 100 years ago or more. I guess you're right - don't try to improve anything or change anything. Just selectively label what change you don't want because you're afraid to progress.
"Beloved Leader"? Your silly tone undercuts your credibility entirely.
Complain about this comment
I'm in Fredericksburg at the beginning of northern Virginia, and when I went to vote this morning at 6:15 a.m. there was a line to the end of the road, and still growing as I finally left, an hour later.
My husband voted from Afghanistan last week, and both he and I are very much hoping for an Obama win. My husband is a great admirer of McCain, but says he cannot vote for Mr. McCain, with the possibility that Ms. Palin could end up as his commander-in-chief. He said that's a deal breaker. Bad choice, Mr. McCain.
Gobama! USA! (It would be nice to be able to say that loud and PROUD again)
Complain about this comment
Are you completely impartial Mr Webb?
I have noticed a few disturbing comments from yourself over the last few months, if you think your comments are impartial you should look at them a little closer. Your underlying feelings show through on occasion, remember you work for the BBC, not Fox.
Complain about this comment
From the live text:
The BBC's Matthew Price in Phoenix, Arizona, says: I've just spoken to Wes Gullett, the co-chairman of the republican party in John McCain's home state of Arizona. He told me that the Republican Party was in a dreadful mess. He said the party of Abraham Lincoln had a soul but that today it had lost that, and that they needed to find it again.
comments?
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Self evident truth.
"Neither candidate is racist, neither candidate is socialist, neither candidate loves their country more than the other."
Agreed
but as to the supporters
?
Complain about this comment
Peace and democracy, from a friendly Englishman (for some weird reason I don't really liked being called a Brit ... go figue as you might say)
Thats OK you are English the Welsh don't like being called English, either.
Brit takes away from that nationalism(the nice side maybe).
Brit is reserved for us Foreign born people.
Complain about this comment
Well not reserved, but the only option.
Complain about this comment
Might be coming a little late into the discussion but no lines at my polling place in MA.
Vote NO on Question 1, the legislature will only overturn the decision with an even more messed up tax structure.
Complain about this comment
The Guardian pointed out a telling irony of this election (among many others) -- the progressive tax system espoused by Teddy Roosevelt, McCain's hero, a fine Republican president, is now being derided as socialist and a threat to America.
Complain about this comment
I went to vote at 6:30 this morning in downtown Richmond, Virginia and waited almost three hours before I could vote. By 9, the line had shortened considerably... as I suspect most people had to go to work.
There was a surge this morning, but you had to be an early riser to see it. ;)
I'm willing to be there'll be another surge this evening when everyone gets off of work.
Complain about this comment
Dear Justin....
Don't know whether you wrote this line in the early voting roundup story:
"If Mr Obama can steal Florida or Ohio, he is sure to become president.
if John McCain holds them and steal [sic] Pennsylvania, he could just win, our correspondent adds."
...but I think "steal" was a particularly unfortunate word choice--unless, of course, you have something more to report today about election fraud (not voter fraud, mind--our problem in the US is with ELECTION fraud, the illegal activities carried out by the officials in charge of the election 'machinery', from custody of the registered voter rolls, the voting machines, the ballot boxes, the tallying-up process, all the way through to the federal prosecutors who may, at their whim, chose TO prosecute or NOT prosecute, to enforce election laws or NOT to enforce election laws), any assertions to the contrary notwithstanding.
As you no doubt remember, the 2000 election was stolen in Florida, the 2004 election was stolen in New Mexico and, especially, Ohio.
Let's hope that, whomever's word choice "steal" was, that in the US in 2008, it turns out to have been inapposite. And perhaps pray, for good measure. (Not that it will help -- only rapid, accurate and very, very, very, very, very aggressive reporting will, IMHO, carry the day. Did I remember to say that we need a really gutsy, brave, fearless Fourth Estate to do its job?)
Complain about this comment
The unpatriotic ones would vote Obama, you are mistaken as usual. The traitor is not I, but YOU
why because I wish to pick a cantidate that does not use hate to get to power?
Because Joe the plumber is a better economic advisor than Warren Buffet?
Becasue I wish to vote for a Guy that thought(rightly) that the war was Bull?
The war that kills americans as well as other innocents.
For a gain of Nothing.
Why is it unpatriotic to say you want someone with reason to run the country.
Party Party Party that's all you are a pretty silly person really.
If you cannot see what is wrong with thinking Obama is a terrorist then you are truly in the wrong ward.
As for shoving down throats. so you're non racist friends do not mind having Mc Criminally Insane thrown down their throats, though.
But it is not race.
Complain about this comment
I definitely think the large amount of early voting contributed to what looks like a "lack of surge". I'm here in Michigan, and in a 50/50 Democratic/Republican area, there were long lines and at least an hour and a half wait. And most folks didn't seem too irritated by the lines. I think a lot of people already voted, and a lot still will after work. It's not enough evidence to look at a few lines in a few places. Not very good reportage, if you ask me.
Complain about this comment
71. At 6:22pm on 04 Nov 2008, Nick-Gotts wrote:
"Do you have a really large bet on McCain Justin?" - AsaScot
In a sense, he does: he predicted McCain would win the Presidency back at the end of 2007 - runing against Clinton. I think he's distinctly peeved that Obama has damaged his reputation as a prescient pundit!
It used to say on the blog editor bit that he placed that $50 bet
Complain about this comment
"neither candidate loves their country more than the other" - selfevidenttruths
Obama and McCain are in love? Ahh, how sweet!
Complain about this comment
#68
"can we chill out a bit, it is going to be a long day."
------------------------------------------
Amen to everything you posted.
That said, I am sticking to the BBC for my election coverage today. If you think people are a little lacking in civility here, you don't want to see what's being posted on American news sites.
Complain about this comment
SelfEvidentTruths - Right On! That's the sort of logic and level headedness many of my fellow citizens would be well served to follow.
Thanks from this Virginian.
Complain about this comment
Justin,
Are you watching TV? There are record turn outs EVERYWHERE including Virginia. Just turn on CNN, jeesss...
Complain about this comment
"71. At 6:22pm on 04 Nov 2008, Nick-Gotts wrote:
"Do you have a really large bet on McCain Justin?" - AsaScot
In a sense, he does: he predicted McCain would win the Presidency back at the end of 2007 - runing against Clinton. I think he's distinctly peeved that Obama has damaged his reputation as a prescient pundit!"
---------------------------------------------------------
You know I have been wondering for a while "why does Justin seem to be McC's tank"
This explains.
Complain about this comment
4737carlin wrote:
"Obama 364-174. (52-45 in the popular vote).
Dems 58-42 in the Senate."
We better hope Obama wins by more than a 7 point popular margin or the Dems get majorities in the House and Senate.
Can you imagine just how happy the Republicans will be to lose by no more than 7 points, in this political, economic and international environment after 4 years of George Bush. To find out that 45% of the voters believed they have been right?
Obama needs a massive popular mandate to have any chance of "reaching across the aisle" and getting a welcome, or at least a hearing, on the other side.
My biggest fear isn't that he will lose, but that he won't win with an overpowering mandate. Because otherwise we can look forward to 4 years of gridlock.
Complain about this comment
#25 'paddy whatever' said
"slim chance is its creating a backlash, at my wifes job, her friends there about 4 of them are going for McCain cause they are sick and tired of having obama rammed down their throats (and they would have gone Hillary)"
And that 'paddy whatever', is why you and your like are just plain dumb. You're prepared to vote for the leader of your country because Obama won the media and ground war and got more airtime and you're fed up with that?
