At Shays' Office, The Calls Come In

I've been at the office for about ten minutes, and we have so far had eight calls from people at the polls. In Stamford, the Black Panthers are huddled around outside, apparently scaring the hell out of some. Polling locations are apparently "losing" the registrations of registered Republicans as well. It's a bit rediculous. I'm calling shananigans on this one. Also, a white woman claimed she had six African Americans in front of her, none of whom were asked for identification. When she got to the front of the line, she was asked for identification. The polsters claimed it invalid and refused to let her vote. Take that story with a grain of salt, though, I can't confirm it. The other points (the Plack Panthers and polls losing registrations) are proven.

UPDATE: Thanks to Glenn Reynolds for the link! Welcome, new readers!

And the Day is Here!

Go Vote!

And Glenn Reynolds has an interesting message:

We've had eight years of Bush Derangement Syndrome. Before that, we had eight years of Clinton Derangement Syndrome. And though people forget it now, President Reagan inspired a lot of anger and hatred, too. Can I ask that, regardless of who wins, we tone things down a bit?

Sarah Palin: (Not) Guilty as Charged

A report confirms that Sarah Palin was not guilty of ethics violations in Alaska. 

"A report has cleared Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin of ethics violations in the firing of her public safety commissioner.

Released Monday, the report says there is no probable cause to believe Palin or any other state official violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Act in connection with the firing. The report was prepared by Timothy Petumenos, an independent counsel for the Alaska Personnel Board."

Despite the fact that the NYT titled the article, Palin Cleared of Ethics Charges, the way they placed it on their main page, and the way they sent out an email notification to all those on their mailing list (that is, at least me), made the title sound much more like, Just as a Reminder to Those Voting Tomorrow, Sarah Palin is an Unethical Psycho. But maybe that's just me...

Goodbye, Grandma

My sincere condolences go out to the family of Barack Obama. Obama's grandmother, who he credits with shaping his values and person, died just a day before the election. Having read Obama's Audacity of Hope, I know that he truly values the role his grandmother played in his life.

It really is remarkable to think that, after 86 years of life and 47 years of extraordinary influence on the life of such an influential man, this woman died on the eve of her grandson's presidential election. Think - really think - about the statistical chances of that.

It really is a mysterious world we live in.

Keep Shays In

In the last day before the election, the lone Republican Congressman in New England is in the fight of his life, according to RCP. Christopher Shays, the Congressman for whom I work as an intern, is battling Jim Himes, a businessman from Greenwich. He has no experience in anything, and somehow claims that his experience at Goldman Sachs proves he is a spokesman for the urban poor. 

If you are from Connecticut's fourth district, please try to make up for my inability to vote, and keep the most partisan, reasonable man in Congress where he is.

Stevens Saga

The saga continues: "A juror who vanished during Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens' corruption trial told the judge Monday she lied about her father dying and flew to California to see horse races."

That's embarrassing.

Outside the courthouse, Hinnant refused to answer questions about whether she was on medication or had been hospitalized.

Gitmo War Crimes

Read this:

A jury of U.S. military officers announced Monday it has convicted an alleged aide to Usama bin Laden of terrorism-related charges, and he faced a possible sentence of life in prison following the second Guantanamo war crimes trial.

The vote to convict Ali Hamza al-Bahlul of Yemen of multiple counts of conspiracy, solicitation to commit murder and providing material support to terrorism following a lopsided weeklong trial in which the prisoner did not mount a defense.

Al-Bahlul, 39, showed no emotion, sitting calmly at the defense table as the verdict was read at the isolated U.S. military base in eastern Cuba.

Hmm... maybe the jury is reading the verdicts in English.

Video Comments...

 I made and posted this video on Youtube about a year ago. Read through the comments now. It is the most vile, ignorant conversation I have ever eavesdropped on. These are unedited, so if you must, put your earmuffs on:

"finally someone who has done some research... i agree man, if your a muslim in the world and your not killing infidels, you are pissing off alah. that is why its so easy to turn muslims into extreamists. because the quran says this shit. they say to kill everyone else if they dont convert or pay the tupance of an unbeliever."

---

"The Americans gave the Iraqi's freedom not they will use that freedom to murder us all.

Islamic scumbags...
This whole war is a joke, we shouldn't have declared war on terror but on Islam.
We will avenge our death and multiply it with the blood of Muslim heathens.
And there Allah will not help them."

---

"The reason there are wars is cause there a raciost people like you in this world. I am a proud american and i thank my freedom. but least we gave it to them. maybe they will hold on to it. I agree we shouldnt of gone in but batavian the reason there are wars is cause there is hate and terror (hitler,tojo,stalin,pol pot,) they all hated man"

I am almost positive none of the above people managed to put together a coherent sentence. 

On a lighter note, I rewrote my 'About Me' post. Read it.

Just as a Reminder...

I'll be liveblogging election night, starting at about 7:30 EST. Stop by for all your election night needs!

Swing Vote Survey

I knew someone would eventually do this study. The NYT is the dumb outlet that actually got suckered into posting the AP article:

One of the motivations for voting is that one vote can make a difference. In a presidential election, the probability that your vote is decisive is equal to the probability that your state is necessary for an electoral college win, times the probability the vote in your state is tied in that event. We compute these probabilities for each state in the 2008 presidential election, using state-by-state election forecasts based on the latest polls. The states where a single vote is most likely to matter are New Mexico, Virginia, New Hampshire, and Colorado, where your vote has an approximate 1 in 10 million chance of determining the national election outcome. On average, a voter in America has a 1 in 60 million chance of being decisive in the presidential election.

