November 13, 2008
The Republican National Committee, leader of a team that was swamped by President-elect Obama and the Democrats in the money race this year, is after new financial opportunities. It's taking the legal route, filing two lawsuits to challenge provisions of current campaign finance law.
Not that the RNC has ever championed campaign finance reform, but one challenge aims at the biggest legislative achievement of Sen. John McCain. The RNC wants to cut a big hole in the soft-money ban -- the core provision of the McCain-Feingold law, aka the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. Nine days ago, McCain was the party's presidential nominee and BFF.
Both of the provisions targeted by the RNC have been upheld by the Supreme Court. But two justices are new since then. And the RNC's lawyer, Jim Bopp , stands as America's most successful plaintiffs' lawyer in campaign finance cases.
RNC Chairman Robert "Mike" Duncan said in a press call that they're not attacking the anti-corruption goals of campaign finance law. "If there's corruption in politics, we believe that our transparency highlights the corruption and we have a very accountable system," he said.
The McCain-Feingold provision in question prevents the national party committees from raising soft money -- unregulated, six- and seven-figure contributions from corporations, unions and the wealthy . Before Congress passed McCain-Feingold in 2002, party leaders and lawmakers waged an ever more feverish pursuit of soft-money donors. Since then, the party committees can't accept more than $28,500 per year from anyone, and nothing from unions or corporations.
More... maybe more than you want to know... after the jump.
Continue reading "Newsflash: Party Committee Seeks More Money" »
6:38 PM ET
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11-13-2008
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Barack Obama will give his first post-election interview to 60 minutes correspondent Steve Kroft. Michelle Obama will also be included in the interview. The First Couple-elect will sit down with Kroft in Chicago tomorrow, and the interview will air during the show's Sunday evening broadcast.
-- Evie Stone
4:18 PM ET
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11-13-2008
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The Center for Rural Strategies has compiled a list of the 372 counties that swapped party allegiances between the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections.
Some findings about the flippers, via CRS's release:
The Midwest was the hotspot for flips this year, accounting for 173 or nearly half of all counties that changed allegiance in this election.
Counties that changed their majority vote to Democratic this year had average per capita income of $25,587. Counties flipping Republican had average per capita income of only $18,555.
Of the 211 rural counties that switched, 177 went Democratic while 34 went Republican.
Of the 112 urban counties that flipped, all but one went Democratic.
Of the 49 exurban counties that flipped, 39 went Democratic.
A map on CRS's website indicates that shifts toward the Republicans occurred primarily in rural Appalachia and Arkansas. You can check out individual breakdowns for urban , rural , and exurban counties on these handy data charts.
-- Evie Stone
3:46 PM ET
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11-13-2008
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Release from the President-Elect's office:
Below is a statement from President-elect Barack Obama
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will appoint a successor to Obama's seat. Our own Ken Rudin pondered the succession question back in July. Among the names he floated: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Iraq war veteran and Illinois veterans' affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Senate president Emil Jones, and Rep. Jan Schakowsky.
-- Evie Stone
3:20 PM ET
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11-13-2008
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The NYT writes up fake insider "Martin Eisenstadt" -- a made-up gentleman who claimed to be a McCain policy adviser and a senior fellow at the (pretend) Harding Institute for Freedom and Democracy. He is responsible for such remarkable debunked leaks as "Sarah Palin thinks Africa is a country" and "Joe the Plumber is Charles Keating's son-in-law." (Though, in the defense of the folks who bought Eisenstadt's bill of goods...doesn't naming a think tank after Warren Harding seem too amazing to be fake? One can only imagine the commemorative teapots they might send out to members of Congress at Christmastime.)
But it turns out Eisenstadt was a fabrication of filmmakers Eitan Gorlin and Dan Mirvish, who delighted in getting their faux-insider info onto MNSBC and Fox News and into the web real estate of the LA Times and The New Republic. Some internet truth-squadders were onto the hoax early, but nonetheless a string of venerable news orgs allowed themselves to get punk'd.
Despite the now-widespread debunking of his identity, Eisenstadt's blog is keeping up the ruse, telling readers that "for anyone using inexact technology like Google, perhaps one reason you keep seeing the word 'hoax' next to my name is because I have used this very blog to uncover several hoaxes."
-- Evie Stone
3:03 PM ET
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11-13-2008
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Alaska Governor Sarah Palin spoke before the annual meeting of the Republican Governors Association today in Miami. Based on the roster of ambitious politicians in attendance -- Florida's Charlie Crist, Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty, Louisiana's Bobby Jindal, Utah's Jon Huntsman, and Palin herself have all been floated as possible 2012 contenders -- NPR's Greg Allen tells us that a speaker at one of today's sessions renamed the assembled Governors "the Republican presidential candidates association".
Texas Governor Rick Perry, the RGA's current chairman, introduced Palin before a brief press conference as "a Governor who has led her state boldly, inspired a nation with her optimism, her frank talk, her unashamed embrace of bedrock conservative principles...and I can assure you, she's just getting started" before telling Palin to "knock 'em dead".
Palin opened her statement to the media with repeated promises to keep "obsessive partisanship" out of policymaking. She then called on her colleagues and members of the media to stop looking back on the 2008 election or forward to 2012, but to focus on more immediate concerns.
As far as we're concerned, the past is the past. It's behind us. And I, like all of our Governors, we're focused on the future. And the future for us is not that 2012 presidential race, it's next year, and our next budgets, and the next reforms in our states, and it's 2010, when we'll have 36 Governors positions open across the US. That's what we're focused on, we're focused on providing good service to the people whom we are serving in our states.
Nonetheless, Palin did spend much of her speech to the governors reminiscing about the 2008 campaign and the opportunities it provided to meet some of America's now-infamous Joes and Titos. And she recounted her emotional meetings with parents of many special needs kids like her own son Trig. She told her fellow governors, "they just touched my heart."
She also managed to make light of her whirlwind time in the spotlight (don't forget she was only chosen as John McCain's running-mate about two months before the election) with a quick recap of what she's been up to since the last RGA meeting:
I had a baby, I did some traveling, I very briefly expanded my wardrobe, I made a few speeches, I met a few VIPs including those who really impact society like Tina Fey.
Looking ahead to the upcoming Democratic administration, Palin told her colleagues that with the Dems helming Congress and the White House, it will be up to Republican Governors to engineer a comeback for the GOP -- and to "reach out to Barack Obama" to show the President-elect the economic benefits of lower taxes.
Palin had mainly kind words for the President-elect, saying she wished him well and that his election was "a shining moment in American history" -- though she included a swipe that unlike legislators, Governors "are not the many voting yea or nay or present" (a reference to Obama's "present" votes as a member of the Illinois State Legislature).
-- Evie Stone
1:50 PM ET
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11-13-2008
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In this edition of the Political Rewind it's stories from NPR's election wrap-up and transition coverage. Don Gonyea is on hand when the future tenants of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue tour their new home; Mara Liasson explores the future of Obama's technologically enhanced grass roots movement; Greg Allen explains how the Sunshine State went blue this cycle; and Howard Berkes talks with formerly Republican rural voters who made the decision to choose Obama.
You can stream it here:
Or download it at your post-electoral convenience.
--Kyle Gassiott
12:42 PM ET
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11-13-2008
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Mark Begich (D) 47% 132,196
Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich has taken a small lead -- 814 votes -- in the Alaska Senate race. Before Alaskan officials resumed counting of early and absentee ballots yesterday Begich trailed Incumbent Ted Stevens by more than 3,000 votes. Most of the newly counted votes were cast before Stevens was found guilty by a federal jury in Washington for failing to report approximately $250,000 in gifts he received. In total, the Anchorage Daily News reports , Alaskan election officials have counted 60,000 early, absentee and questioned ballots that "broke heavily in the Democrat's favor."
But don't count Uncle Ted out just yet. There are an additional 40,000 votes yet to be counted. The ADN also notes that this is shaping up to be "one of the biggest turnouts, if not the biggest in terms of ballots cast, the state has ever seen."
If Begich hangs on to his lead and is declared the winner, he will be the first Democratic Senator to serve Alaska since the '70s. Stevens, who has held the seat since 1968, is the longest serving GOP Senator in history.
The Alaska House race also remains undetermined. The state's sole member of congress, Rupublican Incumbent Don Young, is still holding onto a comfortable lead over Democratic challenger Ethan Berkowitz.