What about the economy, housing, employment, two wars? Do they not matter? Are you all so shallow?
And this is just insane beyond belief - your wife and her friends would have voted for Clinton, but now they will vote for McCain. Pathetic is too nice a word to describe them. How the hell do you jump the political chasm between Clinton and McCain?
Are you so obsessed with celebrity that you forget your political ideology? For godsake man, if they would have voted Clinton then they would have voted Democrat, that means they must have agreed with Democratic political ideology - doesn't it? Shame on you and shame on all those who think and vote this way.
No wonder I think Americans are just plain stupid and politicaly un-savvy! Let's hope I'm proved wrong. America and the world needs McCain and Palin like a hole in the head.
Regretably yours,
Dumbfounded of Germany (formerly the UK)
*shakes head and goes for a cold shower*
Complain about this comment
74. At 6:24pm on 04 Nov 2008, amustang wrote:
First, calling anyone a "traitor" because of their choice in this election is just a wee bit too much.
really it is . the reason I do it is to counter those that would believe and have spent months writing about Obam being a terrorist and how dems are unpatriotic and traitors.
Seems to me when you call the GOPpers what they have been calling Dems for 8 years they get all offended.
Well it is their policies and president that have ruined the military, left america exposed but militaristically and economically.
Squandered the sympathy and help we were getting (from syria and Iran after 9/11 believe it or not).
All for personal profit and Glory.
That is a traitor.
Complain about this comment
74 though that is a good post
Complain about this comment
# 43 bluepaddy13 wrote:
His standard rant.
Concluding with
"you want me to carry on?"
God no.
But that's never stopped you before.
Complain about this comment
75 Pink paddy
Maybe he just disagrees with his party. maybe , you should be a little less scared of him.
Complain about this comment
I imagine Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid are writing their billion $ christmas lists hoping the BO wins. Whats a few million welfare checks to these entitled people anyway?
Complain about this comment
The moderators will be busy today.
Cynical comments aside, it remains curious that McCain is still considered within striking distance right up to the election. Outspent, outcampaigned, media favorite, untimely Palin investigation, economic downturn, ... the list goes on... Obama reminds me of the cartoons about "teflon Regan" - nothing stuck.
The outpouring of voter interest and the engagement of millions of new voters is laudable. Bravo to the Obama campaign for massive mobilization.
But why is McCain still close ?
Complain about this comment
Very interesting update just over an hour ago (or seeing the moderation queue is nearly as long as some polling queues, say three hours ago) on Matthew Price's blog.
One for the religious right to think about, too:
"I've just spoken to the co chair of the republican party in John McCain's home state of Arizona. A man called Wes Gullett who told me that the republican party is in a dreadful mess. He said the republican party of Abraham Lincoln had a soul but that the republican party today had lost that and that they need to find it again."
He also says with anyone else but McCain standing, the Republicans would have been slaughtered.
What an interesting spectacle this is going to make if McCain loses. We've seen it both with our Tories and Labour, but the Republicans have never gone through that trauma have they?
(I'd like to say they haven't got a prayer, but they have: someone quoted an incredibly long one for them earlier.)
Complain about this comment
# 52 David_Cunard wrote:
"Because the California Supreme Court overturned the previous vote and this time it's an Amendment to the Constitution. The objectors to same-gender marriage are largely evangelicals and Catholics, the commercials "Vote Yes on 8" are paid for mostly by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic organisation. No reputable paper has endorsed it, both Mr Obama and Governor Schwarzenegger are against it, as are many other prominent politicians and groups. The amendment appeals to downright bigotry and the only vote reasonable people should cast is 'NO ON 8'."
1. Pedantic I know, but I'm fairly sure that's Knights of Columbanus
2. Andrew Sullivan has written a lot on this. He has a vested interested, as it were, since he's both gay and 'married'. [I put it in quotes only because I think he lives in DC or NY, and I'm not sure if gay marriage is legal in either. Regardless of that, he has gone through a wedding ceremony.]
3. I think one of his arguments is that, rather than gay marriage being an attack on heterosexual marriage, it reflects a recognition that marriage is a good thing and a desire to share in it.
4. Another thing he claimed, which I found rather sad and shocking, is that millions has been spent in California supporting this proposition by the Mormons - who I wouldn't have thought were v strong in California.
Complain about this comment
#75
I had heard that Obama was also against same-sex marriage. As I only heard it come up once, second hand, I am not certain if it is true or not, but it may well be true. And I would strongly disagree with him on that issue.
I do not intend to vote for or against either of the candidates based on one issue, however. I will be voting for Obama because I disagree with more of McCain's proposals than Obama's. Honestly, Obama's position on incursions into Pakistan was one reason that I initially did not support him over Hilary Clinton, and I'm still not crazy about that position. However, McCain had more deal-breaker positions for me, like his desire to tax work benefits and his healthcare positions and his approach to foreign policy.
I do have friends who value other issues, and some of them may vote McCain. I'm not going to belittle them for voting with their conscience. I do wish some people posting here would recognize that others, like myself, have reached their position of support for Obama through careful consideration of his positions rather than because we are fools who think he is some sort of messiah.
Complain about this comment
#75. bluepaddy13: "Only one flaw in that theory the Beloved one Messiah Obama also says he is against same-sex marriage, or was that just another LIE from him"
In a letter to the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, Mr Obama wrote:
"As the Democratic nominee for President, I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law…And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states."
It's a States' Rights issue, and Mr Obama considers that it should be resolved at State, not Federal level. Amy other questions?
Complain about this comment
Most of us were hoping were for a calm orderly Nov 4 with no problems and intimidation.
Well in Philidelphia the Black Panthers are intimidating voters
www.foxnews.com
And I am sure the right wing equivilent are doing the same elsewhere
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I voted this morning in Springfield, Virginia. I arrived at 6:25 AM to a long line - longer than I've personally ever seen - but was voting by 7:40 AM. The polling station was for two districts, but one was incredibly smaller than the other. Why? Who knows. I did not see any problems with the registration lists, nor the touch screens. In fact when I mistakenly touched the wrong button for the Senate race, I was able to change it.
Complain about this comment
"The traitor is not I, but YOU"
Surely you mean "the traitor is you, not me"?
Object, not subject. Do try not to get a case of the old McCainitis old chap. Symptoms include forgetting almost everything. What you're running for, when the last time you ate was, etc...
Complain about this comment
# 58 snosilla wrote:
"I live in Northern Virginia, and it is necessary to point out a few issues over the past few weeks:
1. A mailer was sent out telling voters that due to higher turn-out this year, those registered Dems would be voting on Nov5.
2. An email was sent out to students and employees at George Mason University (~35000 people) from the "provost" (his acct had been hacked)--telling them to vote Nov 5. This is a primarily democratic college.
3. Phone calls are being made telling voters (falsely) that their voting locations have been changed.
Is this what it takes for Repugs to win?
And yes, there have been lines."
This cannot be true!
Repug, sorry, Republicans are honourable and decent. They believe in God and The Flag. They would never do something like this.
Only 2 possibilities
[a] You're one of Ice T's Obama operatives, making up fibs about the poor Republicans
[b] It's all true - but it was the nasty, unpatriotic Democrats doing it - just to make the poor Republicans look bad.
Now, if you'll excuse me, all this typing has given me a thirst. Think I'll have some more of my favourite McCain/Palin Kool-Ade
;-)
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I read a story about a person currently employed as a security guard that was going to vote for McCain because she couldn't afford to have her taxes raised in order to help others. She had recently lost a job in IT and had taken a financial hit. I don't know many security guards that are in the top income braket. Usually, they would be in the percentage that would benefit from Obamas tax plan. Must be one heck of a good security guard.