It's a depressing concept, but, thinking logically, the survey is almost as dumb as the movie Swing Vote, which I can proudly say I never saw.

Marriage and Andrew Sullivan

Andrew Sullivan wrote an interesting piece a few hours ago on the importance of marriage to gays. Below is a quote from his 2004 Time essay on the topic. I would recommend, however, reading the whole article, and not just this reprinted snippet.

When people talk about gay marriage, they miss the point. This isn't about gay marriage. It's about marriage. It's about family. It's about love. It isn't about religion. It's about civil marriage licenses. Churches can and should have the right to say no to marriage for gays in their congregations, just as Catholics say no to divorce, but divorce is still a civil option. These family values are not options for a happy and stable life. They are necessities. Putting gay relationships in some other category — civil unions, domestic partnerships, whatever — may alleviate real human needs, but by their very euphemism, by their very separateness, they actually build a wall between gay people and their families. They put back the barrier many of us have spent a lifetime trying to erase.

Like Sullivan, I am conservative. I believe the government's role is supposed to be much more limited than it is now. I think fiscal responsibility, for the most part, lays in the hands of the people. I am pro-life, and I consider abortion a terrible, terrible action; almost murderous (read this for more information). But I cannot understand why, considering the vast freedoms this nation stands for, my constitutionalist conservative colleagues refuse to allow equal rights for two equal parties. 

To state the obvious, this experimental democracy was founded on principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Liberty, as Republicans generally claim, is defined as the right to metaphorically flail one's arms until the tip of another's nose. This molds standard conservative Republican positions on abortion, gun restrictions, affirmative action, etc. So why, exactly, are gays not allowed to flail their arms, be it in an excessively flamboyant flailing fashion? 

I am conservative. I live in a gay marriage state. I am proud of it. 

Wow, I am finally minority... we should go back and take a look at those affirmative action policies. 

UPDATE: Instapundit linked to this article regarding Proposition 8 - the law seeking to change same-sex marriage laws in CA. Read it; it's interesting stuff.

Blanca & Bobo

Blanca does the funniest state-by-state breakdown I have ever read. Check it out. I don't agree with her on... pretty much anything, but add her to your list of "must reads." She's refreshingly hilarious, and a good break from some of the punch drunk conservatives out there (didn't mean to single you out like that Mr. Bobo, you know I love you. Can we still be friends?).

To redeem myself from the wrath of a Republican Clown, I will also recommend you read The Bobo Files, whom I linked to above under "punch drunk conservatives." He is also hilarious. But, obviously, a Republican. And a clown. Sort of a scary combination, so surf at your own risk.

Wait, What?

RCP polling shows an incredibly close race in Arizona, McCain's home state. Also, Fox reports that Obama is now dumping ad money into the state. God, an Obama upset there would be embarrassing. 

Day by Day: Classic

Chris Muir's cartoon is hilarious today. I reprinted it below, but it may be too small to read. It can also be found on my right sidebar a little ways down, or by clicking the link above.

McCain on SNL

I didn't get to watch McCain on SNL, but it sounds like it was funny:

The presidential hopeful made a cameo appearance on the show with Tina Fey reprising her memorable impersonation of McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The two said they couldn't afford a half-hour campaign commercial on network television like Democrat Barack Obama aired earlier this week. They said they'd sell campaign products on the QVC shopping channel instead.

Watch the video here.

Hollywood for Obama

A funny article over at PJ regarding the influence of celebrities on the election:

Either way, it’s simply more of the same — celebrities with little acknowledged expertise in political science acting like learned professors, or at least the kind who bring their views into the classroom. Hard to believe any sentient being will make his or her decision based on what Madonna and her ilk thinks.

That never prevents them from speaking out. It must feel too good to stop. Plus, their Hollywood peers will give them hearty handshakes for their efforts and declare how “brave” they were for taking a courageous stand.

You want courageous? Try wearing a McCain/Palin button to a table read or red carpet film premiere.

Lizzy's In Trouble

Elizabeth Dole appears to be in trouble after a recent controversy:

Dole sparked a firestorm last week with a TV spot accusing Hagan of accepting money from Godless Americans Political Action Committee, a New Jersey-based group that promotes rights for atheists and the separation of church and state.

That, right there, would change my vote to Kay Hagan. Dole is behind in the polls 53-44.

Obama's Pumpkin

Why does this look so strange to me?

Obama the Class President

My mom happens to be a moderate liberal and an elementary school speech pathologist. She proposed an interesting metaphor on some of Obama's proposals after work the other day. She said Obama is like the fifth grader running for class president who says "I'll give everyone recess three times a day! I'll abolish math class! No more 'healthy' food in the cafeteria, we'll only get candy!" He riles up the crowd, and may even win, but the teachers comment to each other on how ridiculous and naive his platform really is. By November of that school year, his classmates are already moving for his impeachment.

Wait, What Did He Call Him?

NY Times:

"House Republican leader John Boehner has used a vulgar expression to refer to Democrat Barack Obama and his voting record in the Illinois legislature.

While campaigning for Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Wednesday, Boehner told a small crowd at a bar in Oxford that failing to vote ''yes'' or ''no'' on an issue meant a lawmaker was a ''chickens---.''

Why did the Times have to bleep out the expletive? Now I can't figure out what Boehner actually said. My money is on "chickenshit," but that doesn't even make sense.