-- Michael Olson
10:40 AM ET
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11-13-2008
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Good morning. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is changing course on the bailout. Forget the federal government buying bad mortgage assets from financial institutions (though it will continue to help banks in other ways). Yesterday Paulson announced a shift of focus to troubled consumers, including (via the WSJ ) plans to "increase the availability of student loans, auto loans and credit cards. He said he's also examining ways to help prevent foreclosures." Consumer access to credit has evaporated with the crisis, and if people can't get loans to pay for expensive stuff -- houses, cars, home renovations, Christmas presents, college tuition, etc. -- it's very hard for the economy to move forward.
Far from Wall Street (or Washington), Sarah Palin addresses her fellow Republican Govs at their meeting in Miami today. What can she tell us that we haven't already gleaned from her parade of interviews this week? Our Greg Allen is on the scene with pricked ears.
In transition news, "Democratic insiders" are rampantly leaking to reporters that Ron Klain has accepted the the job of chief-of-staff to VP-elect Joe Biden. Klain is a Clinton administration veteran and onetime senior aide to VP Al Gore (and key figure in the Gore campaign's recount effort back in 2000...Kevin Spacey played him in the movie ). Politico's Mike Allen writes :
The appointment enhances the continuity between the two Democratic administrations. Veterans of the Clinton-Gore White House have been given top jobs in the Obama-Biden transition.
(Though, we hasten to note, almost every ambitious, important Democrat whose career dates back to the 90s has some kind of ties to the Clinton administration...that's where the action was for eight years.)
Continue reading "Thursday Morning: Palin Talks To RGA; Klain To The VP's Office; And 8,000 Plum Jobs" »
9:45 AM ET
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11-13-2008
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November 6, 2008
Ignore your disbelief the election is actually over! So clean up the confetti or dry your tears and listen to our special "Election Fini" version of the Political Rewind. This week Don Gonyea maps Barack Obama's road to the presidency; Scott Horsley examines McCain's defeat; and Mara Liasson tells us just what voters and experts expect from President-Elect Obama.
--Kyle Gassiott
here (and reminisce!)
7:20 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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A report by Curtis Gans and the American University Center for the Study of the American Electorate (CSAE) says that despite predictions of huge voter turnout at at the polls this year, the numbers for this election won't break any records -- and in fact were akin to 2004 levels. Gans blames "a downturn in the number and percentage of Republican voters going to the polls" for the lower-than-expected turnout.
Big money spent on ads, leaflets, canvassing and registering 10 million new voters, along with the sour economic climate, opposition to the war in Iraq and displeasure with the current administration drove up expectations for high voter turnout. Gans says he and many others "were fooled" by those indicators to think that voting levels would make turnout in recent elections seem nothing short of apathetic. Long lines at the polls and large numbers of early voters did little to sway that expectation.
CSAE estimates that between 126.5 million and 128.5 million Americans voted in this year's election. That projection places turnout at or slightly higher than 2004 levels, which CSAE reported as 60.7% of eligible voters. Using the CSAE model, anything over 61.0% would exceed turnout in 1964.
George Mason University Prof. Michael McDonald disagrees with CSAE's numbers. His estimate is 133.3 million ballots cast. And he says even that number is conservative and doesn't include many absentee and provisional ballots. Using McDonald's model this election's turnout rate "would be the largest since the 62.8% of 1964. If we top that number, which we might, the next highest turnout rate would be 63.8% in 1960."
-- Michael Olson
6:33 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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NPR's Martin Kaste sent us this recording of Gov. Sarah Palin talking to reporters after her return to Anchorage late last night. She says she and John McCain "have a great relationship"; backtracks on her earlier call for Ted Stevens to resign; and says when she supposedly "went rogue" she was just trying to make contact with reporters.
Martin tells us the staff from Palin's gubernatorial office set up the presser, which mostly included reporters for Alaskan news outlets. The Governor's staff have a big job to do repairing relationships with the local media, who have bristled at their lack of access to the Governor while she campaigned for the Vice Presidency. But the McCain campaign staff that flew in with Palin just wanted to get her home and tried to kibosh the press conference. After a spirited discussion between the two forces, the Governor's own press staff prevailed. You can hear the McCain handlers in the background repeatedly trying to cut off the avail ("thank you everybody! thank you!") as Palin continues to take questions.
-- Evie Stone
4:25 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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The Obama forces announce that the President- and VP-elect will meet with their "Transition Economic Advisory Board" tomorrow. A press conference will follow.
The members of that advisory board, via the release, are after the jump.
-- Evie Stone
Continue reading "Obama Economy Presser Tomorrow" »
3:12 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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Barney , one of the President's two Scotties, bit a member of the White House press corps today. Reuters reporter John Decker was reportedly reaching down to pet Barney when he received a nip to the finger that broke the skin. According to Shenanigans , the White House physician will administer a tetanus shot tomorrow.
Was Barney jealous of all the media coverage surrounding the Obamas' puppy plans?
-- Evie Stone
1:59 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel has accepted the position of chief of staff in the Obama administration. Emanuel, a veteran of the Clinton White House, was first elected to Congress in 2002. He chaired the DCCC during the party's successful 2006 election cycle and has served as chairman of the Democratic caucus for the past two years.
Emanuel has an excellent relationship with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, so his appointment will give the administration a leg up as it works to influence Congress. (Ken Rudin notes that it also takes him "out of the hunt to eventually succeed Pelosi as Speaker".) And he knows how the White House works, having served as a high level aide under President Clinton.
But the choice also comes with some risks. Emanuel is a policy centrist, but he's an enthusiastic partisan, and has earned a reputation as a hothead butt-kicker with a serious potty mouth (the Chicago Tribune describes him as a "Democratic political assassin"; some of his colleagues refer to him as "Rahmbo"). His fiery nature could complement Obama's cool demeanor -- or it could conflict with the President-elect's style and alienate Republicans whose support the White House will need as it pushes its legislative agenda.
The move suggests a return to prominence for the chief of staff position, both in terms of influence and public visibility; Emanuel is a well-known public figure and a Sunday talk show pro. Bush chiefs Andy Card and Josh Bolten seemed to lag behind Dick Cheney and Karl Rove in both notoriety and authority.
-- Evie Stone
1:14 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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... and then there were six.
NPR projects that Democrat Jeff Merkley is the winner in the Oregon Senate race. Merkley defeats two-term Republican Gordon Smith. Smith's re-election campaign focused on casting the junior Senator as a moderate. The Republican incumbent even aligned himself with the Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in this ad where the narrator asks, "Who says Gordon Smith helped lead the fight for better gas mileage and a cleaner environment? Barack Obama."
Obama then went to bat for Merkley in this ad where he told Oregonians that "with Jeff Merkley in the U.S. Senate, we can get our country back on track."
The Merkley win increases the Democratic net gain in the Senate to six. Three more Senate races -- all held by Republicans -- have yet to be called: Alaska (some votes still being tallied), Minnesota (automatic recount), and Georgia (where a Dec. 2 runoff is possible).
-- Michael Olson
12:58 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) has announced he's relinquishing his leadership post. Blunt's resignation paves the way for Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, the current Chief Deputy Whip, who had already started campaigning to replace his onetime mentor.
Via AP :
Blunt said he had long ago decided that if Republicans did not
reclaim the majority in Tuesday's elections, he would step down
from the difficult job of shepherding votes.
As far as we know, Roy Blount Jr. (no relation) will retain his position as a panelist on the NPR News quiz show "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me".
-- Evie Stone
12:27 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has carried North Carolina. The state's 15 electoral votes raise Obama's total to 364. The last Democrat to carry North Carolina was Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Missouri is the only state to remain uncalled. But as Howard Berkes wrote yesterday , it appears likely that the state will go for McCain.
-- Evie Stone
12:17 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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The Marist poll sent an email to reporters this morning with the title:
Marist Poll: Matchups for the 2012 Presidential Election -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Its contents after the jump.
-- Evie Stone
Continue reading "Polling 2012?" »
12:10 PM ET
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11- 6-2008
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A nod to the lingering importance of good old-fashioned dead tree newspapers as copies evaporated from newsstands yesterday. As the New York Times put it , "For a day, at least, newspapers were cool again."
Esteemed NPR Reference Librarian Kee Malesky sends along this roundup of extra print runs, as posted to the news librarians' listserv.
We reprinted 3,000 yesterday afternoon and have decided to do another 10,000 this morning.