Well, I have an IT type job and if I could not read then I never would have gotten the job. If I jumped to conclusions because someone said something to lead me to believe that the bug in the system was because of this or that, without investigating the facts, I would not be able to keep my job.
I associate with people who are conservative. I've worked with them for benefits and fund raisers for good causes. Does this make me a conservative by association? Nope.
Does anyone really think that Obama is so dumb that he would encourage ACORN or any other group to register voters that do not exist? Is this indicative of an individual who was President of the Harvard Law Review?
Well, I guess there are people out there that gullable. They'll be in the
line right behind that poor misguided security gaurd who couldn't figure things out for herself, but rather listened to what others said about what somebody said. This trait may have caused her to loose her IT job. I only hope it does not keep a good man down.
Complain about this comment
Stephen,
I suggest you check his voting record with Bush's Republican predecessors and his voting record during the Clinton years. In fact, 90% is on the low side. He is not a maverick but a party hack. This journalist will accept your apology.
Complain about this comment
55 Bluepaddy - Frankly if Hillary fans were going to vote for Palin just because she is a woman then they are so ignorant they don’t deserve the vote. You don’t vote for someone because of their gender or race – and I would add that I am a woman. I am no fan of Hillary but she is one smart woman – Palin on the other hand has shown herself to be shallow, uneducated and totally inept.
You are rather fond of the term racist. In what way has Obama ever been racist? That is a ridiculous thing to say. Also you keep throwing in Wright. How about Hagee or Parsley? Is the fact that they rant about Islam ok and so in your mind not racist? I hate to say what that says about you….
Complain about this comment
Bluepaddy13:
"And its not all my family either, dozens of people where I work are voting for McCain too, not everyone is brainwashed you know"
Well if I worked with you Bluepaddy I would certainly tell you I had voted McCain, of course in the privacy of the voting booth...
Complain about this comment
34. stilllitterarty wrote:
"MCain will win , HES GOT A SENCE OF HUMOUR"
Glad to hear it. More than can be said of most of his supporters, that'd for sure. Where does he keep it?
(Why do some people shout? To draw attention to their spelling?)
Complain about this comment
What would be interesting - and relevant - to determine is the turnout in States that do not have early voting. I suspect most voters in Virginia, like those in Florida and other states with early voting, have already cast their votes and are now awaiting the results.
It should be readily apparent to the most casual observer that the level of enthusiasm this election year is greater than ever before, or at least in recent memory, but regardless of what the results are most of us will accept the decision of the majority and will press on with our lives the same way we have done in the past.
Contrary to the claims made throughout the campaign, and the facile opinions voiced by pundits and partisans, both candidates are committed to defend our security, interests, and are not radical elements intent on destroying our society. I feel confident that regardless who wins, we will be better off tomorrow than we are today.
Complain about this comment
And the sun will shine and the messiah will walk. Wars will cease and famine will end. The Muslims and the Jews will live in joyous peace. Nuclear arms will be eliminated. The air will be clean and with a wave of his mighty hand a new unlimited fuel source will come. All debt will be taken care of because all ownership will be to the people with HIM dividing it. Temples will be built and countries will cease to have borders. It will be one world under Obama.
Your children will leave at a young age to go to reeducation camps. You will be told the religion to worship. You will work where you are told to work, do what you are told to do, and for the wage you given. You will voice no opinion unless it supports The Obamessiah. There will be a cleansing of the undesirables and questioning. But there will be peace and order and your children will have been trained to watch, to make sure you abide by the doctrine handed down from mount Olympus - renamed Mount Obamus.
Sounds like something someone in the 30's/40's tried to do and many others before him.
Ayers thought that 25 million may need to be cleansed in the US alone
Sounds like a lot of fun but maybe I will PASS
Good overview of his background or lack there of in terms of documented information http://www.theobamafile.com/BarackObama.htm
Other good sites with tons of info;
www.dontvoteobama.net
http://www.theobamafile.com
http://sweetness-light.com/
Good article about McCain's time as a prisoner (idea what he has already sacrificed for the the country) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1084711/posts
Complain about this comment
Checked fivethirtyeight.com, McCain's win percentage is down to 1.1%, I believe this represents the chance of meteor showers destroying the east and west coast before the polls close...
Complain about this comment
"Been a Republican for 30 +years . Was very active at one time in party politics .
Have lots of relatives that dont like Obama .Thoughout the campaign they have sent me loads of anti -Obama e mails most bordering on hate filled claptrap.
Cant pick one's relatives however ,so this time voted for Obama and switched parties become active in the Democratic party .
They cant believe it but I have changed the world has changed and change is in the air ."
You were in the GOP for three decades - and an active memebr - and now you have not only voted for Obama, but joined the Dems, become an active member and a cheerleader for the far left? ("change is in the air" indeed...)
It doesn't take much for you to change your mind, does it?
If Obama is a disappointment, will you jump ship and trundle back across the street so you can start campaigning for a Republican?
Seems very odd to me....
Complain about this comment
obviously you weren't up at 6 this morning in northern Virginia waiting for an hour to vote. I guess some people just have to go an work even though it's election day...
Complain about this comment
I don't think Justin has political bias or motives. He works for the media and nowadays (sadly) that means, generally speaking, entertainment. He's simply trying to make the whole thing more exciting, manufacturing drama where there is none.
Superficial? - yes. Sinister? - not really.
Complain about this comment
86 - Nursealoft - I hope your's and your husband's vote count and more than that I hope you have him home safe and sound soon.
Complain about this comment
Justin is probably the most effective blogger the BBC has. His initial posts are short and based mostly upon a couple of articles he's read. There is very little fact, very little personal opinion, just mischief making. The reaction he encourages is long and furious.
The BBC has adverts on their site for those of us overseas. So those of you telling the yanks to sod off as they don't pay for this are missing the point. The BBC want overseas readers. I suspect that Justin gets a cut.
Complain about this comment
79. At 6:31pm on 04 Nov 2008, Nick-Gotts wrote:
Shorter bluepaddy13@43
"Obama's black."
If you want to split hairs, he is HALF black, but who cares, what ever color he is, Green with pink spots he is still an unqualified liar who is not the right one for President.
Complain about this comment
78. At 6:31pm on 04 Nov 2008, jacksforge wrote:
bluepaddy13 (is the correct name, get it correct or refrain from addressing me at all)
A lot of women wanted to vote for a woman,
---------
that would be sexism.
THAT is their choice, take it up with them, Ii personally do not care what you think about it.
--------------
And don't let me repeat this do not ask personal questions, you are not a friend, Pal, buddy or Mate
----------------------
Well MATE, you brought up ,in defence of accusations of racism that you are married to a person of colour.
so I will ask you again, is this true and if so what race is she?
Again I am not a friend, Pal, Buddy or Mate of your's
details about my wife are none of your business and do not ask again
Complain about this comment
I'm in a southern city and had about an hour wait mid-morning to proudly cast my vote for McCain/Palin.
So funny that people actually use Palin's experience as an excuse to vote for an inexperienced man.
I doubt a landslide on either side and hope that if Obama wins that the angry, ridiculous, anti-america rhetoric of the left will stop for a bit Hopefully we won't turn into the marxist country he would like us to be in 4 years before we can get him out.
Complain about this comment
This is for # 9. Princess-on-the-pea.... I'm taking issue at being called a bigot and racist just because I have voted Republican.
