ELECTION DAY! - 2

Geared up and ready! Got my scorecard, scratch sheet to make notes, webpage showing our states map, and electoral college map by Real Clear. Hey, this only happens once every four years! This is faaaaar better than some bleeping sports game!!!

Quick reminder: all time is USA Central standard time, which is my time.

6:00 ~ Indiana (11), Georgia (15), and Kentucky (8) for Bush; Vermont (3) for Kerry. No big surprises yet. 34-3 Bush. Virginia and South Carolina too close to call.

6:30 ~ West Virginia (5) goes to Bush. 39-3 Bush. Ohio and North Carolina too close to call.

7:00 ~ Glob of states! Kerry got Connecticut (7), DC (3), Delaware (3), Illinois (21), Maine (3 with 1 tossup), Maryland (10), Massachusetts (12), New Jersey (15). Bush got Oklahoma (7), Tennessee (11), and Alabama (9). 77-66 Kerry. No surprises yet, although New Jersey was considered weak Kerry. Also no state has changed hands. Maine has something that allows one of its four EVs available to the other if a certain condition is meet, but this Illinois resident don't know what the bleep that is.

Later, South Carolina (8) went for Bush. 77-74 Kerry. BTW, if you catch any errors, tell me. I am multitasking! Also, Senate update: 40 Republicans, 34 Democrats, 1 Independent, 25 still to be called. Not surprised my state, Illinois, went to Kerry and now Senate elect Obama, the Democrat. Chicago!

Just before 7:30, North Carolina (15) and Virginia (13) goes to Bush as suspected. 102-77 Bush!

8:00 ~ Another large crop. Bush gained Kansas (6), Nebraska (5), South Dakota (3), Texas (34), Wyoming (3), and North Dakota (3). Kerry: New York (31) and Rhode Island (4). 156-112 Bush.

Things should be slowing down now. There is numerous other states too close to call from 7:00 and 8:00. Louisiana (9) declared at 8:30 for Bush. At 8:45 the Senate stood at 45-38-1. I also checked with NBC and they report Mississippi (6) for Bush, which is what's expected. Fox News did too shortly before the top of the hour.

9:00 ~ Utah (5) goes to Bush. That's all. 176-112 Bush. Note that Bush needs 94, 158 Kerry, and 249 is left. Most of the idle chit-chat is seeing how accurate the exit polls are, which is hugely responsible for the 2000 mess-up.

A little while later Missouri (11) and Arkansas (6) went to Bush. Still no surprises. Still like 2000. Ugh. Interesting side note: FNC, the 'conservative' network, REFUSED to acknowledge a win by a Republican Senatorial win in Kentucky even with 100% of the vote in! I guess they are conservative in counting, not politics! They declared him at 9:30. NBC rather show Obama's speech, being our new Senator. *patooie!* I don't care about Hardball on MSNBC. I thought they will play the same thing. The electoral count is the same at least.

I gotta to use the restroom! ... ... ... Back. NBC declared Arizona (10) for Bush and Pennsylvania (21) for Kerry. Fox reported Pennsylvania shortly later.

10:00 ~ Time to go to bed... NOT! Idaho (4) went to Bush and Washington (11) to Kerry. Current total is 197-144 Bush (207 with Arizona, which FNC declared at 10:20). Now if you think Bush is whipping Kerry, note that so far NO states has changed and California, not declared this early - for this state, its only 8 pm - is very likely to go to Kerry. It has the most at 55 EVs. South Dakota Senate race has only a thousand vote difference, 50-50. Right now the Senate stands at 50-41-1. This is critical because if Bush wins, the Senate is now officially Republican. Of course if it gets 51, it will be if Kerry wins. The House stands at 143-126-1, with 165 to be declared.

Later, FNC gave Montana (3) to Bush, NBC gave California (55) to Kerry. Assuming both are right, we get more realistic numbers: 210-199 Bush. That means Bush needs 60, Kerry 71, and there is 128 left. No states have changed, even now! Lots and lots of talk about Ohio on both stations and the dreaded 169-169. Here is what's left:

• Florida - 27 ~ leaning to Bush right now
• Ohio - 20 ~ really needed by Kerry
• Michigan - 17 *
• Minnesota - 10 *
• Wisconsin - 10 *
• Colorado - 9
• Iowa - 7 *
• Oregon - 7
• New Mexico - 5 *
• Nevada - 5
• New Hampshire - 4
• Hawaii - 4
• Alaska - 3

* Gore states Bush needs to win if Kerry takes Ohio. Iowa, Wisconsin, New Mexico is his best bets. Michigan and Minnesota isn't likely to go to him. Taking those 3 will make up the loss.