-- Savannah Morning News
We printed an extra 50,000 yesterday afternoon. They were distributed to over 3,000 locations and are being sold in front of our building.-- Detroit Free Press
The News had plans to run another 15,000 copies to be sold beginning tomorrow--Buffalo News
We printed 30,000 extra first run, and sold out, then printed 65,000 more of a 'special edition' yesterday afternoon.--St Louis Post-Disptach
An extra 15,000.-- Palm Beach Post
The Observer turned the presses back on yesterday morning and printed 20,000 more. This on top of an increased run of 16,000. -- Charlotte Observer
10,000 copies of a commemorative election edition are available today.-- Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, CA)
We ran out of papers Wed., this was with an extra 4000 or 5000 papers printed statewide. -- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
We ran about 25% more in the initial run and another 5,000 last night.-- Tuscaloosa News
The Trib kept presses working yesterday and published an additional 410,000 copies of the paper.-- Chicago Tribune
The paper prints 267,000 copies on a typical Wednesday morning run. But by the end of the day, 417,000 copies had been printed.-- Atlanta Journal Constitution
Up to 100,000 extras were printed-- Los Angeles Times
And according to E&P , the Washington Post has printed an additional 600,000. Washingtonians waited in line for hours yesterday afternoon on the promise of additional deliveries. At the Safeway near NPR, would-be collectors were limited to one copy per person.
-- Evie Stone
UPDATE : One more.
We are printing around 200,000 copies including an expanded run of our paper on Wednesday and a special commemorative "Extra" printed later that day and another press run of that Extra today.
-- San Francisco Chronicle
11:50 AM ET
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11- 6-2008
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Good morning! It's two days after the election, 75 days before inauguration, and the transition to an Obama administration has begun clanking into action.
Yesterday the Obama forces released a list of transition staff -- headed by Valerie Jarrett, Pete Rouse, and John Podesta (who says he will not be taking a permanent position at the White House). Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel says he is mulling Obama's offer to serve as White House Chief of Staff. And Politico's Mike Allen reports that Robert Gibbs will be the White House press secretary. This is the first wartime transition since 1968, and it comes in the middle of very uncertain economic times for the nation and the world (the latest bad tidings: the Nikkei dropped 6.5% today and Goldman Sachs is laying off 3200 employees). The transition also comes after terrorist attacks on U.S. soil during the first year in office of each of the last two Presidents (the first WTC bombing in 1993 and the attacks of September 11, 2001). The Obama administration cannot afford to dawdle as the Clinton folks did. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports this morning that handovers at government agencies are traditionally awkward, especially in a party change. But because of this year's especially high stakes, about 100 members of Obama and McCain's teams were given top security clearances so that briefings could get under way immediately after election day.
Continue reading "Thursday Morning: The Transition Begins; GOP Regrouping Efforts; And Finger-Pointing Galore " »
10:00 AM ET
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11- 6-2008
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November 5, 2008
Via NPR's Martin Kaste , Alaska Democrat Mark Begich says 60,000 uncounted votes and suspicious numbers in at least one precinct are preventing him from conceding the Senate race to incumbent (and recently-convicted felon ) Ted Stevens. Stevens, who has held his Senate seat since 1968, currently holds a 4,500-vote advantage in the vote tally. He claims that it's mathematically impossible for Begich to win.
The state's deadline to settle on a result is November 21st.
-- Evie Stone
5:49 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Three states voted to officially ban gay marriage yesterday. The most well-publicized of the bans was California's Proposition 8, which according to the LA Times "was the most expensive proposition on the ballot in any state this year, with more than $74 million spent by both sides." Prop 8 passed yesterday with 52% of the vote.
Exit polls indicate that African-Americans overwhelmingly supported Proposition 8, leading to speculation that high black turnout inspired by Barack Obama's historic candidacy may have contributed to the referendum's passage.
Florida and Arizona -- the other two states whose voters approved constitutional bans -- already had laws on the books defining marriage as between a man and a woman. But California had legalized same-sex marriage earlier this year when the state Supreme Court overturned the ban California voters approved back in 2000. During the five months same-sex marriage was legal in the state, thousands of gay couples, including celebs Ellen DeGeneres and George "Mr. Sulu" Takei , availed themselves of their newfound right. State Attorney General Jerry Brown has said those marriages will remain legally valid despite yesterday's vote.
A coalition of activist groups has already filed suit challenging the validity of the ballot initiative.
-- Evie Stone
5:27 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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The notion of bellwether voters took a big hit this election day.
Before Tuesday, one state (Missouri) and six counties from Indiana to Washington could boast bellwether status. They consistently matched the nation in their choices for president.
But Tuesday voting knocked almost all of them off the bellwether perch. Only Vigo County, Indiana, kept its remarkable voting record intact.
Missouri was the only bellwether state, before this week. Now it's likely off the list. Voters there have chosen the national winner in almost every presidential election since 1904. The lone exception was 1956, when Missouri voters made Adlai Stevenson their presidential favorite by less than one percent. Dwight Eisenhower won the national vote.
Something identical happened in 2008. Defeated Republican John McCain leads the Missouri count by less than one percent. Only provisional ballots are uncounted and state officials say it's highly unlikely president-elect Barack Obama will win enough of those to win the state.
The following counties also fell off the bellwether list:
Ferry County, Washington (Obama 42% - McCain 55%)
Vigo County, Indiana, not only joined the nation in selecting Barack Obama as the winner. It also closely matched the national margin, which it has done in the 12 presidential elections since 1960. Vigo County's bellwether status goes back to 1892. It has voted against the nation only twice since.
Vigo County is the only public entity left with any claim to the bellwether mantle.
-- Howard Berkes
5:14 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Today on ATC NPR's Ina Jaffe takes a look at the role of Latino voters in yesterday's election. She brings us these remarkable statistics courtesy of Andres Ramirez, the Vice President of Hispanic Programs for NDN .
In 2004, Hispanics accounted for about 8 percent of total turnout in Colorado. In 2008, they accounted for 17 percent. In Nevada we saw turnout increase to 16 percent in 2008. That is up from 10 percent in 2004. And in New Mexico it went from 31 percent to 41 percent.
All three of those states went for Bush in 2004 and turned blue last night, buoyed by overwhelming support from Latino voters. About two-thirds of Latinos nationwide voted for the Democratic presidential ticket.
Even in Florida, where about a third of the Latino population is Cuban-American -- a group that has historically favored Republicans -- a majority of Latinos chose Obama yesterday. According to the Pew Research Center , Bush won 56% of Florida's Latino vote in 2004.
-- Evie Stone
4:43 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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From the Obama offices in Chicago:
For the past several months, a board of advisors has been informally planning for a possible presidential transition. Among the many projects undertaken by the transition board have been detailed analyses of previous transition efforts, policy statements made during the campaign, and the workings of federal government agencies, and priority positions that must be filled by the incoming administration.
The co-chairs will be assisted by an advisory board comprised of individuals with significant private and public sector experience: Carol Browner, William Daley, Christopher Edley, Michael Froman, Julius Genachowski, Donald Gips, Governor Janet Napolitano, Federico Pena, Susan Rice, Sonal Shah, Mark Gitenstein, and Ted Kaufman. Gitenstein and Kaufman will serve as co-chairs of Vice President-elect Biden's transition team.
The website for the transition will be www.change.gov . It is expected to go live later today.
A list of senior staff who will be supervising the day-to-day activities of the transition is after the jump.
-- Evie Stone
Continue reading "Obama Announces Transition Team" »
2:46 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Today's newspapers with Obama victory headlines are becoming instant collectibles as they rapidly sell out at newsstands. Ebay entrepreneurs are already putting the papers up for auction in hopes of cashing in.
One mint-condition Washington Post has been bid up to $26.00 as of 2pm today. From the description:
This is the November 5th 2008 edition of the Washington Post with the Obama family on the cover.
This is a collectible item that you will keep for years and pass on to generations.
A New York Times has reached $45 in the bidding as of this writing (though you can "buy now" an alternate copy for $19.99), and there's a Chicago Tribune at $13.50.
-- Evie Stone
2:00 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Newsweek presents a festival of juicy campaign gossip in a web piece published this morning. All anonymously sourced and reported...but it's news-hound crack on this sleep-deprived day.
Among the tidbits, a report that Sarah Palin's sartorial spending spree was even bigger than the $150k previously reported:
While publicly supporting Palin, McCain's top advisers privately fumed at what they regarded as her outrageous profligacy. One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family--clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards. The McCain campaign found out last week when the aides sought reimbursement. One aide estimated that she spent "tens of thousands" more than the reported $150,000, and that $20,000 to $40,000 went to buy clothes for her husband. Some articles of clothing have apparently been lost. An angry aide characterized the shopping spree as "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast," and said the truth will eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.