Democrats are filled with racists and bigots. Hint: How soon you forget, Jeremiah Wright. I spoke openly with three of my black classmates and a fellow black barn mate and all four of them said that when racial tones start up in the churches they attend, then they leave because they are there to learn about the Bible. They said it is normal for black preachers to preach against white America. Now here is a term I call white Democrats who are racists. "Closet Bigots". There are big named Democrats who supported Hillary and have now jumped behind McCain. Let me give you an assignment. Find out why they really can't support Obama. If that isin't bad enough blacks are racist against bi-racial. You are obviously disconnected from the news media when it has been talked about the fact that Obama isin't "black enough". Google the New York Times. An article on two Black Illinois Senators who ostracized Obama because of his Ivy League background and "doesn't know what it's like to be Black". I don't know where you live but I do know you don't live in New York, Atlanta, Miami, or Los Angeles, Chicago or Washington, DC. If you Miss Princess on the Pea don't believe what I've just told you, you're either quite ignorant of your peers and what they think or chose to bury your head in the sand. Obama will be the next president, rest assured. Don't be deluded,however. He's also a politician. Let me help you. "Spread the wealth for people who make more than $250,000. Then $200,000, then $150,000 and by November 1st. $120,000. Wake up Princess and smell the politics. Why don't you work on stopping your hate and maybe your peers will follow behind you.
Complain about this comment
"Gobama! USA! (It would be nice to be able to say that loud and PROUD again)"
nursaloft:
So you are ashamed of your nation based on who the president is?
Complain about this comment
I had a 40 minute wait in my small Kentucky town of 1,600 inhabitants. There's a surge of voters here at least.
Having enjoyed this blog throughout the election year, I too denounce you Justin like so many commentators before as the perennial shape-shifter. I simply cannot not abide for your blatant love of McCain, hated for Obama, dislike for McCain, and equally one-sided reporting in favor of Obama. I also lost a great deal of respect for your obvious attempts to get Obama, McCain, Clinton, Romney, and Huckabee elected....often within the same article. It's these sort of pro-John, anti-Barack, pro-Obama, anti-McCain scurrilous attacks that give the BBC a bad name.
I tip my hat especially for your uncanny ability to be dismissed as pro-Obama or pro-McCain in the same web entry.
Complain about this comment
re 26
"So come one Justin, you have to do better than your entry. We need some meat to your piece-is there early voting in Virginia and DC?"
Did some quick Googling and yes Virginia has early voting, and quite heavy apparently.
That is my point! I did research whether there was early voting in Virginia. Why did Justin Webb not do this? Or if he did, why did he not mention it?
I just think it was a sloppy post fron Justin-not biased just a little bit of journalistic fact and fiction. I could write a post that at 12:04pm there were no lines and no one going in to my local polling station and draw a conclusion that the turnout is poor to nil.
Complain about this comment
66 Barry
Sat out the war in prison and blabbed - wow!
Could you even comprehend spending 5+ years in a cell where they torture you regularly? He certainlydidn't tell them much since they would have released him if he gave them what they wanted.
McCain has innumerable occomplishments during his time in office.
http://eforum.reviewjournal.com/lv/showthread.php?t=22019
The one major one he failed to get passed was legislation reigning in Obama's cronies Frank and Dodd and the crooks in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This legislation would have stopped their crappy lending practices to people who could not afford their loans. Which if passed would have help correct the whole subprime mess before it started. Couldn't get passed because the Dem's on the banking committees would not allow to pass.
He tried to get this through a couple of times but the Dem's kept stopping passage and once they had congress they squashed the bill.
Complain about this comment
OldSouth
So it's ok to get to get poisoned as long as you are making money. If McCain wins hopefully he'll find a way to store spent reactor fuel from all his Nuke plants in your back yard then, since as long as you are making money, what's a little radiation poisoning, eh? He could build the plant and bury the waste right there. Sounds like a partnership to me! Additional benefit, since you are an expert, I'm sure, at detecting terrorist, then he'd have those plants in a save place. (Right.)
Feel sorry for your nieghbors, tho, if they do not feel the same.
Complain about this comment
There are hours to go yet. So:
WILL PEOPLE PLEASE STOP SHOUTING!!!!
(Er, sorry.)
Complain about this comment
As an American I look to the BBC for that global perspective that we are missing in our national media. Unfortunately Justin Webb's America seems to be the same as Fox News America - a love letter to the neo-conservative agenda. Yesterday's blog was total nonsense and today's is just lame. It's not just first time black voter's that are going to get Obama elected - it is my entire generation, those of us who have voted responsibly in every election they were able to, those of us in our 20's and 30's who have been waiting for the baby boomer's to be done running the country and an opportunity for our voices to be heard.
I voted today - Obama '08!!!!!!
Complain about this comment
Justin, when you get back to a TV, tune in to BBC24. There you will see your colleagues commenting on very ling lines... lots of votes already cast right across the USA. The turn-out is reported to be very high.
Complain about this comment
And why no follow-up posting from Justin? Last one was 4 and a half hours ago on the most important day in current American history so where is he?
And why does the BBC News front page (UK version) have "Justin Webb: Elusive surge?" as its leader byline, when the evidence here points the other way? Poor prioritising as per.
Complain about this comment
Palin has told the Virginians that Obaman is not REAL so they are staying home.
Complain about this comment
The main BBC webpage says:
"Long queues for historic US vote"
can't you get your story straight?
Complain about this comment
virginiawhite man
Do you really think a nationalized health care will help. We have a bunch of lazy, fast food eating, smoking, drug addicted.... people in this country. That is the reason the healthcare system has problems. If people took some care of them selves there wouldn't be a problem.
If you own a small business and want economical health care call a company like administaff or oassis to handle your hr and payroll issues. They are economical and allow access to group medical programs.
Keep drinking the kool-aid - Beloved Leader
watch this -http://www.theobamafile.com/ObamaLatest.htm
3rd video down - crazed worship - scary shit
Complain about this comment
no long lines - no signs of people turning up and going away again. But this fact in itself is causing concern among Democrats: where is the turnout, they murmur?
Who is murmuring? Which Democrats? It was early, very early when you wrote that, why not update it?
Complain about this comment
#21 " Joe the vice president" , that sounds good, sick of hearing of Joe the plumber! Can't wait to get this over with, its goin to be a long nite!
Complain about this comment
Well I'm from Indiana which has historically been a red state and I went to vote early with my mom and my nephew and it was a 50 minute wait. The mood was very positive we talked with a woman ahead of us who hadnt voted since Nixon. Nixon!
So my mom who is in her age range started talking to her. This gun owning, pro-Republican 67 year old woman looked down at her feet and said I'm voting for Obama.
We saw couples bringing their children and babies.
This election has proven to be one of hope instead of the fear based one that was ran in 2004.
Obama-Biden 2008.
Complain about this comment
Justin, your complimentary Sean Hannity Freedom Concert tickets are in the mail. Seriously, why not drop the pretense of journalism and just become a bonafide GOP Groupie?
Complain about this comment
The number of Americans in the midwest, as well as the south, that would rather not vote for McCain OR Obama is staggering, yet Obama is generally considered the lesser of the threats to a future strong America, although not necessarily among those in the military services. Obama is so far to the left on issues, McCain to the right, while the majority of individuals in the middle of the country are somewhere in-between and would have much preferred John Edwards or Joe Biden to be the one presenting the acceptance speech. Once again, the country is strongly divided only because the two dominant political parties have failed, once again, to place on the ballot a candidate who truly represents the views of the average citizen.
