
11/04/2008 – Barack Obama Elected 44th President
Welcome to the Russ n’ RoJo ongoing Tuesday entry, as I’ll be updating this same post throughout the day for all Election Day thoughts, with some various thoughts on other things mixed in. I have voted, as many of you probably have, and now we wait for the results from around the country. Here in Indiana, we have a Governor’s race going on, but no Senate races this year. Evan Bayh will be up for Senate re-election in 2010, with Dick Lugar up in 2012. Our Governor Mitch Daniels is looking to be re-elected, as he faces Democratic challenger Jill Long Thompson. Daniels has taken Indiana by storm in his first term, making many radical changes very quickly, taking a “Do It Now” approach. He’s ahead in most polls, and will likely win a second term.
I made predictions the other day, thinking Barack Obama will win with an electoral count of over 300. I also predicted a Mark Souder win, which is for the race of 3rd District US Representative from Indiana. Souder is facing a young Democrat from Indianapolis who moved up here in the Democratic emphasis to try and win some more house races this year. I think he’ll fail. Well, I hope he’ll fail, and Souder will prevail. As for my prediction of Keith Olbermann going crazy, bobbing his head around, and mocking Fox News… I think that’s a pretty safe prediction.
First polls close at 6:00 PM, but no complete state is closed until 7:00 PM when Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Vermont all close. Some big states will start showing true results at this time, including the swing states of Florida (most of state will have closed at 7 PM EST), Indiana, and Georgia. Watching over the last twelve hours, McCain does have some slight momentum building. He’s cut Obama’s lead in some key states to within the margin of error, or even a dead heat in states like Ohio and even Florida. Could this momentum lead to a McCain win? Sure, Senator McCain is a large underdog if we went by popular vote, but in some key states, the Obama lead isn’t that large. McCain could pull off some states and somehow win this thing, and since Obama was nominated, I’ve never thought for a second McCain was out just because I don’t fully know where this country would stand when the time comes to electing an African American leader. We’ll see today, but until it happens, I’ve even thought McCain was the favorite even up to this day. Although, I predict an Obama win pretty much because of the numbers and the ability of their campaign to successfully promote early voting and youth voting. IT’S GAME TIME~!
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Breaking from election talk for a moment, I’d like to update the current most popular posts on the RussnRoJo.com site. According to number of views, the Top 7 most popular entries on RnR are…
1) VP Debate Review (Featured)
2) Holy Russ, Blogman! (Russ)
3) Russ n’ RoJo Rate Porn (Russ, RoJo)
4) All I Want Is… (Russ)
5) Ringlord’s View #2 (Kimmel)
6) Weekend Extravaganza w/ Audio! (RoJo, Audio)
7) Boz 2: Let’s Hear It For Rock Bottom (Boz)
So it is obvious, Russ is clearly way too popular. I’d like to point out the first two chapters of Russ’ story “Shake It Up” can be found by visiting the menu on the top of this site. I urge you to check it out if you have free time, and keep up with the story as Russ will be adding more chapters coming up.
3:29 PM EST
In two and a half hours, most polls in Indiana and Kentucky close. In three and a half hours, all polls in those states, as well as polls in Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Vermont, will close. We’ll have our first numbers, and here in Indiana, we’ll find out who our Governor will be next year. Exciting time. The first big states to close will be Florida and Pennsylvania at 8 PM, and Ohio at 7:30 PM.
Brady Quinn, by the way, was named starter of the Cleveland Browns on Thursday. I’ll be watching that game during commercials of The Office and 30 Rock, and will look to see how the Notre Dame alumnus does. I don’t expect much, and always find it fascinating when fans call for the backup, thinking that player will somehow save the team. Backups are usually backups for a reason. I don’t see Quinn turning into the next Tom Brady.
6:40 PM EST
Several polls are closing in less than twenty minutes. In Indiana, McCain and Obama are tied with 50% of the vote each with 2% of precincts reporting, although many western counties do not close until 7 PM EST. Obama is keeping it close, and his expected big area is Northwestern Indiana which will see polls close at 7. Obama could squeak this state out, and if he does, I really believe it will show that he has this election wrapped up.