The piece says Palin wanted to speak during McCain's concession event last night, but strategist Steve Schmidt said no. Newsweek also reports that Palin's "palling around" comments about William Ayers occurred before the campaign had signed off on a strategy on how to raise Obama's relationship with the former Weather Undergrounder. And the story outlines some of the attack arguments McCain refused to use against his opponent:
The Republican had set firm boundaries: no Jeremiah Wright; no attacking Michelle Obama; no attacking Obama for not serving in the military. McCain balked at an ad using images of children that suggested that Obama might not protect them from terrorism. Schmidt vetoed ads suggesting that Obama was soft on crime (no Willie Hortons). And before word even got to McCain, Schmidt and Salter scuttled a "celebrity" ad of Obama dancing with talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres (the sight of a black man dancing with a lesbian was deemed too provocative).
-- Evie Stone
1:18 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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The race between Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) and Democrat Jim Martin remains unresolved despite a three-point lead for Chambliss, thanks to a state requirement that the winner break 50 percent.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports this morning that state Republican Chairwoman Sue Everhart says she's expecting a recount.
Chambliss, seeking a second term, has 49 percent of the vote, according to NPR's election map . Martin has 46 percent, and Libertarian Allen Buckley has a bit more than 3 percent.
If the recount doesn't put Chambliss over the top, Georgia will hold a run-off in four weeks. In that case, Libertarians will have to contemplate going with the Republican they spurned on election day.
-- Peter Overby
UPDATE : The latest numbers show Chambliss with 49.8% of the vote, still just shy of the 50% required by state law for a victory. The candidates say they are preparing for a December 2nd runoff .
12:48 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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In his Rose Garden remarks this morning, President Bush acknowledged the milestone achieved by Barack Obama yesterday when he became the first African-American elected to the U.S. presidency.
No matter how they cast their ballots, all Americans can be proud of the history that was made yesterday. Across the country, citizens voted in large numbers. They showed a watching world the vitality of America's democracy, and the strides we have made toward a more perfect union. They chose a President whose journey represents a triumph of the American story -- a testament to hard work, optimism, and faith in the enduring promise of our nation.
On Morning Edition today, NPR's John Burnett told the story of one of those witnesses. 109-year-old Amanda Jones, the daughter of a slave, cast her first presidential ballot for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She set aside money she earned picking cotton so she could afford the poll tax that was required of black voters in her home state of Texas until 1966.
NPR's David Gilkey followed a civil rights activist to the polls in Birmingham, Alabama. He put together this audio slideshow:
We can now tell our children and our grandchildren yes we can. We can tell fourth and fifth graders with certainty that they can be whatever they want to be when they grow up. We can all believe that our country's best days are ahead.
-- Evie Stone
12:34 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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They're still counting presidential votes in Missouri , which has picked the winner in every presidential race since 1904, with one exception.
But an analysis of the votes yet to be counted indicates Missouri's bellwether status is history.
With all precincts reporting and all absentee and overseas ballots counted, Republican runner-up John McCain leads by less than 6,000 votes. Only provisional ballots remain to be counted and there are only 6,000 to 8,000 of those, according to the Missouri Secretary of State.
"I don't see the gap closing," says Laura Egerdal, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.
Egerdal says most provisional ballots prove to be invalid. Typically, she adds, only 30% are added to the vote count. "Even if there are 8,000 provisional ballots and 50% are counted and all of those votes go to (president-elect) Obama" that's still not enough to catch McCain.
Counties have two weeks to report their canvas of the provisional ballots. Egerdal expects to have some reports and a clearer sense of the result in a few days.
-- Howard Berkes
12:15 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Where would you rather live, West Paterson or Woodland Park?
Voters of West Paterson , NJ, voted yesterday -- not with their feet, but at the ballot box. They're changing the name of the town.
A quick lesson in history and geography: Paterson, NJ, is old, industrial and grim. Alexander Hamilton helped establish it as the nation's first center of manufacturing. It's birthed the Colt revolver, more steam locomotives than you could count, acres of silk fabric, the poetry of William Carlos Williams and bloody labor strikes . Since World War II, Paterson has been defined by poverty, crime, drugs -- and its opportunities for immigrants to get a toehold in America. It's where boxer Hurricane Carter was busted and tried for murder.
And West Paterson? It's the middle-class suburb across the highway and up the hill from the city.
You see the logic here. And in fact, West Paterson is slow in making the move. It was 1972 when East Paterson changed its name to Elmwood Park .
Word then was that they wanted the new name to keep the E-P initials, an economy move to save money re-doing the borough's logo on police cars and stationery.
-- Peter Overby
9:24 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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The general shape of Barack Obama's smashing victory and the Democratic gains in Congress did not change overnight.
Picking up the Cavalcade of Returns where the indefatigable Evie Stone left off five hours ago:
Three Republican senators are locked in races too close to call.
In Minnesota, GOP incumbent Norm Coleman and Democratic comedian Al Franken are less than one-half of a percent point apart. That would trigger a mandatory recount under state law.
Oregon Republican Sen. Gordon Smith and Democrat Jeff Merkley were nearly tied, with some 630,000 votes left to count, the AP reports.
Alaska's Ted Stevens, who squeezed in some fierce campaigning in the few days between his corruption conviction and Election Day, is about 4,000 votes ahead of Democrat Mark Begich.
Democrats knew last night they've got five new Senate seats, in Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina and Virginia.
In the House, we still don't know about a half-dozen races. Republicans are defending in all but one:
Rep. Don Young (R) vs. Ethan Berkowitz (D), AK-AL
Things may slow down from here in the vote-counting business. It takes a lot longer to recount and verify than to do the initial tallies.
We'll keep you posted.
-- Peter Overby
9:22 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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The map will continue to update overnight, but Vox Politics will take a little break from real-time race calling until the sun comes up.
As of 3:14am EST, NPR has yet to project a winner in the Presidential voting in North Carolina or Missouri; we're still awaiting more information from the Senate contests in Oregon, Minnesota, Alaska, and Georgia; and the Democrats have gained a net of 13 House seats. If more results come in while we're snoozing, Peter Overby will fill you in first thing.
-- Evie Stone
3:14 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Christine Gregoire has won re-election as Governor of Washington . This year's election was a rematch of Gregoire's narrow 2004 contest against Republican Dino Rossi, which was only resolved after a protracted recount.
-- Evie Stone
3:05 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain has won a narrow victory in Montana and will win that state's 3 electoral votes. President Bush carried Montana by a wide margin in 2004, but the state is no stranger to supporting Democrats statewide; Montana has a Democratic Governor (Brian Schweitzer, re-elected tonight) and two Democratic Senators (Max Baucus, re-elected tonight, and Jon Tester, who won his seat in 2006).
-- Evie Stone
2:59 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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CNN's experiment with hologram interviews turned out even more weird and 70s sci-fi-ish than I imagined !
"You're a hologram now, Jessica."
-- Evie Stone
2:28 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won a narrow victory in Indiana -- another state (like Virginia) that until tonight had not supported a Democrat for President since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. In 2004, President Bush won Indiana by 20 percentage points.
-- Evie Stone
2:06 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann appears to have won another term representing Minnesota's 6th Congressional district. Bachmann seemed very safe in her seat until she earned recent bad publicity for telling MSNBC's Chris Matthews that she suspected Barack Obama and some other Congressional Demcrats hold "anti-American" views .
She defeats the amazingly named Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg, who will be sorely missed by the participants in NPR's political podcast .
As of 1:56 am EST, Democrats have picked up 5 Senate seats and gained a net of 14 House seats (winning 17 and losing 3).
-- Evie Stone
1:56 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that McCain has won Alaska 's 3 electoral votes. The Obama campaign appeared to be making an earnest effort in the Last Frontier State early in the general election, but pulled most of its resources out of the state after McCain chose Alaska's popular Governor Sarah Palin as his running-mate.
-- Evie Stone
1:41 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean has released this statement on tonight's victory -- which was in many ways the result of the "50 state strategy" he began to implement after he was elected party chair in 2005.
This has been a truly historic, transformational election. Tonight, our country chose hope over fear, the future over the past, unity over division. This election also reflects the passing of the torch to a new generation. Barack Obama inspired young voters across this country to answer the call and get involved. They responded to his promise to put partisanship and divisiveness aside and come together as one nation to find solutions. They turned out. They made calls. They knocked on doors. And they helped change our country.