Complain about this comment
So, Rupert Murdoch does not approve of Obama. That fact alone must be sufficient reason to vote for him!
Complain about this comment
Proof that the election is at least clean in Chicago.
Complain about this comment
I vote in suburban Chicago about 8:30 AM; didn't take any longer than any other year. I opted for paper; it did seem like the people using the machines took a bit longer.
I Barack'ed the vote!
Complain about this comment
106. At 7:04pm on 04 Nov 2008, fearlessbritabroad wrote:
#25 'paddy whatever' said
Uselessbritabroad whatever, said my wife and her friends, to set the record straight, because it is increasingly apparent, none of you liberal fools can read, My wives friends does not mean my wife would vote Hillary, she votes McCain like me from the beginning. What other people do if they wish to change from Hillary to McCain that is their Prerogative, who the hell are you people to critic what they choose to do, for what ever reason they wish to do it, "if" it is purely because they are sick of the sight of Obama, it might not be intellectual quality, but who says elections are solely that, a lot is for what you "like", most the people voting for Obama are doing it for pretty shallow reasons, so I see no problem with the opposite either.
Complain about this comment
Breaking News - new disorder in the US and across the world
A recently described disorder OBAMITIS.
This condition is characterized by delusions of grandeur which include a phobia
of work and a severe allergic reaction to getting an education. It seems to run
in families (inbred or not) and may involve some genetic damage which causes
the children to always utter the first word "WELFARE".
Another major symptom is the delusion of a MESSIAH coming to provide for all their physical, spiritual and other basic needs.
Curiously this messiah has very enviable qualifications which include having mentors who have taught him the ways of socialism and beyond (Frank Marshal Davis, Saul Alinsky), terrorism (Bill Ayers,Bernadine Dohm), corruption (Antoin "Tony" Rezko), and prejudicism (Jeremiah Wright).
They are working on the cure for this very severe disease.
Remember the Messiah cometh and taketh. PROTECT THE FAMILY JEWELS.
Complain about this comment
116. At 7:23pm on 04 Nov 2008, David_Cunard wrote:
#75. bluepaddy13: "Only one flaw in that theory the Beloved one Messiah Obama also says he is against same-sex marriage, or was that just another LIE from him"
In a letter to the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, Mr Obama wrote:
"As the Democratic nominee for President, I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law?And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states."
It's a States' Rights issue, and Mr Obama considers that it should be resolved at State, not Federal level. Amy other questions?
*****************************
None at all you just proved Mr Obama to be a liar. He has stated on TV he is against it.
Complain about this comment
re. 65. bluepaddy13:
I live in Ohio. There are not 200,000 false registrations in Ohio. There are 200,000 discrepancies between the information on the voter applications and government records like driver's licenses and Social Security numbers.
Many of these so-called false registrations are simply minor discrepancies or unwitting duplicate registrations of people who don't know or trust the system to actually get them registered.
I would like to point out (yet again) that even if there were false registrations, they do not constitute voter fraud. The ghosts in question have to actually succeed in voting for it to be fraud.
If a person shows up in Ohio without proper identification and tries to vote using a false name, they will be turned away. I really can't imagine that there would be 200,000 false votes in the state without anyone noticing.
Another conspiracy theory bites the dust. Do you want to fall back on Area 51 stories?
Complain about this comment
In the democratic strong-hold of NYC, my boyfriend endured a 90 minute wait in the morning and myself a 2 hours in the afternoon.
Complain about this comment
Rough crowd today .
Regardless of the outcome of the election most of us will have to get up in the morning , go to work and live our life.
Red or blue or pink or whatever, we are all in this boat called the United States together . Perhaps we should learn some respect for each other and get along. Our future depends on it
PS No offense to our UK friends who probably are sick an tired of hearing the from squabbling next door
Complain about this comment
#117 Magickirin
"Well in Philidelphia the Black Panthers are intimidating voters
www.foxnews.com"
Well since this is based the claims of the Republican party I'll take it with a pinch of salt unless FOX have added in a police report or some other solid evidence recently?
Complain about this comment
TO # 68, selfevidenttruths:
"Chaps, bluepaddy, jackforge: can we chill out a bit"
"all this erm, vitriol is getting tiring to read".
"People have the right to vote for their choice, it is neither patriotic nor unpatriotic to vote for one candidate or the other. Neither candidate is racist, neither candidate is socialist, neither candidate loves their country more than the other. They just have different ideas, and you are free to choose between them".
Thank You
Learn from the Englishman
Can you people not provide a more intellectual stimulating discussion? Or is it your ambition to prove to the people of the world who read the BBC that America's Education System really is at the bottom of Industrialized nations?
Complain about this comment
Voter turnout is very heavy all over the country, including Virginia. It is hard to see how that could bode well for Mr McCain.
Complain about this comment
56/bluepaddy
"I did not say I earn OVER 250,000 typical liberal distortion and lies. show me where I have ever said that."
In fairness you did say you earned just under $250,000, but you did also say that Obama would raise your taxes. That is a contradictory position, because Obama's plan is very clear that he will not raise taxes of anyone earning under $250,000.
Either you're lying about your income/future income or you're lying/mistaken about your taxes being raised.
So it's hardly a distortion or a lie for someone to quote you on one of your two contradictory positions.
Complain about this comment
*sigh*
Justin, do you think it's possible you can email the mods and get them to post the comments on the election blogs...? Catching up with comments is getting to be a pain.
Complain about this comment
# 117 MagicKirin wrote:
"Most of us were hoping were for a calm orderly Nov 4 with no problems and intimidation./Well in Philidelphia [sic] the Black Panthers are intimidating voters/www.foxnews.com/And I am sure the right wing equivilent [sic] are doing the same elsewhere"
Rejoice and be glad. Truly we see a wind of change blowing.
Magic finally gives a source for an assertion. And even recognises that not all good or bad is on one side.
In honour of this, I actually went to the Fox News site. Even though Magic didn't give a proper link to the report, I found it. I watched c 5 minutes ie most of it - the signal quality was poor.
A few points:
1 Even Fox didn't SAY there was intimidation. Their headline was 'Voter intimidation in Philadelphia?'.
2 You might think from Magic that there were mobs of thugs. According to the report there were 2 BPs in uniform standing outside a polling station. One was holding a night stick.
3 Someone complained to the cops and the one with the stick was made to leave
4 Even Fox said there was no evidence of any voter being intimidated. They said that some poll watchers inside said they felt intimidated.
5 They also said they tried 6-7 other polling stations and saw nothing amiss
6 I'm not sure exactly how they could intimidate a voter - how would they know which voters were for Obama as opposed to McCain?
7 No proof that these people had anything to do with the Obama campaign
If they're breaking the law, they should be forced to leave.
But if that is the worst thing that happens today, I think we should be pretty relieved
Complain about this comment
120. At 7:32pm on 04 Nov 2008, stardakyras wrote:
""The traitor is not I, but YOU"
Surely you mean "the traitor is you, not me"?"
I understood that the verb 'to be' takes the nominative?
But on such a historic day - why quibble?
Complain about this comment
bluepaddy13 wrote:
If you want to split hairs, he is HALF black, but who cares, what ever color he is, Green with pink spots he is still an unqualified liar who is not the right one for President.
Well it seems that the choice is betweena qualified liar and an unqualified liar - out of the two I would go for the unqualified liar as he has less experience of lying!
Complain about this comment
Nick-Gotts @ 71 wrote:
"Do you have a really large bet on McCain Justin?" - AsaScot
In a sense, he does: he predicted McCain would win the Presidency back at the end of 2007 - runing against Clinton. I think he's distinctly peeved that Obama has damaged his reputation as a prescient pundit!