MSNBC’s infighting has already begun, with Olbermann and Matthews fighting over Obama’s rejecting of public financing. It’ll be a fun few hours over on MSNBC tonight.
7:50 PM EST
Indiana right now is a dead heat in the Presidential race, while Mitch Daniels has been projected to win the Governor’s race and Mark Souder is now projected to win the 3rd District congressional race. For those in Muncie and lower Allen County, your representative to US Congress will still be Mike Pence, as he wins his race by a wide margin.
John McCain has won two of the first three called states, in Kentucky and South Carolina. Obama has won Vermont. Georgia, while not called, is looking good for McCain, as Obama could not make up the large margin. No news site is projecting Ohio, Georgia, or Indiana yet. Where those states go, so goes the Presidency.
7:55 PM EST
At this time, Russnrojo.com, having to report to no higher authority or ethical standards, can now project Senator John McCain winning Ohio, Florida, Indiana, and Ontario.
We kid, of course, but I love election night. It reminds me of the South Park episode, which is highly true, that true events such as an election are the highest and most entertaining form of reality television ever. American Idol and Road Rules cannot touch an American election, or any true event such as an election. I love watching this not because I need information on the candidates, as television at times is the worst form of medium for that, but to watch the media chaos and ridiculous nature of this type of event. It’s just amazing television.
8:00 PM
We knew it was happening, despite Republicans trying their best, but Pennsylvania is now projected for Barack Obama. New Jersey and Massachusetts the same. Still no call for Indiana or Georgia.
9:30 PM
Congratulations to Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) on being elected the 44th President of the United States of America. No news site can call it, although they would if their own policies forbid it, but it is true that based on all projections, Barack Obama has been elected our next President. After losing Ohio and Pennsylvania, the battle was too tough for even a war hero to overcome, and tomorrow morning the newspapers will be headlined by an amazing Obama win. Even more to the story will be the Congressional control Democrats gained tonight, winning many house seats and overtaking what will end up being between 5-9 Senate seats from the Republicans. Elizabeth Dole is out as Senator from North Carolina. Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate leader, is facing a possible ousting in Kentucky with the race still too close to call. Al Franken may be in a losing battle in Minnesota in a highly interesting race. New Mexico went Democratic for Obama, and Arizona after an hour is TOO CLOSE TO CALL. I promise we won’t be seeing that in Hawaii, Obama’s home state. What a night, what an election. It was close early, but Obama may end up getting that 300+ electoral win afterall. We’re still waiting on Florida, which will likely go for Obama, and Indiana, which is very very close. Indiana could go Democratic for the first time since 1964.
Mitch McConnell is now projected to retain his Senate seat in Kentucky. Lindsey Graham and Lamar Alexander are also Republican winners.
10:30 PM
Al Franken is now leading in Minnesota Senate results with 50% reporting. I hope he wins. It’ll be interesting, at least.
Barack Obama is going to give a historic victory speech after polls close on the west coast. His speech will be delivered in front of possibly one million onlookers in Chicago’s Grant Park. The first African American, and first Hawaiian, elected President of the United States of America will surely deliver what will be seen in the future as a historic moment due not only to the previous statements, but just the nature of the scene. One million in Chicago issuing in a change in the political landscape of America. The Republican party being shrunken into a regional party of southern states, while the Democrats move from the days of Clinton and Gore leading the party to Barack Obama taking the lead. How will this new Congress led by Nanci Pelosi and a vast majority of Democrats work in the next four years, especially with a President on their side? The next four years will definitely issue in change, but we don’t know fully how, yet. American wanted change, they got it. Now, the Democrats issue in a change for American and their own party with a majority not seen in a while, with a leader for all ages and a mandate in this election.
Barack Obama elected President. For those in Indiana, he also won our state. This is truly history in many, many ways; some of which can’t even be known or described, yet.
More thoughts in the coming days, hope you all enjoyed election day~!