News Observer calls NC for Obama

The last state in the 2008 presidential election has been called for Barack Obama… well unofficially. The Raleigh News Observer has called North Carolina for Barack Obama. Should the results hold, President-elect Obama will have won the presidency in a landslide with 364 electoral votes to John McCain’s 174.

Fox News: Palin thought Africa was country, not continent

The McCain loyalists are beginning to focus the blame for McCain’s loss on Palin as the circular firing squad continues.

Top McCain aide fired last week for attacking McCain in press

Randy Scheunemann, who was John McCain’s top foreign policy advisor, was fired from the McCain campaign last week for attacking other McCain aides last week. Scheunemann apparently gave the press numerous unattributed quotes criticizing top McCain aides for their treatment of Sarah Palin.

Obama’s victory speech

McCain’s concession speech

Obama elected 44th president of the United States

Barack Obama is now President-elect Obama.

Drudge: Obama +15 in PA

This number seems high

VOTE!!!

Today is the day that we have all been waiting for: the day the 44th president of the United States is decided. But we cannot know who will lead us for the next four years if we do not go out and vote! Whether you vote for Barack Obama or John McCain, you are helping to make the most important decision the country has to make: who do we want to be our president.

SO GET OUT AND VOTE!

Obama hits McCain on “economy is strong” comments one more time

Obama speaks about the loss of his grandmother

Know where to vote

Need to find your polling place? Click here to find it (note: this link will take you to the Obama campaign’s polling place finder, which is very good and does not discriminate between Republicans or Democrats).

Obama’s grandmother passes away

Barack Obama’s grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, passed away earlier today. Ms. Dunham, 86, who helped raise Senator Obama, was considered one of the most influential people in his life. Obama left the campaign trail ten days ago to visit her in Hawaii when it became clear that Ms. Dunham’s health had taken a turn for the worse.

The following is a statement from Senator Obama’s sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, on the loss of their grandmother:

It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure.

Our family wants to thank all of those who sent flowers, cards, well-wishes, and prayers during this difficult time. It brought our grandmother and us great comfort. Our grandmother was a private woman, and we will respect her wish for a small private ceremony to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to any worthy organization in search of a cure for cancer.

Electoral math: Obama’s path to victory

Operating under the assumption that Obama loses Indiana, North Carolina, Florida and Missouri, here are the victory conditions for Obama:

1. Win Pennsylvania and ANY ONE of Colorado, Virginia, Ohio, or Nevada*
2. Win Ohio and EITHER Colorado OR Virginia.
3. Win Colorado AND Virginia AND Nevada.

*Pennsylvania and Nevada together makes it a 269-269 tie, which send the election to the House of Representatives to choose the president, who would most likely choose Obama and the Senate would choose the vice president, which would most likely be Biden

How election night results will look (without swing states)

How we think the electoral map will look without swing states being factored in

At the risk of taking some of the excitement out of election night, we have worked up a list of what election night results will look like and when in order (without swing states). Below is our mock election night results:

7:00pm Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, Vermont and Virginia polls close giving McCain a 31-3 lead (VA & IN are swing)

7:30pm West Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio close giving McCain a 36-3 lead over Obama (NC & OH are swing)

8:00pm Tennessee, Alabama, Washington DC, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania close giving Obama a 82-69 lead in electoral votes (swing states are PA, MO & FL)

8:30pm Arkansas polls close giving McCain six electoral votes, but Obama maintains remains in the lead 82-75

9:00pm New York, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Rhode Island and South Dakota polls close with Obama still up 159-145 (the lone swing state is CO)

10:00pm Iowa, Montana, Nevada and Utah close with Obama moving to 166 electoral votes and McCain to 153 (NV is the only swing state)

11:00pm Hawaii, Idaho, Washington, California, North Dakota and Oregon polls close (no swing states) where Obama vaults into a 243-160 lead

1:00am The last state polls close and Alaska’s three electoral votes go to McCain and the electoral vote count becomes 243-163, which gives Obama an 80 electoral vote lead without counting any of the swing states

Remaining 132 electoral votes from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Nevada, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and Colorado

Homer Simpson casts his ballot

Vote & get free Starbucks & Ben & Jerry’s

If you vote on Tuesday, you can go to Starbucks and get a free cup of coffee:

Also, you can get a free scoop of ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s:

Palin first VP candidate to not appear on Sunday shows in 20 years

After today’s Sunday shows, it can now be officially said that Sarah Palin is the first vice presidential candidate of a mjaor political party to not make a single appearance on any Sunday morning talk show in twenty years.

Obama in Columbus, Ohio

Palin says US at war with Iran

Chuck Todd: PA McCain’s only hope