Today I am humbled by what we have accomplished over the last four years. Together, we can build on this moment to bring our nation together and work as one to overcome the challenges we face. It is what we as Americans have always done. Under Barack Obama's leadership, we'll do it again.
-- Evie Stone
1:01 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that Vermont 's Republican Governor Jim Douglas has won his bid for re-election. Douglas needed to win more than 50% of the state's votes to avoid a runoff with one of his opponents (a Democrat and an Independent), and it appears he has done that.
-- Evie Stone
12:48 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam (FL-12) sent his resignation letter to his colleagues a short while ago. The chairmanship is the third-ranking Republican position in the House.
I have enjoyed every minute as Conference Chairman, but I believe it is time to step off the leadership ladder and return my focus to crafting public policy solutions for America's generational challenges -- the very reason I ran for Congress in the first place.
I want to fight the battles worth fighting and lock arms to strengthen our nation whenever possible. In the coming Congress, I look forward to focusing on the policy solutions critical to the state of Florida and the important work we face on the Financial Services Committee to hold Wall Street accountable and put our economy back on the right track.
-- Andrea Seabrook
12:32 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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The room went quiet when John McCain gave his concession speech. Granted, the bloggers who stayed behind were mostly on the Democratic side, but for a brief moment, partisanship was put aside and Shireen Mitchell, who blogs about D.C. media said, "I think I'm going to cry," when McCain mentioned Obama's grandmother.
McCain's concession speech carried the same sober, generous spirit in the room.
And just as the speech rounded out feelings in the room, conciliatory tones emerged on the NPR.org community. Frankly, over the past few days, things had gotten ugly. Lots of name calling, lots of attacks on each of the candidates character, then, suddenly, as NPR projected Barack Obama would be the 44th president of United States, Kim Kennedy conceded "At the end Senator McCain once again shows that he is a good man."
D Alan wrote, "Well, as a McCain supporter, I must concede defeat and offer congrats to Obama and his supporters. This is my first time getting involved in politics and I appreciate those who I have challenged and had discussions with to enhance my own learning."
And, after the longest election in history, after a bitterly fought battle, Thomas Ellifritz , framed the future like this: "It is time to begin talking to each other. The long, bitter struggle of the campaign is over, it is time to heal and move on. Listening to McCain's concession speech. Both fine men!"
-- Eyder Peralta
12:24 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Colorado 's 9 electoral votes. President Bush carried the state by 21 points in 2004 and by 16 points in 2000. Until tonight Bill Clinton (in 1992) was the only Democrat to carry Colorado since LBJ won it in 1964.
-- Evie Stone
12:21 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Rose Hoban, WUNC
Adam Hochberg reports from what's left of the North Carolina GOP event.
... the Republicans have all left. But as Obama's speech came on the TV in the hotel ballroom, about a dozen hotel employees gathered to watch -- all of them African-American.
-- Evie Stone
12:17 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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In front of 27 American flags, and before an enormous and electrified crowd in Chicago's Grant Park, President-elect Barack Obama celebrates his victory in the 2008 presidential election:
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
Obama speaks graciously of his opponent, Senator McCain, commending him on his lifetime of service and saying that "we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader". He makes an unusual move, acknowledging by name the guys-behind-the-guy: his campaign manager David Plouffe and chief strategist David Axelrod. And he offers a cautionary note on this otherwise enormously optimistic night for his supporters:
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
Obama then calls on his audience to "summon a new spirit of patriotism" and asks them to "resist the temptation to fall back on...partisanship and pettiness and immaturity". He vows to be the President for those whose support he did not win in this election. And he promises his daughters Sasha and Malia a new puppy to bring to the White House.
The speech ends with the refrain that became familiar to both Obama's supporters and his detractors during the primary: "Yes We Can".
The full prepared remarks are after the jump.
-- Evie Stone
Continue reading "Obama's Victory Speech" »
12:15 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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November 4, 2008
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has offered his congratulations to Barack Obama with a handwritten note. He addresses the President-elect by his first name, and writes that Obama's election will have far-reaching ramifications for the perception of America in the global community:
[Y]our election raises immense hope in France, Europe and beyond: the hope of an open America, characterized by solidarity and strength, that will once again lead the way, with its partners, through the power of its example and the adherence to its principles.
The whole letter is after the jump.
-- Evie Stone
Continue reading "Sarkozy's Note" »
11:56 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that McCain has won his home state of Arizona .
-- Evie Stone
11:54 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu has won a third term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:54 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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The White House reports that President Bush called John McCain at 11:38 pm, after McCain had finished his concession speech. From Dana Perino's email to reporters:
"John, you gave it your all. I'm proud of you, and I'm sorry it didn't work out. You didn't leave anything on the playing field."
Both calls were made from the president's office, the Treaty Room, in the Residence.
Also, the President will give a statement in the Rose Garden tomorrow at 10:40 am.
-- Evie Stone
11:53 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Nevada 's 5 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:52 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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As of 11:50 pm, Democrats have gained 8 seats in the House and 5 in the Senate.
Notable races:
Chris Shays (R-CT) was defeated in his bid to keep the seat he has held since a 1987, representing Connecticut's 4th district. Shays was the last Republican member of the House from New England.
Democrat Tim Mahoney (FL 16) has lost his seat after the revelation of an affair and allegations of an attempted pay-off. Mahoney won election in 2006 after his predecessor Mark Foley's indiscreet correspondence with teenage Congressional pages came to light.
Tom Feeney, a Republican from Florida's 24th District who got caught up in the Jack Abramoff scandal, lost his seat.
The seat currently held by Republican Vito Fossella, who represents Staten Island (NY-13) and decided not to run for re-election after it came to light that he had an out-of-wedlock child, has gone to a Democrat.
Democrat John Murtha has hung onto his seat in Pennsylvania's 12th district, despite his recent proclamation that western Pennsylvania is "a racist area".
-- Evie Stone
11:50 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Mike Johanns has won a Senate seat in Nebraska .
Johanns served as Nebraska's Governor from 1998-2004. He replaces two-term Republican Senator Chuck Hagel who is retiring.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:39 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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From Sen. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama's onetime primary rival:
Tonight, we are celebrating an historic victory for the American people. This was a long and hard fought campaign but the result was well worth the wait.
For too long, middle class families in this country have felt invisible, struggling alone as wages stagnate, jobs disappear, and the costs of daily life climb upward. In quiet, solitary acts of citizenship, American voters gave voice to their hopes and their values, voted for change, and refused to be invisible any longer.
-- Evie Stone
11:37 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Roger Wicker has won a special election to fill the remainder of Mississippi Senator Trent Lott's term. Wicker was appointed to the Senate seat after Lott's retirement just one year into his third six-year term.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:33 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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The White House press office says that President Bush called to congratulate Barack Obama at 11:12pm this evening. A couple of quotes from the press release:
"Mr. President-elect, congratulations to you. What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters. Laura and I called to congratulate you and your good bride."
The release adds that the President invited the Obama family to visit the White House soon.
-- Evie Stone
11:30 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Bev Perdue has won the seat for Governor of North Carolina .
-- Natalie Friedman
11:24 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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McCain opens by saying, "The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."
The crowd at the Biltmore boos when McCain says he called to congratulate Obama, but they applaud when he says Obama's election represents a milestone in the history of race relations in this country. McCain adds that African-Americans must be feeling "special pride" tonight.
He urges his supporters to offer Obama "goodwill and earnest effort to come together" and bridge their differences. He assures his supporters that "the failure is mine, not yours."
Sarah Palin receives a warm welcome from the crowd. McCain calls her "one of the best campaigners I've ever seen" and compliments her on her "courage and grace".
He closes by wishing "Godspeed" to Obama, and calling on all Americans to believe in the "promise and greatness of America."
-- Evie Stone
11:18 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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AP is reporting that John McCain has called Barack Obama to concede the election.
-- Evie Stone
UPDATE : More details from the Obama campaign:
Senator Obama thanked Senator McCain for his graciousness and said he had waged a tough race. Senator Obama told Senator McCain he was consistently someone who has showed class and honor during this campaign as he has during his entire life in public service.
11:10 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Florida 's 27 electoral votes. There does not appear to be any uncertainty in the Florida outcome -- in stark contrast to the protracted battle over uncertain chad-punching that postponed the presidential election's resolution for weeks back in 2000.