Aaah. A few other commentators have thanked you for clearing up an enduring mystery for them with that, and I have to add my thanks to that list too.
Complain about this comment
"If you want to split hairs, he [Obama] is HALF black" - bluepaddy13
He'd have had to sit at the back of the bus and go to a black school in the old south. That makes him black. It's a social classification, not a biological one.
Complain about this comment
# 129. brewdog0530 wrote:
A lot of sarcastic drivel about Obama the Messiah etc etc. Gosh - that's a new one.
Then he threw in "Sounds like something someone in the 30's/40's tried to do and many others before him."
Presumably a reference to Hitler - except he hasn't the nerve to say it.
Tastless and brainless
He also directs us to 'good' websites, which I didn't bother opening. "www.dontvoteobama.net". Gee, I wonder what their viewpoint is.
Sheesh, these bozos never quit. Does he really think an Obama voter is going to read this gunk and change his mind?
The real question - does he really think?
Complain about this comment
125. At 7:48pm on 04 Nov 2008, Princess-on-the-pea wrote:
55 Bluepaddy - Frankly if Hillary fans were going to vote for Palin just because she is a woman then they are so ignorant they don?t deserve the vote. You don?t vote for someone because of their gender or race ? and I would add that I am a woman. I am no fan of Hillary but she is one smart woman ? Palin on the other hand has shown herself to be shallow, uneducated and totally inept.
Hillary is indeed one smart sleazy politician with her hand out, one minute she pretends to be for womans rights and workers rights, yet her husband takes 10 million a year to stump for Dubai, a racist sexist state.
That Hillary fans jump to vote for McCain, is no problem at all (You are the one saying they are voting primarily for Palin, Not I) it is their right to change their minds for what ever reason they wish, and for you to decide that others do not deserve a vote because they do not think like you is purely ignorant. Who made you the decider of how people should vote? Point is I do not know the full in’s and out’s of why those women decide to vote McCain, other than to say it’s their right to do so, regardless of what the hell you think
You are rather fond of the term racist. In what way has Obama ever been racist? That is a ridiculous thing to say. Also you keep throwing in Wright. How about Hagee or Parsley? Is the fact that they rant about Islam ok and so in your mind not racist? I hate to say what that says about you?.
Read Obama’s book look at his life and the church he sat in for 20 years, he is a racist. As for Hagee and Parsley, has McCain and Palin sat in either of those peoples churches for 20 years ???? I did not think so, must confess I have never heard of Parsley either did you pull that one of your behind? As for their ranting about Islam, is not Islam a religion and there are Muslims of every race, so how does that make a critic of Islam a racist if you do not distuinguish between a white, brown or yellow muslim, do you even know what a racist is ? seems clear you have no clue like jacksgourd
Complain about this comment
138 southernmom wrote:
"I doubt a landslide on either side and hope that if Obama wins that the angry, ridiculous, anti-america rhetoric of the left will stop for a bit Hopefully we won't turn into the marxist country he would like us to be in 4 years before we can get him out."
If you're so deluded as to think he wants to turn the US into a 'Marxist country' - you're not exactly qualified to whinge about anyone else using 'angry, ridiculous ... rhetoric'
Complain about this comment
I just want to reassure all the Republicans who seem to think that Obama will bring about the end of the world - if he gets elected then it is God's will.
You trust God right?
Complain about this comment
141. At 8:10pm on 04 Nov 2008, CentreC wrote:
Something similar to what I've written before.
But far more wittily
Genuine 'LOL'!
Complain about this comment
#151 brewdog0530
"3rd video down - crazed worship - scary shit"
Well it's certainly the latter...
Complain about this comment
"Do you really think a nationalized health care will help. We have a bunch of lazy, fast food eating, smoking, drug addicted.... people in this country. That is the reason the healthcare system has problems. If people took some care of them selves there wouldn't be a problem." brewdog0530
National health services tend to give high priority to prevention, including getting people off smoking, encouraging them to exercise etc. - because they can concentrate on what's best for national health, and in fact doing so saves public money and makes staff jobs easier. When health care is private, there is a perverse incentive not to do anything preventative - the sicker people are, the more money the private health companies make.
Complain about this comment
bluepaddy13 wrote:
35. At 5:15pm on 04 Nov 2008, jacksforge wrote:
I would accuse him of being an unpatriotic traitor to his nation.if he is american.
if he is a Brit then I would still say the same.
Because america will have an effect on the UK.
*********************************
The unpatriotic ones would vote Obama, you are mistaken as usual. The traitor is not I, but YOU
Anyone who considers someone to be a traitor for voting for one party over the other should be banned from voting because they are clearly insane!
Or maybe they should join up with Mugabe I am sure he will be happy to have you on his election team!
Complain about this comment
#59 - Bluepaddy is in a terrible temper. What does this tell us about how things are going ?
After having read the comments up until this point, I can understand perfectly well why Bluepaddy is in a terrible temper. His first post simply declared who he voted for, and then others began attacking him, his friends, and his family, personally.
I do not support McCain anymore than the rest of you, however please remember that once this election is over we will all have to work together and repair the huge gulf that has opened between Obamaphiles and McCainites. We can start by being polite to each other. If you must attack someone's stance, please wait until they attack yours first! Simply stating how one voted is not an attack just because their vote was different from yours.
Complain about this comment
To #52 and # 116
I heard directly Obama say he believed that marriage was between a man and a woman.
Joe Biden said the very same words during his debate but added he had no problem "with them visiting at the hospital"
What?
If what you say Obama wrote to Toklas is true that he believes it's a "States Rights" issue then... Federal Income Tax would exclude this measure along with Social Security Benefits that would ordinarily go to the surviving spouse or their children in the event of a gay parents death. Obviously, State Income Tax would recognize this measure but Social Security is a Federal Issue.
Obviously, the term "Civil Union" would have to be recognized in the Constitution for Federal Income Tax and Social Security to benefit Gays and Lesbians. Hillary Clinton says that's the easiest way to go. Huh?
Wouldn't it just be simpler to say if Gays and Lesbians want to jump into the Cauldron of 50% divorce rate, go for it?
But on another issue you just brought up...
You mention Obama says in his letter to Toklas (See # 116 above) He considers Gay Marriage a "States Rights" issue. Well that just opened a can of worms because Palin said in the famous Katie Couric interview that Abortion should be a "States Rights" issue. Yet the public wants it to be a Federal Issue.
Don't you find it intriguing that Gay Rights Issues has dropped off the radar since Obama said this and Biden confirmed it in front of 14 million viewers?
Maybe I'm missing something here but if Gay Marriage isin't important for the Federal Level why should Abortion be? After all, abortion is a choice. Children of Gay Parents not receiving the same benefits as children of Heterosexual Parents is not a choice.
Can somebody explain what I'm missing?
Complain about this comment
127.
I see I fell foul of the dictum that "any post complaining of spelling is doomed to contain at least one typo."
Hubris, that's what it is.
Complain about this comment
I think my nerves are shot.
I could have sworn (half-listening to the World Service) I just heard an American say "Obamicide".
When I say 'shot', I mean . . .you see what I mean?
Complain about this comment
#128 - What would be interesting - and relevant - to determine is the turnout in States that do not have early voting.
