"And, if Obama is elected, it will be the end of our freedoms, the end of America's role in the world, and, quite possibly the end of free elections." - aelemay

On November 5th, there are going to be a lot of people like aelemay who, after being misled for so long, genuinely believe stuff like this. We're all going to have to work hard to reunite the nation and reach out to people like aelemay who are "reality-challenged". We need to reassure them that an Obama administration will not "end our freedoms" (what a vague fear), it will enhance our role in the world (more by the power of our example than the example of our power), and it's safe to say free elections will be held in 2012 and 2016. I remember these folks screaming in 1992 that the election of Bill Clinton would be the end of the world. Then we had...8 years of peace and prosperity. Of course, Republican leadership has left us a much bigger challenge this time, but it's nothing we can't tackle together. Yes We Can!

"The U.S. economy has prospered under Democratic policies, and the candidate knows it" Joe Conason [2008-11-01].

Yes, Obama knows it, but never assume that the average voter is concerned with such silly things as facts and evidence. Democrats frequently lose by making winning arguments, while the other side just makes sh-- up (i.e., Obama is a radical Muslim socialist). HOPEfully, 2008 will be different.

High voter turnout is never good for Republicans. I hope to continue hearing reports of high voter turnout throughout the day and across the country.

If I was beginning to sympathize with Republicans for the beating they're going to take today, CNN's repeated airing of McCain's slimy "Reverend Wright" ad has me fired up again! They're prepared to follow this ugly strategy to the bitter end, and we're prepared to win. John McCain and Sarah Palin are going to lose tonight and they're going to deserve it.

"These are the kinds of stories that would not be reported real-time without Fox News. NPR won't touch them; virtually no newspapers take on these stories in a serious manner. The net has trouble, save the kind of liveblogging we see here for instance, in doing thse kinds of poll-watcher intimidation stories." -- Elephantman

Media (FOX excluded) do not cover these stories in a serious manner because they're not serious stories. The job of media is to report, not create a version of reality more favorable to your opinions and prejudices.

If Obama wins by a large national margin, will you attribute the entire win to "intimidation"?

The future begins today. Yes We Can!

Remember all of the naysayers we Obama supporters have engaged in these Salon letters and elsewhere. We have won the opportunity to make progressive change and the real job begins tomorrow. All along we have repeated "Yes We Can!" Today we enjoy a moment of celebratory "Yes We Did!" Tomorrow begins "Yes We Will!" Let's roll up our sleeves and create a better nation and a better tomorrow.

364!! Just like I Predicted! Fifty for fifty, a perfect call for Cliff in Fayetteville! -- luckycliff1964

Great job, Cliff! I predicted Nevada would go to McCain, but was otherwise 49/50 (assuming MO goes to McCain). Still, having Obama perform better than I predicted is a wonderful thing. Way to go, Nevada and North Carolina!

Bacon and Fries is pretty funny. Maybe someday we'll be lucky enough to get a Burger-Fries matchup.

"The mainstream media has been liberal since its inception" - Nick Di Paolo

How's that for a simplistic, overreaching claim? Being reality-based is not the same as being liberal. Extremists on all sides should stop portraying the moderation of national media as bias - it just looks that way from the perspective of the fringe.

"As far as we're concerned the past is the past." - Sarah Palin

That's an ironic defense from a representative of the party that seems so eager to carry the past (or at least an idealized, fantasy version of the past) into the future. Despite being a conservative, her comment sounds almost progressive.

I can't stand it when people seek supernatural affirmation for things they plan to do anyway. I'd rant more, but God tells me it's time for dinner. Gotta run...

Four to eight years of things going relatively well (or as well as can be expected after the Bush Tragedy) will be difficult for Elephantman. Barack Obama will be an effective president, but you have to say something, right? Probably best to just misdirect and say something about "the liberal media". Relative peace and prosperity during the Clinton years did nothing to quiet the right wing noise machine. Nothing is scarier to anti-government types than government that functions like it's supposed to. Barack and Michelle Obama haven't even moved into the White House yet and already they're being criticized for answering questions too well.

I suspect sales of Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals" will increase as we scramble to better understand how this strategy worked for Lincoln. Throughout the campaign, Obama and his team demonstrated exceptional strategic thinking and trustworty instincts. Let's hope this bold decision is a continuation of that pattern.

Most of us do lots of little environmentally conscious things every day, but the most significant impact we made this year was on November 4th. Soon when we do something trivial, like using re-usable grocery bags, we'll be acting WITH our national leadership, rather than against it. Imagine a non-Orwellian EPA. Now we just have to see how much damage President Bush can do in the next two months.