-- Evie Stone
11:08 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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The professional journalists in Studio 4A aren't the only ones tracking the news at NPR HQ as it rolls in from across the country. About 20 bloggers not affiliated with NPR met up just a few floors below Robert Siegel and gang.
Aldon Hynes of the Orient Lodge put together a list of bloggers who may -- or may not -- have been in the house. Some of the people on hand:
-- Wright Bryan
11:08 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Obama has won Hawaii , the state of his birth. Hawaii adds 4 electoral votes to Obama's margin of victory.
-- Evie Stone
11:07 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Colorado Democrat Mark Udall has won a Senate seat in Colorado.
Udall served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998-2008. He replaces two-term Republican Senator Wayne Allard who is retiring.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:06 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won California 's 55 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
11:05 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Oregon 's 7 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:05 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain has won South Dakota , with its 3 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
11:02 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Washington 's 11 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:00 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won the 2008 presidential election. He becomes the first African-American president in a country where black people could not freely exercise their right to vote in many states less than a half-century ago.
-- Evie Stone
11:00 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain has won Idaho 's 4 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
11:00 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won the 13 electoral votes from the commonwealth of Virginia . This is the first time Virginia has cast its lot for a Democrat since Lyndon Johnson's win there in 1964.
-- Evie Stone
10:52 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Mississippi 's 6 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:44 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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Hundreds of faithful John McCain supporters in the Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom at the Biltmore in Phoenix are waving red pom-poms and watching numbers on a screen that show the race far closer than any of the networks' returns would indicate. When the screens switch to Fox and CNN, the numbers show a huge electoral lead for Obama. The partiers turn back to their drinks. Frankly, they just seem happy to be with other like-minded people on what appears to be a big night for the Democrats.
Meanwhile, outside, arc lights beam into the sky above a lawn where McCain will speak to a small group of reporters and cameras at a yet-to-be determined time. NPR's Scott Horsley will be among them. In fact, he's gone inside the bubble already.
-- Ted Robbins
10:36 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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The chosen few (read: the 75,000 with tickets) were let into the main event shortly before 8:00. They came running across the field to the gates, pushing their way to the front, waving American flags and their cameras, chanting Yes We Can and O-bama. One person could be heard above the rest yelling for Anderson Cooper. (Cooper is anchoring CNN's election night broadcast in New York, along with Wolf Blitzer, a panel of talking heads, and some holograms .)
Mel Kramer/NPR
How long they'll be waiting and chanting is anybody's guess, but nobody's doubting their enthusiasm.
-- Thomas Pierce
10:33 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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Vigo County, Indiana, has been accurately picking presidents since 1892, with just two exceptions. In fact, no other county comes closer to mirroring the national results in presidential elections. And today, Vigo County went with Democrat Barack Obama.
Obama won 57% of the county's vote. Republican John McCain captured 42%.
Vigo County has a history of strong Democratic voting in local elections but the conservative Democrats there have supported Republicans in statewide and presidential races. That's especially true when guns, God, gay marriage and abortion are big issues at election time. But the county has suffered from lost manufacturing jobs. The economy seems to have overshadowed values in 2008.
-- Howard Berkes
10:26 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Tom Udall will win a Senate seat in New Mexico .
Udall served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998-2008. He replaces six-term Republican Senator Pete Domenici who is retiring.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:24 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer has won re-election in Montana. Schweitzer made a national name for himself at this year's Democratic National Convention, where he gave a rousing bolo-tied speech about renewable energy.
-- Evie Stone
10:21 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Texas 's 34 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:20 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin has won a fifth term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:18 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Gov. John Huntsman has won re-election in Utah .
-- Evie Stone
10:17 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Montana Democrat Max Baucus has won a sixth term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:17 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Iowa 's 7 electoral votes. Obama's path to the Democratic nomination began with a victory in the January 3rd Iowa caucuses, after he spent months developing an extensive grassroots network in the state. John McCain skipped the Iowa caucuses in favor of focusing on New Hampshire's January 8th primary -- which he won, putting his campaign back on the pundits' radar.
-- Evie Stone
10:16 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Utah 's 5 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
10:14 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, has won re-election in Kentucky .
-- Evie Stone
10:13 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Louisiana 's 9 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:13 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win West Virginia 's 5 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:12 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Kansas 's 6 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:10 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Kansas Republican Pat Robers has won a third term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:06 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win New Mexico 's 5 electoral votes, breaking the recent tradition of tight contests in the Land of Enchantment (home of now non-bearded Gov. Bill Richardson). George W. Bush defeated John Kerry in New Mexico 50%-49% in 2004. In 2000, Bush lost to Al Gore by 483 votes in an election whose results weren't certified until the very end of November.
-- Evie Stone
9:48 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Alabama 's 9 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:42 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will carry Georgia and win its 15 electoral votes. Georgia was solid red in 2000 and 2004, but Democrats had hoped that the state's sizeable African-American population (28.5%) might turn out in enough force to bring about a shift this year. Nonetheless, the state's pro-McCain turnout appears to have overpowered any Obama-inspired surge.
-- Evie Stone
9:41 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Wyoming Republican Mike Enzi has won a third term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:39 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that South Dakota Democrat Tim Johnson has won a second term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:35 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican John Barrasso has won a special election to fill the remainder of Wyoming Sen. Craig Thomas's term. Barasso was appointed to the Senate seat after Thomas's death in summer of 2007. Wyoming's Governor is a Democrat, but state laws require that any Senate vacancy be filled by a member of the same party as the previous Senator.
-- Evie Stone
9:35 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Jack Reed has won a third term representing Rhode Island in the Senate.
-- Evie Stone
9:33 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win North Dakota 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:32 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Michigan 's five-term Democratic Senator Carl Levin has won re-election.
-- Evie Stone
9:31 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win New York 's 31 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:28 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Michigan 's 17 electoral votes. Michigan was at one time considered a battleground -- in fact, during the primaries, Hillary Clinton warned that Michiganians would not support Barack Obama if he did not fully enfranchise the Democratic delegates at the convention. After a contentious fight over the fates of the delegations from Michigan and Florida, whose primaries violated party rules by occurring too early, both groups were seated in full at the DNC. John McCain pulled resources out of Michigan in early October, effectively ceding the state to Obama.
-- Evie Stone
9:28 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has carried the state of Ohio -- one of the biggest battleground prizes of this election year. Ohio's 20 electoral votes put George Bush over the top in 2004, ensuring his victory over Sen. John F. Kerry.
-- Evie Stone
9:24 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Alabama Republican Jeff Sessions has won a third term in the Senate.
-- Evie Stone
9:22 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Wisconsin 's 10 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:20 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Oklahoma Republican James Inhofe has been re-elected to a third full term in the Senate (Inhofe won a special election to fill Sen. David Boren's seat in 1994).
-- Evie Stone
9:19 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Arkansas Democrat Mark Pryor has been re-elected to the Senate. Pryor, a one-term incumbent, ran for re-election without a Republican opponent.
-- Evie Stone
9:16 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that former New Hampshire Governor, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, has defeated one-term incumbent Republican John Sununu. This year's election was a rematch of the 2002 contest between Shaheen and Sununu -- this time with a different result.
-- Evie Stone
9:15 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Kay Hagan has defeated incumbent Liddy Dole's bid for re-election to the Senate from North Carolina .
-- Evie Stone
9:14 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Rhode Island 's 4 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:14 PM ET
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NPR projects that Joe Biden has won re-election to the Senate in Delaware . If Biden wins the vice-presidency tonight, the governor of Delaware -- Democrat Ruth Ann Minner -- will appoint a successor to his Senate seat. Biden's son Beau, the state's Attorney General, has been considered a favorite for the seat. But he will be serving in Iraq as a member of the Delaware National Guard until October 2009.
-- Evie Stone
9:13 PM ET
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Throughout the day, we've gotten more than 10,000 reports of how voting went for people throughout the country. For the most part, voters have complained about wait times. On the high end was one report from a cell phone user in Trussville, Ind., who reported a three-and-a-half hour wait. (Look at wait times by state over at Plodt ).
But some of the most compelling reports have come from voters using their iphone application or leaving messages. this voter who went to the polling place listed on his registration card to find it closed and under construction.this voter who reported her Kansas issued ID was not valid in Indiana. They told her she had to use an Indiana University ID. "In actuality, I'm being charged $20 to vote," she said.
There's also a great deal of voters who experienced no problems. Keema called in to give a report of her first ever vote . She said it was a day she would never forget.
