I couldn't really do the "live blogging" thing.  I tried and tried, and every time I'd squeeze a sentence out, I'd get distracted by a new development in the poll closings.  So here's what I thought of the whole shebang. 

     I said it from the beginning: there’s no way McCain could win.  Regardless of what the “liberal” media would like you to think, the majority of the American people could see right through the slimy stunts of the McCain campaign.  I knew that Obama was destined to sit in the Oval Office, and I’ve been saying it for months now.  There was, however, a bit of a stutter in my step when the first polls started closing, and states that I thought would be more clear cut Obama victories were suddenly much closer races than I cared for them to be. 

What the hell?  Why?  What’s wrong with people?  How can this many people actually want to put Sarah Palin in the Whitehouse?  It’s sick!  Sick and scary!  Thankfully, their numbers were being edged out by people seeking fundamental change in their country’s government. 

            I think one of the good tactics by the Democrats this election was putting a big emphasis on voting.  They were out there constantly urging everyone eligible to get out and vote on Election Day.  Great idea! (isn't it interesting that Kerry's campaign attempted to work with getting out the vote, but it just didn't happen in the magnitude that Obama's campaign has pulled off? wtf rite? AN) I know I wasn’t the only one who thought, “Ugh, a 2-hour line??  I dunno if I wanna wait that long to vote…” when I woke up.  That feeling of laziness was quickly overcome by guilt. (Good! KRF)  Democrats are big into voting this year!  I couldn’t be “that tool that didn’t vote, yet calls himself a Democrat.”  I don’t wanna be that guy.  That’s when Bill O’Reily’s quote, “Fuck it, we’ll do it live!” went through my head and I got up and got in line.  I mean, it’s only once every 4 years, right?  Huge voter turnouts, huge lines.  Two-hour-long Lines where people said they just walked right in to vote 4 years ago.   

            That effort by the Democrats to get people to vote made a huge difference in the election.  When I was a kid, I thought I’d never see the day when we would have a black President.  I’m not racist or anything; I just thought the rest of America would never be open enough to let it happen, sadly.  Now, in the second election I got to vote in, the first one my friends got to vote in, a black man was elected President of the United States, and by a decent margin.  It’s absolutely insane.  Totally mindblowing.  Extremely groundbreaking and glass-ceiling-shattering. (excellent description. this is a feeling that is almost impossible to verbalize, but you're damn close AN) (IKNORITE--I always felt a lack of passion for our generation, we had nothing like the great depression, WWII, Vietnam..........then came the Iraq war, which did not get enough people upset as it should have, I find myself from time to time completely forgetting that we are even at war. But the election of Barak Obama is something that no one will ever forget. It feels truly amazing to be part of history, part of change, and hopefully part of fundamental change for America, for the better.. KRF) 

            Something else I never saw coming:  Al Franken running for office.  Four years ago, I was trapped on the conservative campus of Iowa State University, and I found a friend in Al Franken through his writing, having bought a few of his books.  I wondered if he’d ever run for office some day.  I hoped he’d run for office some day.  Fastforward to 2008.  I live in the state that Al Franken is running for office in, and I get to vote for him.  I love America.  Kind of.  I like Al a lot.  Though he’s been called the “Rush Limbaugh of Democrats,” I feel he’s more logical and less inflammatory than Limbaugh.  I also think he’s funny.  He’s real funny.  I also dislike Norm Coleman a lot, as do many (though not enough).  He’s slippery, slimy, and nothing short of serpentine.  If it wasn’t for all the negative ads both these guys put on TV, I bet they’d both have more of a following.  Because no one can decide which one they dislike more, as of right now, less than 600 votes separate them with Coleman in the lead.  A disappointing near-win for Franken, I really, really, really hope he continues with this political career.  That was an extremely interesting race for me; I wish it’d turned out in my favor.  Next time, Al.  Next time. (I am glad that you have added some local politics into this. I guess we can't win them all? either way, i am loving the personal side to this section. AN)

            Back to the Presidential race, as the night went on, we saw Obama’s lead grow quite linearly.  McCain was a few states ahead at first, but Obama made short work of that gap.  States with almost 70/30 splits for Obama/McCain really made me smile.  It only got better as more polls closed.  All of the sudden, Obama went from 207 to winning, and everyone cheered.  All the while, I just wanted to see the McCain rally’s reaction.  Maybe I’m a poor sport, maybe I’m just bitter over the last 8 years, but when I see the Republicans lose, I like to see them really lose.  Yeah, that sounds a little brash, but dammit it’s about time.  (SKAWHOOP WHOOOOOP)

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