I watched the election unfold last night via CNN live video stream. Apparently, CNN reporter Jessica Yellin — who thankfully doesn't scream like someone talking on the first bad cell phone call — speaks with Wolf Blitzer via CNN's first (dun dun dun!) hologram.
Thankfully, despite the stupidity of the corporate news media (something upon which nearly everyone can agree despite political affiliations), Barack Hussein Obama will become the 44th President of the United States of America on January 20th, 2009.
The best part of the night occurred for me when two of my favorite friends called me to chat, both of whom voted for Obama yesterday. One was going to vote Libertarian, initially. The other has voted mostly Republican in the past.
They are my friends not because they voted for Obama, of course. They are my friends because they are smart people who think things through, care about the future, and both have a sense of humor and wit.
McCain concedes
I watched Senator John McCain concede the election more than once. I didn't do that simply so I could point and yell "Hah-Ha!" like Nelson Muntz, but that thought did indeed cross my mind.
I watched it more than once because I was chatting away on the phone when McCain actually conceded and I had the video stream's audio muted. My (mostly) Republican friend said that McCain had sounded classy, reasonable and conciliatory in his concession speech.
After watching him wave his little arms to admonish his booing mouth-breathers, I can only imagine he's just happy he doesn't have to see those freaks he and Sarah Palin have whipped up into a lather any longer. I'm just hopeful that this is the last time I have to mention the delusional Alaskan governor's name.
Obama claims victory
I have to admit it. It's been a very long time since I have felt that the future of the U.S. or the planet could trend positively. I am actually hopeful, for now.
Last night, Obama summarized my optimism and patriotism when he simply declared, " ... that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory."
For those die-hard right-wing cynics who constantly claim that Obama is just only rhetoric, I say words matter. Words convey ideas. Ideas become policy. Policy shapes reality.
Today is the last day to vote. For some, it is the day to vote. For those of you who will vote today, plan on long lines, bring your ID and cell phone, and try to be patient. Below are the links to more information about the presidential candidates by party affiliation.
Democratic Party: Barack Obama / Joe Biden [more info]
Republican Party: John McCain / Sarah Palin [more info]
Libertarian Party: Bob Barr / Wayne Root [more info]
Green Party: Cynthia McKinney / Rosa Clemente [more info]
Peace and Freedom Party: Ralph Nader / Matt Gonzales [more info]
Socialist Party: Brian Moore / Stewart Alexander [more info]
Because of individual state ballot access rules and regulations, not all of these candidates will likely be on your state's ballot. Check your state's election rules to see if they allow or count votes from write-in ballots, if your preferred candidate is not listed on your ballot.
Hopefully by now, you have done your homework and know for whom you will vote. If this election is the first one in which you will vote, however, you may not know exactly where it is you should go to cast your ballot today. As the video above promoted, you can simply enter your home address into this page at google.
I prefer the voter application at voteforchange.com to the google app. In addition to locating your specific polling place, it has information on the sidebar answering basic questions about your state's ID requirement and what to do if you encounter problems voting. It also lists some of your neighbors with their phone numbers who may need a ride to the same place. I think that is pretty cool.
The reason I told you to bring your cell phone is simply because there are problems in many voting precincts across the country. Take this number with you to the polls today: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). If you encounter problems voting, call that toll-free number. You can follow the election protection coalition's incoming calls at ourvotelive.org. EFF for the win, as always.
Oh. Check out videothevote.org. That site should be hoppin' today. Also, Starbucks is giving everyone who asks a free cup of coffee today. Ben & Jerry is giving away a free scoop of ice cream and Krispy Kreme is giving away a free donut. Just remember that caffeine and extra sugar works against any anger management skills you may possess. /snark.
Two Montreal (a city in Canada for the geographically-challenged) radio comedians called Republican VP nominee Governor Sarah Palin and posed as French President Nicholas Sarkozy. The prank call is funny to some, yet scary to me.
Listening to Palin chit-chat with whom she thinks is the leader of another country and NATO ally sends chills up my spine. Her ignorance is breath-taking. Her nervous laughter is such a huge tell.
And for you right-wing fracktards that may be as dumb as Palin: Steph Carse is not the Prime Minister of Canada. Stephen Harper is.
Keith Olbermann had a nice montage of Sarah Palin answers to another simple yet important question: "What does the vice president do?" I have to say this. If McCain and Palin somehow win the election on Tuesday, people all over the planet will simply pull out the map of the United States and stamp it: EPIC FAIL.
Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama recently aired a 30-minute Prime Time Special. Since I don't have traditional television, I watched it on Hulu.com and embedded it here for you.
Some people on the flying-monkey-right disparage the broadcast as just an infomercial. While the 30-minute broadcast is obviously produced and scripted, I appreciate that it is informative and educational. He bullet-points his political plans to move the country foreward. That's helpful to voters who might only have had time to catch the 2-minute video clips filtered through the corporate news media gate-keepers. McCain wastes my time attacking Obama and doesn't offer any solutions.
There are personal profiles, or anecdotal stories, in it. They are good examples to make his points -- unlike the McCain campaign's typical Republican strategy of dumbing the message down to a bumper sticker and insulting our intelligence with the likes of Joe the (fake) Plumber (and soon-to-be country music sensation).
This video really cracks me up. Like many plumbers, Joe doesn't actually show up when he says he will. McCain is even more lame when he declares, "Well, you're all Joe the Plumbers." What an adlib from a rich elitist dumbass. It really shows his disconnection from the average American who works for a living.
Have you even seen Joe the Plumber? That mouth-breathing moron looks like someone who was an extra in the television series Prison Break, I must say.
And no, John McCain, we're not all Joe the Plumber. I'm a mother-frackin' bricklayer from Detroit. Barack Obama has a plan to rebuild America after the last eight disastrous years of Republican war and pillage and John McCain does not have a friggin' clue.