For more, dig through the reports using our map or using this great search tool .
9:12 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Minnesota 's 10 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:09 PM ET
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Wyoming 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:07 PM ET
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NPR projects that Republican Susan Collins will hold on to her Senate seat in Maine .
-- Evie Stone
9:06 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win all four of Maine 's electoral votes. Maine does not allocate its electoral votes on a winner-take all basis. It gives two EVs to the winner of the statewide popular vote, and then one to the winner of each of its two congressional districts.
-- Evie Stone
9:01 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 21 electoral votes from Pennsylvania . They keystone state was considered a battleground for much of the 2008 campaign, but Obama appears to have a comfortable margin there.
-- Evie Stone
8:59 PM ET
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NPR projects that Democrat Dick Durbin will win a third term as the senator from Illinois .
-- Natalie Friedman
8:59 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 4 electoral votes from New Hampshire .
-- Evie Stone
8:58 PM ET
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NPR projects that Democrat Frank Lautenberg will win a fifth term as the senator from New Jersey .
-- Natalie Friedman
8:58 PM ET
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NPR projects that Democrat John Kerry will win a fifth term as the senator from Massachusetts .
-- Natalie Friedman
8:57 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 15 electoral votes from New Jersey .
-- Evie Stone
8:57 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 21 electoral votes from his home state of Illinois .
-- Natalie Friedman
8:57 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win DC 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
8:56 PM ET
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A million apologies for the temporary shutdown there, folks. NPR seems to be having some extremely ill-timed technical difficulties. Hopefully we're back with you for the duration.
-- Evie Stone
8:56 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Maryland 's 10 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
8:55 PM ET
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Tennessee 's 11 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
8:54 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Oklahoma 's 7 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
8:53 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Delaware 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
8:00 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Connecticut 's 7 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
8:00 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 12 electoral votes from the commonwealth of Massachusetts .
-- Evie Stone
8:00 PM ET
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NPR projects that Democrat Jay Rockefeller will win a fifth term as the senator from West Virginia . He defeats former state Senator Jay Wolfe, who also lost to Rockefeller in 2002.
-- Evie Stone
7:30 PM ET
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NPR projects that Democrat Joe Manchin has won re-election for West Virginia Governor.
-- Natalie Friedman
7:30 PM ET
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NPR projects that Republican Mitch Daniels has won re-election as Governor of Indiana .
-- Natalie Friedman
7:13 PM ET
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NPR projects that Mark Warner will win a Senate seat in Virginia .
Warner served as Governor of Virginia from 2002-2006. He replaces five-term Republican Senator John Warner (no relation).
-- Evie Stone
7:09 PM ET
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NPR projects that South Carolina 's Republican incumbent Lindsey Graham will retain his seat in the Senate.
Graham was first elected to the Senate in 2002, after Strom Thurmond retired. He represented South Carolina's Third District in Congress for 10 years before he was elected to the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
7:08 PM ET
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Vermont 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
7:05 PM ET
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Kentucky 's 8 electoral votes.
You can watch real-time returns all night on our online map .
-- Evie Stone
6:57 PM ET
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Election day isn't the end of the political process -- it involves retail politicking in its most basic form.
I watched Congressman Lacy Clay drive around Missouri's first district, which covers a big chunk of the city of St. Louis and the outlying suburbs. Clay makes a big point of driving the van that goes around the district, picking up senior citizens who need a ride to the polls. And as he performs this public service, Clay grabs every opportunity to shake hands.
This afternoon he went up and down the four hour long line outside Jennings city hall. Nearly everyone recognizes him, and they remember his father Bill Clay, who represented the district for 32 years, until he retired in 2000. They thank Clay for favors he's done for them over the years -- getting them jobs, whatever. If the line is too long, Clay shouts to his helpers to "get some more bottles of water over here". He doesn't want anyone losing patience and going home before voting.
Clay is the local Obama co-chair, and he wants his numbers in St. Louis to more than balance out the heavy McCain showing expected in nearby St. Charles County. Clay knows he has to deliver the votes he's promised to Obama, just as he has to use this opportunity to grab the voters themselves, right before they enter the booth and decide whether to give him another term.
-- Larry Abramson
6:26 PM ET
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Voter deception efforts came into full bloom today, after some weeks of scattered evidence appearing around the country.
Election Protection says minority voters seem to be a prime target, which hardly news in this seamy corner of American politics. New voters are apparently targeted as well.
The most common trick is one we've already heard about: a message that Republicans should vote today, and Democrats (or Obama supporters) should vote tomorrow. That disinformation turned up in handbills in minority neighborhoods in several states. In the Tidewater area of Virginia, authorities found one fake notice bearing the Board of Election seal, but concluded it was an "office prank" and didn't investigate further.
This being the Internet age, a don't-vote-today email went out early this morning to 30,000 students at George Mason University in Northern Virginia: "Please note that election day has been moved to November 5th. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you." A hacker sent the email from the account of University Provost Peter Stearns, who then scrambled to send out not one but two corrections.
Directives for Democrats to vote tomorrow also cropped up on FaceBook and in text messages. Rock The Vote, a group that's part of the Election Protection alliance, says it found messages circulating at Florida State University, Middle Georgia College and Missouri State, among others.
EP also says students at Drexel University in Philadelphia got notices that they could be arrested if they had outstanding parking tickets when they tried to vote.
In Virginia, the registrar in Blacksburg, where Virginia Tech is located, announced that students could lose financial aid eligibility if they registered to vote in Virginia. That's not what the law says. Since then, the main polling place for Virginia Tech students has been abruptly moved 6-1/2 miles away from the campus.
And in another tech twist, Barbara Arnwine of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (also in Election Protection) said robo-calls are telling voters that they can vote by touch-tone phone, either because they're established voters or because it's a way to avoid the long lines at polling places.
Election Protection lawyers said they've seen deceptive fliers and robo-calls in roughly a dozen states -- a big upswing from 2004.
Jonah Goldman of the Lawyers Committee said the deceptive practices seem mainly to be aimed at likely Obama voters. "That's a big part of what we're seeing," he said.
-- Peter Overby
6:10 PM ET
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Less than three miles from the tony Biltmore Hotel and Spa where Senator John McCain will be giving his acceptance or concession speech this evening, we met Kathleen O'Leary working at a polling place.
This Phoenix neighborhood is primarily Caucasian, and O'Leary said the voters were quite chatty. She said that by 1pm Arizona time there were about 300 ballots cast in the precinct, and the voters she spoke to were divided about 50 -- 50 between McCain and Obama. Originally from the South Side of Chicago and an Obama supporter, she was happy the first voters to arrive at 5:30 this morning were African-American.
According to O'Leary, another young black man came in later with his mother and sister to vote. They were turned back for not having the correct identification. In Arizona voters are required to present either a photo ID or two pieces of identification without a picture. They returned a short time later with the proper identification and cast their ballots.
-- Amy Walters
5:53 PM ET
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Much of the Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix has been turned into a sort of political theme park. The Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom is "TV Land" with a hundred or so reporters standing in front of cameras delivering stand-ups. The lawn in the middle of the 37-acre resort is "Country First". This is where John McCain will deliver his speech tonight -- outdoors, on a stage draped with a "Country First" banner. Behind the stage, there's a huge American flag. Hundreds of print, radio, and online reporters are in the Grand Ballroom, AKA the press filing center. Let's call that "Digital Frontier Land."
Right now the crowd is mostly media and campaign operatives. Guests are just starting to arrive, but when they do they won't approach the numbers in Chicago; most estimates are in the 3,000 to 5,000 range. This is an invitation-only event. Besides, there's nowhere to park.
-- Ted Robbins
5:40 PM ET
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A New Hampshire judge has ruled in favor of GOP lawyers who filed a lawsuit against the New Hampshire Secretary of State, William Gardner, claiming that Republican election officials are illegally being kept away from new registration tables. New Hampshire allows same-day voter registration, and officials are expecting a record turnout of 750,000 voters, including 40,000 new registrants.
Monitors had been allowed at the check-in area, but not in the registration area. The Secretary of State's office says New Hampshire law doesn't require that -- but the court has sided with the GOP, and is instructing election officials to allow poll watchers to monitor voter registration. New Hampshire's Deputy Secretary of State Dave Scanlan says voting officials are now being told to allow the access. But he says he has concerns for voter privacy as they fill out forms containing confidential information. He is instructing poll workers to be sensitive to privacy issues.