I live in Missouri - no early voting. The parking lot to the school was full at 5:15AM this morning with people waiting for the polls to open at 6, and I live in a fairly rural area, though still close to St. Louis. Two co-workers that live near me (but in different precincts) also had significant wait times. Another co-worker who lives in a mostly African-american area said his precinct had about a 30-minute wait before you got inside the door, but that they were allowing people to fill out their ballot anywhere if they wished to do so once inside (i.e. they didn't have to wait for a voting booth to come open). No one at work reported that they didn't have to wait.
My son had already voted via absentee ballot due to his class schedule - and he was told the absentee rate was incredibly high - that people just kept walking in the whole time and it was never not busy even then.
Complain about this comment
#138 - So funny that people actually use Palin's experience as an excuse to vote for an inexperienced man.
No, it's not her "experience" at all. It's her complete and total cluelessness.
Complain about this comment
I forgot to add that I walked in and voted no line. That just means everybody else voted in the morning before work. Don't know what happened after lunch or this evening.
A follow up to # 116... I just checked that letter from Obama to Toklas on the Alice Toklas web site and the letter posted does not say anything about "States Rights" unless I'm just too dumb to comprehend what he was saying.
Can you clarify what you quoted in # 116?
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
161 brewdog0530 wrote:
The same would-be-ironic drivel
"A recently described disorder OBAMITIS/This condition is characterized by delusions of grandeur which include a phobia
of work and a severe allergic reaction to getting an education"
Amusing that a Republican fanatic is whinging about education. Supporting the candidate who came 5 from the bottom of almost 900 students. And that academic powerhouse Palin. Against the Harvard lawyer and university lecturer.
Thanks Brew. You'll make the Obama win even sweeter
Complain about this comment
163. timohio :
Tim, thanks for the facts - but you're wasting your time trying to educate BluePaddy
Complain about this comment
# 162, bluepaddy13
Give it rest!!!
Everybody in Third World Countries knows by now you voted for McCain. So did I.
Get over it!!!!
I'd like to get an intellectually stimulating discussion going here and the more you rant and rave people will leave this site and miss my important comments then I'll miss the intellectual responses to my comments.
Jeez Louise
Complain about this comment
I find it quite disturbing that there seem to be very few moderate republican voices here. Where are you?
Complain about this comment
Petrol (gas) is now below $2 a gallon around here. At this rate, one of the first acts of the new president will be to arrange a bail out of the oil companies. You heard it here first!
Complain about this comment
AsaScot, this report on the Black Panthers is not from Fox News.
Complain about this comment
bluepaddy13 reminds me of Palin anti-intellectualism. It must be something they both share.
Complain about this comment
I've 538, pollster, CNN live, BBC - any site people can recommend in addition? Hope everyone is sitting comfortably : )
Work done, wine open, 3 days off ...
Complain about this comment
#160 the Cold Irishman said
"it might not be intellectual quality"
You're right, it isn't, and sadly you don't seem to see how pathetic these people are.
Don't ya think one needs to spend a little time with the issues? You're not voting for a local beauty queen... You're voting for someone to hold the most powerful position on Earth!
Complain about this comment
#175 Nick-Gotts
"It's a social classification, not a biological one."
Since he probably doesn't believe in evolution, he won't understand the difference.
Complain about this comment
Justin Webb, you are one great bloggist (if that's a word).
You write a paragraph and 200+ responses later...
Keep this up and BBC will have to give you a big raise.
Of course, technically, if you are in the US at the time this blog generates a raise, Is that raise considered Income under our laws? Will you have to pay taxes on that raise?
Hmmm...
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
136/bluepaddy
"If you want to split hairs, he is HALF black, but who cares, what ever color he is, Green with pink spots he is still an unqualified liar who is not the right one for President."
I don't think there are any formal qualifications for being a liar, but if there are Obama certainly doesn't have them.
I cannot say Obama is not a liar, because he is a politician, and just like any politician, Democrat or Republican, he has made promises which unforeseen circumstances have not allowed him to keep, and changed his position for political reasons. Accusing Obama of this more than McCain in his much longer career is laughable.
As for being qualified to be President, the only qualification he needs is 271 electoral votes, and he will get them tonight. He does not have as much political experience as McCain, but several years in the Illinois State Senate, 4 years in the US Senate, a law degree and first hand experience of the social problems in Chicago hardly amounts to being unqualified. That he has led the campaign which has defeated Edwards, Clinton and McCain despite his lack of experience shows that he is a capable politician and a strong leader, and he certainly is not lacking in policies, ideas, or experienced associates.
In short - liar? no more than any other politician. unqualified? he is far more qualified than you or I. However I give credit where it is due, you are correct that he is half black. Well done.
Relax, your nation will be in safe hands.
Complain about this comment
Virginia and Georgia, following on BBC live, will check out CNN, any suggestions welcome : )
Complain about this comment
177/bluepaddy
You keep repeating this assertion that Obama is racist.
Let me repeat this, because it is quite fantastical: you are saying that someone with a black father and a white mother, a black wife and a white grandmother who raised him, is racist. Surely Obama must be one of the least racist people in America!
I have questioned your credibility in the past, I an now seriously questioning your sanity!!
You go on and on about Pastor Wright, whom you have completely denounced on the basis of a 3-word soundbite from one recorded sermon. Let's make some things clear:
1) He was not preaching hate, not even in that particular sermon. Try and find footage of the whole sermon, and listen and think about what he is saying (if you can avoid fainting in shock at the G-D-America part).
2) He did not preach the same sermon (whether hate or not) on a continual loop for 20 years. That was one particularly passionate sermon, at which Obama was not present. If it hadn't been recorded for posterity (most likely BECAUSE it was so passionate and extraordinary - is there no footage of any of his other allegedly inflammatory sermons?), Obama would never have known about it.
3) I actually believe Obama showed a lack of political courage by disowning Pastor Wright after he said he could not. Clearly he did this because of the damage the perception of Pastor Wright (rather than the reality) was causing to his campaign. Perhaps he was not as close to his pastor as would suit your agenda.
Pastor Wright is not a racist or a preacher of hate. He has not been preaching hate for 20 years. He made one passionate sermon filmed on tape where at one particular moment his language was intended to shock (for good reason, given the subject of his sermon). I don't see any proof or evidence or even suggestion of a 20-year hate campaign from that, it's a total leap of illogic.
And Obama is not a racist. Anyone who takes just a moment to think about the consequences of that statement can see that it is a nonsense.
Complain about this comment
Actually Brewdog, as the son of a high ranking US officer, the Viet-Cong wanted him in good shape and there is evidence that he was never tortured at all. That was why he was offered his freedom because they thought they could gain something from showing him in good shape.
Complain about this comment
I voted in Springfield MO this morning and it took a whopping ten minutes. The lines are supposedly incredibly long at the moment because everyone's off work. Missouri's voted for the president elect since the early 1900's so let's hope that we choose wisely and finally become a blue state once more. I'm proud that I've voted for Obama and that me and my friends are in the process of seeing a historical moment, and a first in American history.
Complain about this comment
Oh Timothy, don't start that disingenuous nonsense about not being proud of my country because of who is president. I'm so tired of the sophomoric rhetoric from knee jerk reactionary twits who just cannot bear to believe that anyone who doesn't believe exactly what they believe is suspect and unpatriotic.
In case you hadn't noticed, the U.S. is extremely unpopular around the world these days, and as I travel a lot, I'd really like to be able to be loud and proud about being American again, instead of having to constantly explain that we're not all bad, and that this is a great country, despite one very damaging administration.
Get over yourself Timothy. My husband's out in a godforsaken hostile wilderness, putting his arse on the line for this country. Don't you dare question our patriotism.
