2008 Election Liveblog

Okay, I've had my supper (leftover homemade macaroni and cheese casserole with ham, onions and peas - yum!) and I've settled in to switch back and forth between the Internet and NBC, a pad and pen in hand.

7 PM: And - we're off! We start with Kentucky for McCain and Vermont for Obama. Slow start, but it's early days yet.

8 PM: Holy shit. Two states McCain counted on - New Hampshire and Pennsylvania - just went to Obama. I can hear the machinery starting to creak into life on the Million-Pound Shithammer.

8:30: Okay, the bulk of the New England states went for Obama, as they were predicted to do, with McCain taking the Deep South, including Alabama and Georgia.

9:30: The Million-Pound Shithammer's gears start to shift, meaning that it's going to be a hard night for the Republican ticket. Ohio's gone to Obama, and I'm sure McCain's starting to feel like he really shoulda stayed in bed.

9:49: 200 to 90, with a lot of territory left to cover. Virginia, North Carolina and Florida haven't been called yet. I'll post this now, and update as things go on. I plan on staying up until the polls close in Hawaii (about 1 AM Easterm).

UPDATE 1 - 10 PM: Tom Brokaw looks drunk or at least distracted as Brian William asks him a question. The scenes from Grant Park look like someone will start tossing a beach ball around any second. The Phoenix Biltmore, on the other hand, looks like there's a wake atmosphere starting to crank up. Texas, Utah and Mississippi for McCain, Iowa for Obama. 207-135 is the count and the amount, and thank you again for playing Dialing for Votes.

I've been flipping back and forth to various sites to collect more info.

UPDATE 2 - 10:45 PM: Nebraska didn't split, and McCain picks up 5 EV. Still waiting on Florida, North Carolina and Virginia, all of whom are about 90% complete on their reporting. NBC's Chuck Todd points out Orange and Pinellas Counties in Florida as areas that went to Bush in 2004 but now show Obama majorities. I imagine McCain might start fantasizing about stuffing Palin into a wood chipper, beehive hairdo first.

UPDATE 3 - 11 PM: NBC has called the election.

Join with me now in congratulating Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America. We wish him well, and Goddess bless America.

Idaho went to McCain, but California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii went into the blue, giving Obama 284 electoral votes to McCain's 146.

11.12: Virginia goes to Obama. 297 EV. The Shithammer falls, with a resounding cacophony of metal, crushing all in its path. The 70,000 or so in Grant park are partying.

11:19: McCain's out in front of the cameras to concede. Fairly classy, but the crowd's not helping. Pledges to work with Obama to fix things, and asks the supporters to help him as well. No sign of Palin yet.

11:25: 333-156, as Florida and Colorado go blue. Arizona went red.

11:30: Ah, there's Palin, with her brave smile pasted securely into position as McCain calls her a hard campaigner. Wraps up by thanking his supporters. "Americans never quit; we never surrender." Well said.

11:36: Still waiting on North Carolina, Indiana, Montana, Missouri, Nevada and Alaska, but I shall crack open my vodka and drink a toast. Prosit!