Larry J. Sabato - THE CRYSTAL BALL SCORES NEAR PERFECT RECORD FOR ACCURACY IN PREDICTING 2008 ELECTION OUTCOMES The Crystal Ball is proud to announce that, with only a handful of official election outcomes still pending, we recorded a nearly perfect record of accuracy in predicting the results of the 2008 Election, including the correct October prediction of the final … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball Scores Near Perfect Record for Accuracy in Predicting 2008 Election Outcomes
Public Service Announcement
PSA: It's time to take down and throw away political campaign signs abandoned on public and commercial property. … [Read more...] about Public Service Announcement
Obama’s America: A New and Improved ‘Hegemon’ – Rzeczpospolita, Poland
The global reaction to Obama's election triumph isn't all, as they say 'kittens and rainbows.' This article from Poland's Rzeczpospolita is in the form of a warning to the European left, that while Obama may be easier to deal with, much more sensitive the finer points of diplomatic exchange and a better listener that the widely-derided President Bush - he will still be the … [Read more...] about Obama’s America: A New and Improved ‘Hegemon’ – Rzeczpospolita, Poland
Powell’s Reaction to the Election
CNN has an interesting post-election interview with Colin Powell, whose endorsement of Obama grabbed headlines a few weeks ago. Keep in mind that this is a man who has been to war, who broke barriers of his own as a general, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and as Secretary of State. His public persona, even in politics, has been that of a stoic warrior. But upon … [Read more...] about Powell’s Reaction to the Election
Newsweek’s How He Did It: Hackers, Threats & Spending Sprees
The headlined disclosure in Newsweek's How He Did It, 2008, is that both the Obama and McCain campaigns were victims of a sophisticated cyberattack prompting a federal investigation: Officials at the FBI and the White House told the Obama campaign that they believed a foreign entity or organization sought to gather information on the evolution of both camps' policy … [Read more...] about Newsweek’s How He Did It: Hackers, Threats & Spending Sprees
Half-Baked Alaska
In that alternate reality Up North, Gov. Sarah Palin is back home with her new fame and wardrobe, while Ted Stevens seems to have won reelection to his Senate seat. The careers of Alaska's two media stars have been intertwined since before Palin emerged and ran for the state house in 2006, and the conjunction will clearly continue. Senate Republicans, anxious to escape … [Read more...] about Half-Baked Alaska
Let’s Make Sure We Keep it Clean in Oregon, Shall We?
Matt Lewis of Town Hall has caught wind of some questionable activity out in Oregon, where the tight, contested Senate race between Jeff Merkley and Gordon Smith is going to a recount this week. I'm hearing that there are some strange goings on in Portland, Oregon today. Apparently, the press are being asked to leave the building where the ballots from yesterday's election … [Read more...] about Let’s Make Sure We Keep it Clean in Oregon, Shall We?
A View from the Trenches
A Line at a Polling Site (obviously, not mine): Some of you may have noticed that I did not post yesterday. I got up at 4 AM to serve as Presiding Judge (on 4 hours of training) at a precinct located in a Roman Catholic church in a poor and heavily African-American area of Cincinnati. I did not get home until approximately 10 PM and was so exhausted that I was in bed … [Read more...] about A View from the Trenches
How to Handle Losing an Election
After eight years of being evicted from the White House, several of them spent in the wilderness of legislative minority status under an opposition President, some Democrats may be quick to start dancing on the graves of the current GOP and licking their chops at the prospect of taking revenge on their former tormentors. I would caution you against such actions. Frankly, the … [Read more...] about How to Handle Losing an Election
Hope, at Last! For One Day, Let Us Hope!: Liberation of France
The global reaction to the news that Barack Obama has been elected president is like a tidal wave. So far this morning, WORLDMEETS.US has posted about 30 articles from around the world - and the work of translating has only just begun. One of the most moving tributes is this editorial from France's Liberation, which says in part: "Hope, at Last! For Heaven’s sake, for one … [Read more...] about Hope, at Last! For One Day, Let Us Hope!: Liberation of France
America’s Home-Coming
I am not an American, but as I listened to Obama’s speech last night, this Briton’s cheeks were as wet as any American's with the tears that flowed – not only because of what Obama was saying, but also because of what Americans had done: over 350 electoral college votes is a wholly different kind of “shock and awe”. But I had been primed – by McCain’s concession – not so … [Read more...] about America’s Home-Coming
Reflections on the Elections
I've been trying all day today to put my finger on just how I feel about yesterday, to find the right word for it. I still feel overcome, overwhelmed. I'm euphoric, but not deliriously so, immensely happy, but not without a sense of the difficulties and challenges that lie ahead. Joyous, but also sober. Incredulous, on one level, but also humble. Aware of what happened, but not … [Read more...] about Reflections on the Elections
The Best News of All?
The Best News of All? Not a Single Robo-Call Today! … [Read more...] about The Best News of All?
OBAMA’s AMERICA
Patrick Chappatte, The International Herald Tribune … [Read more...] about OBAMA’s AMERICA
WATCHING AMERICA.com: Second Global Press Roundup
WatchingAmerica.com is posting global reaction to Obama's victory. Since last night, dozens more articles have been posted. Here are a few. Corriere della Sera, Italy Dream and Reality De Volkskrant, Netherlands Obama Can't Save the World Algemeen Dagblad, Netherlands Bush Can Do Anything He Wants Nu.nl, The Netherlands Will We Miss … [Read more...] about WATCHING AMERICA.com: Second Global Press Roundup
Obama’s Success: Congratulations, Americans and America!
This truly is a time of hope for the world. For the first time in decades, ordinary Americans of the kind who work hard every day and earn little money have demonstrated how noble and common sense a democratic process can be. Obama is not transformational or even an agent of change. The people who brought him this success are transformational. They are the change. He is … [Read more...] about Obama’s Success: Congratulations, Americans and America!
On the Other Side of the Glass
It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment. For someone like me, this is really the first time I've seen a Democrat win on the national stage. The historic nature of the candidacy only adds to the emotion. But I wanted to focus on some other things. First, an open letter to my conservative friends, who still have a valuable role to play in our democracy for … [Read more...] about On the Other Side of the Glass
The Aftermath
The picture to the left is one of the sad tasks I had to attend to this morning. (You may need to click on it for a larger version.) I went outside and removed my Barr-Root Liberty for America lawn sign. Like my TMV colleague Tyrone, I voted for Bob Barr yesterday, though obviously not with any expectation that he would win. At my house we have been very wrapped up in this … [Read more...] about The Aftermath
A Young Man’s Sense of History
Last night, around 12:30 a.m. CT, our only son called. He had just returned from Grant Park in Chicago where he had stood shoulder-to-shoulder with that crazed mass of people who were fortunate enough to be on the grounds when Obama delivered his victory speech. Dad, of course, wanted to know how close Son was to the stage: 150 feet? 200? More? Mom wanted to know if Son … [Read more...] about A Young Man’s Sense of History
The End of the Reagan Revolution
I'm tempted to write about a historical parallel between this moment and Reconstruction. I'll be teaching about Reconstruction to my 19th century US history students later today, and we'll surely discuss the "arc of history" between then and now. But for now I want to focus on something far more recent: the political era that began in 1980 and ended yesterday. It's been … [Read more...] about The End of the Reagan Revolution