Complain about this comment
# 195 I am a moderate. Always have been. I'm the person that nit wit Rush Limbaugh says "he doesn't trust". When he told me that I would waste my vote on Ross Perot I never felt better when I punched the "chad" for Perot. That chad never hung either. I'm a proud Moderate.
Complain about this comment
Well done mods!
Complain about this comment
I'm chiming out. It is apparent Intellectually Stimulating discussions are beyond the people who post here. Proof... America's Education System failed.
Complain about this comment
re. 193. john-In-Dublin:
Hey, any time. I live to teach. And as they say, you can lead a horse to water...
Seriously, the US does not have a government-sponsored voter registration effort. It is left to volunteer groups to register voters. You seen them sitting at tables in supermarkets, libraries, etc. It's actually kind of uplifting that people will volunteer their time to do this. One of the rules is that voter registration groups MUST turn in all completed voter applications. That means that even if they think the application is bogus, they must turn it in. It's to keep party-based registration efforts from cherry-picking only those applications they think support their party or candidate. So you get some flaky applications along with those who are simply confused or mistrustful of the system. Many of the irregular applications attributed to ACORN were actually reported to election officials by ACORN itself.
Also, when you get a huge voter registration effort, as there has been in the US in the last year, you are essentially targeting those people who have felt marginalized by the election process in previous elections. Middle class people are, for the most part, already registered. The new registrants are not going to be college-educated upwardly mobile middle class people, for the most part. So you get applications filled out wrong, names misspelled, addresses incorrect because they've moved several times in the last year. That sort of thing. No criminal conspiracy.
Complain about this comment
Before I head off to bed, I'd like to just say that any discussion of Mr. McCain's experience as a prisoner of war that brings his courage and amazing tenacity in the face of years of ghastly treatment into question is absolutely shameful.
I didn't vote for him because he chose a silly and unsuitable person for VP, and sadly he's at an advanced age, which increases the risk of her jumping into the position of leader of the free world - a frightening thought.
Nevertheless, he is a good man. He served his country honorably and bravely, and even if you are diametrically opposed to his political views there is absolutely no place for any snide insinuations about his service to his country.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
209 nurse: nice one!
Complain about this comment
206. At 00:21am on 05 Nov 2008, StephenDerry wrote:
177/bluepaddy
You keep repeating this assertion that Obama is racist.
Let me repeat this, because it is quite fantastical: you are saying that someone with a black father and a white mother, a black wife and a white grandmother who raised him, is racist. Surely Obama must be one of the least racist people in America!
I have questioned your credibility in the past, I an now seriously questioning your sanity!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DID you read his Book?? He is ashamed and hates his white half, question your own sanity and worry about yourself, I see through what person Obama is, and its not the character all the lemmings who vote for him, think he is.
Complain about this comment
"In case you hadn't noticed, the U.S. is extremely unpopular around the world these days, and as I travel a lot, I'd really like to be able to be loud and proud about being American again, instead of having to constantly explain that we're not all bad, and that this is a great country, despite one very damaging administration." - nursealoft
Obama's victory (everyone sane now knows that's what the result will be) will indeed make a huge and immediate difference to the USA's international image - both because of a hope we will see a less arrogant and militaristic stance abroad, and because Americans will have chosen a black President - and not because he's black, but because he's clearly the better candidate with the better policies. The world - not just the USA - faces enormous problems, not just the financial crisis, but the even more serious environmental and resource crises. It needs the US to take a leading part in solving them - but in cooperation with others, not by thinking it's the boss and everyone else should just emulate it and do as they're told, as under Bush. That's an immense responsibility on Obama; I very much hope he's up to it, and I'm guardedly optimistic he is.
Complain about this comment
212 patsy620: don't give, just monitoring election right now - keep posting!
Complain about this comment
re. 212. patsy620:
"I'm chiming out. It is apparent Intellectually Stimulating discussions are beyond the people who post here. Proof... America's Education System failed."
Excuse me? I'm doing my best. It's not my fault that anyone with a few bucks can get an internet connection :-)
Complain about this comment
214 nurse: I agree ...
Complain about this comment
"the position of leader of the free world" - nursealoft
Ah, you had to go and spoil your earlier comment! There is no such position! Surely, as it's "the free world", everyone in that world would have to get a vote to elect that person. Who, for that reason, would probably end up being a citizen of the world's largest democracy: India. The conceit that the POTUS is "leader of the free world" is just that - conceited. Drop it already.
Complain about this comment
177/bluepaddy
If Obama is a racist, he has hidden it very well - from the people who elected him to the Illinois Senate, from the people who elected him to the US Senate, from the millions of white voters who he has been gladhanding for the last 2 years and are even now propelling him to the White House, from his Clinton and Republican opponents, friendly and hostile media outlets, in fact everyone in the world except bluepaddy.
Such amazing skills of diplomacy and self-control and persuading people who he hates to love him are unheard of in any modern or historical politician and would underline what a remarkable leader he is. As he has kept his hateful secret for the last 11 years, there is no reason he cannot maintain it for two terms of office. In which case - why would it matter? He hates you but he continues to govern as though he loves you...
I wonder now if Kennedy was a secret Nazi, or Reagan a secret Marxist? I guess we'll never know. But at least you've put Obama's dirty secret on the record, so that if he manages to keep it hidden, some historian in the future may look back on this blog and discover the truth no-one else realised.
Complain about this comment
Okay, I'm back. I'm satisfied that Obama is the next president of the US of great A. I did vote for McCain but I'm not Unhappy.
I'm realistic that he is a politician and I can only hope that he will stand up to Pelosi and Reid in their enormous liberal bias.
Otherwise, one term may be his only term as in Jimmy Carter's.
Let's hope he will do what he said a year ago.
Signing off.
Complain about this comment
223 stephen: nice ...
Complain about this comment
#212 Patsy
Don't give up so easily. The discussions will be more interesting now.
Complain about this comment
Re Bluepaddy13's views.
It is wonderful to see that bluepaddy13's views have been thoroughly trashed due to the landslide vote in favor of Obama. We, the people, have spoken and Bluepaddy13 will just have to get used to the sea change that has happened in the US today. I have the feeling that the US is on a change of course that will not revert to the past even after Obama has left office.
I am writing this as a registered Republican who voted for Obama today because of McCain's choice of running mate and the vitriol and hate that emanated from both his campaign team and his supporters. There should be no room for such hate in our politics. My party has been hijacked by the fanatical religious right and bigoted, racist loonies. I, along with many other moderate Republicans, will not return to the Republican Party until it reforms itself and returns to the middle ground that was it's hallmark until the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld gang turned it into a mouthpiece for the fanatics of the Right. The McCain who gave last night was the McCain that I would have voted for had he not surrendered his principles to the Rove-trained advisers who managed his campaign.
Complain about this comment
161. At 9:09pm on 04 Nov 2008, brewdog0530 wrote:
Breaking News - new disorder in the US and across the world
"A recently described disorder OBAMITIS.
This condition is characterized by delusions of grandeur which include a phobia
of work and a severe allergic reaction to getting an education. It seems to run
in families (inbred or not) and may involve some genetic damage which causes
the children to always utter the first word "WELFARE".
Another major symptom is the delusion of a MESSIAH coming to provide for all their physical, spiritual and other basic needs".
HAHA! That is ridiculous. All of the uneducated people voted for McCain while they were clutching on to their Bibles in one hand and a shotgun in the other. Just hoping, oh God just hoping this time around trickle down economics would work in their favor. Look, I can make stupid and ludicrous statements too. Quit trying to silence 63,000,000 people. I have to go, I am going to go fill out my welfare paperwork.
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS