Want to know how important this election was to the world?
One only needs to read this morning’s headlines. As Americans were waking up from last night’s historic election, newspapers around the world splashed the triumphant photos of Obama with hopeful headlines for our new President.
These headlines of goodwill make me cautiously optimistic that we as a nation will once again gain the respect that we need on the world stage.
The fact that the world was so interested in our election underscores the significance and importance of this moment in history. Let us all hope that better times are ahead.
Great. First John King of CNN with his amazin’ touch-screen computer, and now Wolf Blitzer with his “Jessica Yellin Hologram.” Do CNN gimmicks ever end? It would have been nice to watch Jessica talk about the incredible turnout at Obama’s victory rally, but Blitzer was too fixated on the wonders of hologram technology:
“Alright, uh, there she is, Jessica Yellin, I know you’re in Chicago but we’ve uhhh done something, a hologram. We beamed you in. We beamed you in, here, uhh into the CNN Election Center. I want to talk to you as I would normally be talking to you if you were really face-to-face with me. I know you’re uhh at least a thousand miles away, but it looks like you’re right here.
I mean, Wolf just wouldn’t shut up about the stupid hologram. I knew that there was a good reason I switched years ago to MSNBC. No offense to Blitzer, but we true geeks have seen this as early as 1977 in “Star Wars,” and watch it regularly every time the doctor makes an appearance in “Star Trek Voyager.” Sorry Wolf, but this isn’t new to us:
Thank you God for having me stick to MSNBC tonight.
The wonderful band of smartasses at Wonkette mentioned this while liveblogging the election returns:
7:15 PM — OH JESUS CHRIST TURN ON CNN, THEY HAVE HOLOGRAPHIC HUMAN TECHNOLOGY AND HAVE EMPEROR PALPATINE “ON THE SET”!
7:17 PM — Wolf Blitzer: “You know what I like about this hologram … you’re a hologram now, Jessica.”
7:17 PM — This is terrifying pornography.
Jim N.
HAHAH WATCH CNN
Sara S.
Jesus Christ it is like shitty Star Trek
Jim N.
there is a princess leia “help me obi wan kenobi” image talking to wolf blitzer
Sara S.
That is so retarded
Jim N.
this is so horrifying!
Sara S.
Just awful
Ken L.
CNNN WHT THT HTHE FUCK
Ken L.
“Yes, My Master, what is Thy Bidding” …
Ken L.
She’s even flickering like the Emperoro
Ken L.
oh my god
Ken L.
this is awful
Jim N.
god, if they’re going to do this, they could at least make it look somewhat professional
Jim N.
i think i am too scared to watch CNN
Ken L.
“you’re a hologram now jessica”
Jim N.
it’s also like an 80s music video.
Jim N.
HAHAHA
Juli W.
oh she looks like that movie waking life
7:21 PM — Indiana, too close to call.
7:24 PM — We have switched to MSNBC, because dear god, the Flickering Witch Monster on CNN is the scariest motherfucking thing we’ve ever seen.
7:25 PM — But then we have to go back, to see John King and his wizard’s map.
Despite the doomsayers on the major news channels pontificating that there might be chaos at the polls on election day, the election itself went along as smooth as could be expected. The election wrapped up at 11pm est, and there was no claim of election theft, hanging chads, or voter fraud thank God.
It was still far from perfect. With people in lines around the block waiting for hours, it is apparent and imperative that money needs to be allocated for more voting machines. Tests need to be conducted as to which machines work best and are user-friendly. The elderly and disabled have a right to reasonable accommodations with regard to voting as outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1993. Being made to wait for an incredible lengthy amount of time in line to me, does not add up to a reasonable accommodation.
Still, many voters sucked it up, and waited as long as it took through various weather conditions to perform their duty as an American citizen. I applaud every single McCain or Obama voter who endured these lines to make their voices heard. After all, this is what the great experiment from our Founding Fathers is all about. Despite the long lines, the process was fairly smooth, and was the largest turnout in a national election in recent history.
That’s not to say that everything at every polling station was peachy. There was one incident in Philadelphia Pa. that looked a bit sinister. Rick Leventhal from FoxNews visited the polling station and confronted a member of the “Black Panthers.”
From the HuffPost:
Fox News’ Rick Leventhal reported live from the polling place where Black Panthers were allegedly intimidating voters Tuesday afternoon.
A University of Pennsylvania student reported that a Black Panther wielding a “night stick” intimidated voters at a polling place in Philadelphia (video below). The Black Panther allegedly claimed he was “tired of white supremacy.” An Obama volunteer on the scene disputed this account, saying there was no intimidation of voters occurring at the polling place.
When Leventhal went to investigate, he got into a confrontation with a Black Panther — a certified poll watcher — who denied the story and told Leventhal in no uncertain terms that he was not welcome at the polling place. Leventhal disputed his claims, citing election law which allows him to be within 10 feet of the entrance.
Leventhal could not confirm that the Black Panthers were on the scene intimidating voters, saying, “There’s been no disturbances that I’m aware of, except what we’ve encountered here. But again, I want to make very clear, we don’t know that any voters were denied entrance to this polling facility. We don’t know that anyone was intimidated to the point that they decided not to vote here, but that was what some people were concerned might be happening with two Black Panthers, one of them holding a nightstick, out front.”
I have to say that after watching this, it’s one of the few times that I agree with FoxNews:
So let’s see, 101,272,151 people voting, hundreds of thousands of polling places, and one stupid incident. Okay, I can live with that.
At this time, Obama is leading McCain 200 to 90 with California having yet to weigh in. California with 55 electoral votes has been a historically blue state. Given the McCain campaign this year, I doubt he’ll win California. That will put Obama at 255 with 15 electoral votes left from any of the remaining states.
The only state that Obama has flipped so far has been Ohio. Although losing red states, he has garnered more votes in the traditionally red states than Gore or Kerry. I can confidently say that this will not be a close election. This will be a mandate for the Democrats.
In other news, alleged godless Sunday School Teacher Kay Hagen (D) beat Elizabeth Dole (R) to win her Senate seat in North Carolina. Kudos to Hagen’s guts to stand up to Dole bearing false witness to her Christian faith. To Dole, you reap what you sow. Shame on you for breaking the ninth commandment stating, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
Minnesota’s Senate race between Al Franken (D) and Norm Coleman (R) is still too close to call, though Franken is winning. Go Franken! Make this the Al Franken Decade!
Want to know how important this election was to the world?