See why I wuv this a whole lot more than sports!?!?

11:00 ~ 51-42-1 in the Senate, so it will indeed be Republican. The only question is by how much. 6 races are uncalled. For the House, 173-150-1 with 111 still uncalled, so that is still anyone's game although the Republicans got a solid lead.

Fox News keep saying that they rather not declare California or Florida (27) unlike the other stations until they are absolutely sure. NBC has Oregon (7) with Kerry. With the more 'liberal' count, HA!, it is 237-206 Bush, 94 left, Bush needing 33 of that to win. No change! Nooooo-HO change!

Colorado (9) went for Bush at 11:20 or so. Alaska (expected to go to Bush) plus Ohio = 169 for Bush and a tie/win. Otherwise find 20 from the other states and you got a tie/win for Bush and a tie/loss for Kerry. News people are looking for "Can we go home now?" scenario. FNC and NBC has the same EV. The toss-up vote on Maine went to Kerry and New Hampshire goes to Kerry. 246-211 Bush. THIS IS BIG NEWS! OUR FIRST STATE CHANGE! Of course it only a puny 4 EVs. Also Lousianna elected its FIRST Republican! Time, 11:36.

AT 11:40 BUSH GOT OHIO! 3 points for a tie/win, 4+ an instant win... not counting the upcoming court trials of course! Now Kerry needs ALL the states to win! Bush is winning the popular vote also. Checking NBC. Haven't done that. Strange, they usually declare a state before FNC does. Now for my non-US e-pals, let me explain what I mean by a 269 tie/win for Bush. On a tie, 269-269, it will got to the House. It is ASSUMED it will stay Republican, therefore Bush will win. Checking House numbers: 202-183-1, 49 left. Still possible for a Kerry tie/win, but not likely. NBC gave Ohio to Bush sometime before Wednesday.

According to Ohio law, 0.25% difference will be an automatic recount. FNC is looking for all possibilities for a 2000 Florida happening at a 2004 Ohio happening and acting very nervous they just did a 'Florida'. For a Republican station, they are acting pessimistic!

12:00 Midnight ~ Alaska's whopping 3 EVs give a total score of 269-211 Bush. That means the ONLY way Kerry can win now is if 1) he wins ALL the remaining states and 2) take the House. A tone of closer has arrived. The only question now is what states will change hands. Of the states that is left, only Nevada went for Bush, the rest to Gore. That means New Hampshire went from the Republicans to Democrats with perhaps Nevada too, and all the other states the possibility of going from the Democrats to the Republicans.

Another thought. Assuming this holds, there will be no transition period, which is good. If there is a challenge, at least Bush can continue acting 'business as usual' and Kerry can wait, where last time both candidates required a transition period if won. Of course Kerry wouldn't just wait, but challenge Ohio. That is to be suspected. I just hope it won't be like Florida. A nice, calm count please! Bush is wining the popular vote also, thank God. Democrats considered Gore the true president since he won the popular vote by a half of a percent.

By 1:00 Michigan went to Kerry. I am still waiting to see how the South Dakota senate race will end. As 2:00 comes, Hawaii also went to Kerry. Kerry's campaign meanwhile has a wait and see type of attitude. Lets see how close Ohio really is once all of its votes is counted. Edwards did a short speech and that is all we will hear from them till daylight. The media seem to jump from "Bush will become President" to "How can Bush win without Ohio?" I can also tell how fatigued their getting. They are an hour ahead of me.

At 2:00, Brit Hume decided to go to bed. So am I! I am going to blog this, send an e-mail to my e-pals, and then hopefully get some sleep. Like 2000 I went to bed thinking Bush will be President. The current count is 269-242 Bush with 27 left over and it seems Bush will win at least two: New Mexico and Nevada. Wisconsin may go to Kerry and Iowa is dead even.

More tomorrow... I mean today!