The state Republican party has not alleged any fraudulent registration activity; they are just requesting access.
-- Tovia Smith
5:19 PM ET
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The first ticketed people were just admitted to the fenced area at the Obama site -- the Star Wars theme song blaring as they literally ran over the bridge near Congress Hill after getting through the security checkpoint.
Thomas Pierce/NPR
People are clad in all manner of Obama gear, and one girl was almost brought to tears when it seemed she couldn't get in due to a strangely printed ticket (she got in). It's not clear if the admitted have full access or if they're being ushered to a second waiting area.
-- Thomas Pierce
5:05 PM ET
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Here's a composite of what's being reported from Pennsylvania this afternoon:
Election Protection says it's recorded voting machine breakdowns in at least a dozen places, mainly in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. EP says it's hearing that in Pittsburgh, campaign materials are being distributed at the polls. That's illegal. And voters around the state say they never got the absentee ballots they'd applied for, so those voters are showing up to vote in person.
EP calls these major obstacles that could thwart thousands of voters.
We've also learned more specifics about Philadelphia's problems. Among them: Both machines down in one polling place at opening time, half the machines non-functional at another precinct, two-thirds of the machines out at yet another, and an absence or near-absence of paper ballots. In all, the list we saw included 15 Philadelphia polling places with defective machines.
And at another voting location, two would-be voters reported that 300 people in line were sent away this morning and told they could return when the doors opened at noon.
Overall, EP says "the situation has gotten a little bit better" since the morning. But the evening voting rush is just beginning.
-- Peter Overby
4:59 PM ET
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John McCain's plane was close to landing in Albuquerque this afternoon for his last event of the presidential campaign when the pilot suddenly throttled up and headed skyward.
Several wags in the press corps hummed the theme from "Top Gun" (a McCain staple) as the 737 circled around for a second try.
Reporters applauded once the plane was safely on the ground. A crew member explained that the first landing was aborted due to "traffic on the runway."
-- Scott Horsley
4:37 PM ET
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Florida's top elections official says there have been very few voting problems in the state today. The presidential race in Florida (with its valuable 27 electoral votes) has tightened in the last week and is considered a toss-up. Secretary of State Kurt Browning says unlike eight years ago, he's heard of no major issues plaguing voters:
It's been a good day and I'm almost hesitant to say this: but it's been somewhat eerily quiet and that's a good thing. We're pleased. But we still have a 4 1/2 more hours to go and we'll see what the rest of our day holds.
Voters in Florida have to get used to a new way to vote this year -- they're using optical scan paper ballots. They replace the touchscreen machines used four years ago, which in turn replaced those problematic punch cards complete with all the hanging, dimpled and pregnant chads we remember from the 2000 election.
-- Russell Lewis and Greg Allen
4:26 PM ET
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A little less than an hour before the polls close tonight, the Obama campaign will send its final shift of door-knockers out to the streets. In Michigan, the final mission of the day is called "knock and drag": if volunteers find a Democrat who hasn't voted, the volunteer is not to leave the doorstep until that person is off to the polling site.
The Obama campaign will also be sending volunteers out to busy precincts to keep voters from giving up. Some will be bringing water and snacks for waiting-weary voters.
-- Rick Pluta, MPRN
4:23 PM ET
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Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner says they've found that, with so many new voters in the state who aren't used to paper ballots, some are filling in the bubble next to their candidate AND ALSO writing their candidate's name in the section that says "Write In Candidates" (taking that as a command).
-- Andrea Seabrook
3:49 PM ET
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The Raleigh News & Observer reports that one North Carolina precinct will keep the polls open an extra hour tonight:
Voters at the Barwell Road Community Center in Raleigh will get an extra hour to vote -- until 8:30 p.m. -- because of a delay in balloting this morning. An election official who was dropped off there this morning left the ballots in her grandson's truck, and she had to track him down, Poucher said. That delayed voting by just over half an hour and kept about 300 people waiting.
-- Evie Stone
h/t Adam Hochberg
3:48 PM ET
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I count 27 American flags on the stage where Obama will either acknowledge victory or concede defeat tonight. TV crews set up for live shots on gigantic risers overlooking the stage.
Risers in all directions
Thomas Pierce/NPR
Regardless of the outcome, the city is preparing for an unbelievable turnout tonight. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has said there might be as many as a million people in the park, most of them outside the fenced area. The campaign expects about 75,000 ticketed guests in this small southeastern corner. People have already lined up at the single entrance designated for the public -- even though they can't get in until after 8:30pm. For those without tickets, the city is setting up large jumbotron screens elsewhere in the park.
In their guide to the evening's festivities, the Chicago Tribune reports that the Chicago Transit Authority and the Metra will run extra buses and trains this afternoon and evening. They promise to keep at it until the job is done.
Streets are blocked off all the way to Michigan Avenue. The city's entire police force (13,500 members) is on duty today -- manning all the checkpoints and roadblocks, directing traffic, and working with U.S. Secret Service to ensure the safety the candidate when he arrives.
-- Thomas Pierce
2:16 PM ET
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NPR's Larry Abramson reports lines up to five -- count 'em 5 -- hours long in St. Louis County, MO. That's as of 1 p.m. Said to be the fault of high turnout, low preparation.
-- Peter Overby
1:56 PM ET
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Today's voting day and so maybe you're taking the afternoon off from work. In case you'd like to make new friends in your (potentially) long wait at the polls, here are some conversation-starters:
Make 'em laugh: an end to canvassing .her vote will count .horse-racing .freebies .
-- Thomas Pierce
12:21 PM ET
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Election Protection -- the alliance of legal and issue groups monitoring election problems -- just held its first of three press briefings today, and two problem spots emerged.
They're both significant.
Election Protection says more than 1,000 complaints have come in from Virginia, and EP lawyers are talking with the Virginia Elections Board. Virginia finds itself a battleground state for the first time since 1964.
Hillsborough County, FL, is the other area that kept coming up in the EP discussion, apparently due to major problems with voting machines. Hillsborough includes Tampa and sits at the western end of I-4. The I-4 corridor across Florida is the most hard-fought turf in the swing state.
This isn't to say everything's smooth as glass elsewhere. EP reports machine breakdowns in New Jersey, especially in minority areas; "massive" problems with old-fashioned lever machines in New York; and a shortage of paper ballots in Pennsylvania, another state that's registered more than 1,000 complaints already today.
-- Peter Overby
12:07 PM ET
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Two of them.
From Orlando, FL, a police officer is allegedly asking voters for ID at precinct 735, Woodbridge. This from the Advancement Project, a civil-rights legal group.
And from Los Angeles, there's a rumor that robocalls are targeting Hispanic voters, telling them they can only vote between 2 and 4 pm.
More about these as details emerge.
-- Peter Overby
11:46 AM ET
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Election Day greetings from Peter Overby. I'm abandoning the money trail, at least for today, and subbing for Evie , who's resting up for tonight.
Not much campaign trail news, not surprisingly: Obama's in Chicago, with a day trip to Indiana. He and Michelle voted first thing this morning. He has a tradition of playing basketball while the voting is in progress; the game may happen later this afternoon.
McCain's in Phoenix. He was on the CBS Early Show, and plans to hit Colorado and New Mexico today.
As for voters and what they face when they go to vote, here are some things we know so far:
Kevin Gavin of WDUQ in Pittsburgh reports that some voting machines broke down early, and paper ballots were slow in getting to those precincts. But things seem smoother now. He also says an outage temporarily cut off power at a polling site in the Hill District, which is heavily African American.
Philadelphia seems to have bigger problems, however, according to the independent group Election Protection. Pennsylvania generally has reports that voting machines have broken, that some voters are getting provisional ballots illegally, and in some places paper ballots are running out.
Virginia has more than 10 polling sites with machine issues, Election Protection and the AP say. Election Protection calls the situation "far more severe than expected." AP reports that a librarian overslept in Richmond, delaying the opening the polling place there by 25 minutes. And in Chesapeake, there were reports of malfunctioning machines and a line of 1,000 voters in one precinct.
Election Protection says reports from Cleveland, OH, are "of general confusion and mechanical malfunctions."
Harbingers of a tense and contentious day? Or just the initial shakedown problems for systems that were just fired up?
Let us know by texting, Twitter, email, iPhone, Googlephone, or a plain old 866- phone call. Details here .
-- Peter Overby
10:45 AM ET
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Listen to the best political stories of the last few days in one podcast, including the latest from the battleground states and analysis from NPR.
