Not even going to look.

By the way, everyone take a moment to reflect on the way you felt on this day, at this time, in 2004, and how vastly it contrasts with how you (probably) feel now.

Speaking for myself, there has been a levity and buoyancy today that I haven't felt in a very long time. Here in the DC area, the mood everywhere was palpably cheery, despite the gloomy weather. There is a distinct feeling of the fog lifting, and the forces of sanity and reason finally returning to our country.

I don't care if it's premature - I'm barely containing myself from having a little glee-fit.

(You can have one in the privacy of your home, and nobody else has to know!)

Agh, I'm not even going to bother with the exit polls. Either I'm going to get really sad or really excited. And I'm too nervous and anxious!

honey, I'm into my first gimlet of the evening... slowly .... me nerves are so unexpectedly shook... got MSNBC on too while I read you all....

rational? ok. I'm game.

I will feel so much better once the polls start to close and we get some solid results...the anticipation in brutal...excuse me while I take another swig of Melanta.

I voted for Barack, and hope he wins, but I think we should hold the euphoria for a couple of months, to see just how Progressive he's going to be. In 2006, my district elected a "Democrat" as our US Rep, unseating a six-year Repub incumbent. Our Dem has voted with the Repubs on nearly every issue, and now is even endorsed by the NRA! And he appears to have suffered no backlash for it.

In fact, the Democratic Congress, since 2006, has been a huge disappointment. Might as well all been Repubs, except for the few with principles.

So I'll be glad if Barack wins, but not ecstatic for quite a while longer.

No you're not. IF (and its still IF) Obama wins tonight then we can start the whole 'meanings' debate. Right now we need to focus on making sure turnout is strong, polls are running smoothly and the count is fair.

And too lighten things up a bit, head over to The Onion. They've already announced that an election machine has won :). We also need to keep our sense of humor intact.

See the post below regarding the irrelevance of exit polls. I'm posting them in the spirit of full information, letting you decide what to do with it.

Damn you and your information!

Joan, I'm way too nervous to think straight much less blog. The line in my Brooklyn precinct was around the corner at 6 am. Took me nearly two hours at 7am. There were many new voters judging by how many needed instruction even though the machines are the same old levers from the Nixon years. All stripes, young old, black white. Great to see! Thanks for all your reporting. As always, a level headed breath of fresh air. On the the White House! Best, hj

Damn you and your information!

If I'm burdened with them, you have to be, too.

Good luck trying to ignore them.

Seriously, they really are worthless, but someone in the desert dying of thirst is going to try hard to drink the mirage.

and breaking some tension; via Andrew Sullivan.

Without A Candidate

Alan Jacobs laments:

I don’t understand my fellow Christians who are enthusiastic Republicans; I don’t understand the ones that are enthusiastic Democrats either. [] They aren’t sad enough. There aren’t enough — I recently taught the Aeneid, which brings this line to mind — there aren’t enough lachrimae rerum, tears for how the world goes.

Andrew Sullivan responds:

Oh, get a hanky, read some Niebuhr and get on with it.

Cracked me right up. YMMV.

I am so scared right now............

Oh God, is it really going to be a landslide? All I can think is I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Will you, please?

I am a true Democrat. After two years, a hard primary, a nasty general election with nasty attacks from the Republicans, AND with all polls going our way, I am struck with fear that in 30 minutes, the returns will begin rolling in...and we will learn that we will be stuck with McCain/Palin for four years. I keep thinking, can they electronically alter the voting machines? What have we (Dems) not thought of?

Sitting here in North Carolina with my fingers crossed!

Exit polls...AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH.

I'll never forgive exit polls from 2004.

Whatever you do, don't picture Cindy and John McCain necking in the back of the Straight Talk Express.

Sorry! I was burdened with that image, so you should be too.

Hot dinner rolls

Sorry! I was burdened with that image, so you should be too.

That's going to have to wait in line behind this image:

http://tinyurl.com/6yeo4z

Gwen Ifill and Amy Walter, I'm in hot smart women heaven.

That's going to have to wait in line behind this image

I didn't look! OK, I did.

Anyone have any? I pay top [virtual] dollar.

Linkys?

Anyone?

Looks like some precincts are reporting, per Yahoo's "Political Dashboard" tool: http://news.yahoo.com/election/2008/dashboard

McCain ahead in total popular vote with precincts reporting in New Hampshire, Maine, Indiana and Kentucky. Blowout for McCain in Kentucky, tied in IN, Obama blowout in ME and NH. But, only about 80,000 votes in, total, 18,000 in KY.

Either this is going to be a full blown righteous blow out, or those numbers betray a very large selection bias in favor of Democrats. For example, I doubt the number of McCain voters who view Palin as unqualified is a meaningful number. In fact, I'd bet there are probably more Obama supporters who view her as qualified than McCain voters who view her as unqualified. Yet the percent that view her as qualified is nearly 10 points under what you might expect if this race were going to be within five points.

Thanks. I didn't have that map.

Kos' early returns show it tight for McCain (Obama leads) w/ early results in Indaiana. Not good for McCain since Gary always reports late, I guess.