Live Blogging Election 2008 Direct from NPR Studios

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Woo-hoo! It's official. The Spewker will be live blogging the presidential election direct from NPR World Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on election night. And I couldn't be any more excited!!

Okay. That's not exactly true. I could be more excited. For instance, I could start jumping on the couch and screaming at the top of my lungs about how much I love a country that lets an obscure unheralded blogger like me play political pundit on the most important night of the year. But then, what's the point? Pulling a Tom Cruise is already so done and tired it's cliche. Besides, it's no fun to go completely bonkers without a live audience to appreciate the level to which I could completely lose it.

I don't think my little family qualifies as an audience. Not yet, anyway.

So, join me here in this very spot on election night. Bookmark it if you have to. This article will be regularly updated beginning at approximately 8:00 p.m. on November 4th and continuing until they've called a winner. I'll have all the election news that's fit to print and maybe some that isn't. You might laugh. You might cry. You might even see a wee bit of video.

Because live blogging is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

Nov 4th 12:23 a.m. - Drat. I may not be able to sleep tonight. My inbox is brimming with press information, NPR World Headquarters PR, NPR correspondent bios, guest blogger guidelines, specs on next day coverage, and quite frankly, my head is spinning.

Going over everything now to avoid having a cow on my way to Union Station. Or maybe I'll drive in and take my chances with parking. Can't be any worse than the 4th of July.

For anyone tuning in early, you won't believe all the social media these NPR people have cobbled together. An election blog, a streaming Twitter report, an unverified voter reporting map, a voting problems aggregator, and an extremely impressive press room wiki -- I'm still navigating all the links.

Wow! CurrentTV is also covering the election using VoteReport. Their program starts at 9 a.m. That's less than nine hours away! Advocacy groups, news reporters, and anyone with a gripe about the election can tune in early and monitor these reports, hopefully do something to fix any broken situation rather than just sit there and grumble.

I can see it now. By the time I reach NPR Headquarters, I'll be running on pure adrenaline. One hundred twenty people doing live coverage with live mikes broadcasting our every word, sniffle, and sound bite. OMG!

I can't wait.

2:35 a.m. - I just found the coolest vote tracking map ever. It's interactive. Can't wait to see how it tracks the returns. Just one caveat: It's from FoxNews. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

2:58 a.m. - Dixville Notch, NH is the first jurisdiction to register a win for Obama-Biden. With 100% turnout, no less. Hoo-ah! FoxNews map hasn't changed one iota.

Come on, peeples. Get out there and vote!!

2:00 p.m. - Still haven't left Baltimore. My scheduled dentist appointment took longer than I thought. Such a pity too. These lovely ladies were standing outside of a local elementary school willing to give rides to the polls.

Sadly, I didn't get their video up in time. The free rides ended at 1:00 p.m. But these women are such a dedicated bunch, I decided to give them the extra recognition they deserve.

Doing my part, however ineptly.

Earlier today I happened upon my friend and relative Greg G. Greg is shaking up the election with his own exit poll at Pikesville Senior High (video to post a little later). Follow Greg's unique election coverage with video, live updates, and news at Baltimore Jewish.com.

4:30 p.m. - Leaving for D.C (finally)! Just might miss traffic if I hurry up. Darn computer. Needs disk space, no time to compress. YouTube video of Sandy Rosenberg hot off the presses (finally). Oh no. Must be a conspiracy. Even YouTube is against me. The video didn't load. At least that's what my YouTube account is showing.

Taking an additional laptop to NPR just in case my world weary steed won't free up ram. Crossing all body parts. Wishing for the best.

Approx. 6:30 p.m. - Dateline: NPR studios. I've arrived. Only took about two hours down the parkway in intermittent rain. And the most confusing split in Massachusetts Avenue right where the NPR building stands. Let's just say, I'm lucky to have set up and to have made it here on time.

Still getting to know my table, a small set up in the corner of the room. Mostly comprised of NPR employees. In the middle sit the majority of tonight's bloggers, a fine mix of tech, politics, and social media. But since I'm trying to work off two computers at the same time, I thought it best not to take up too much extra space.

On the way over the radio talking heads debated The Fairness Doctrine, early voting in Maryland, exit poll returns, etc. Polls are closing in some key states. According to the TV news Obama seems to be leading in Kentucky, "very very early in the game." But don't let that discourage all you McCain supporters. According to Fox News, democracy requires that everybody vote. Hurry up! In some parts of the country you still have time.

Most of the TV and radio pundits are saying the election turning point was the September meltdown of Wall Street. But I disagree. I say it was McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as running mate. Good for Conservatives, bad for Independents and disaffected Democrats. At one point in this election I could have gone either way, but with the selection of Palin, well, that was the final straw.

Appx. 7:00 p.m. - They're starting to call Kentucky for McCain. But still too early, although about 8,000 votes are in. Vermont called (again early) for Obama. If so, McCain now leads in the electoral college.

Mark Warner projected winner in Virginia for U.S. Senate.

Appx. 7:45 p.m. - Just came back from the studio tour given by Amy Schriefer of All Songs Considered. Three people at a time, I wanted to be one of the first volunteers. Hopefully, if I ever get today's Sandy Rosenberg video to load, I'll have whatever video I was able to get of the studio posted.

Ah, finally (fer real this time). Ladies and gentlemen, Delegate Sandy Rosenberg:

Appx 8:00 p.m. - Yes we can!! NPR just called a slew of states for Obama. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and D.C. They are saying that Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida are must wins for McCain. But now McCain is the projected loser in Pennsylvania, although called the winner in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennesee.

And now they're projecting Elizabeth Dole as a loser in her election race. Can you believe that? No more Liddy Dole! The horror.

Some grumbles in the blogger room about NPR projecting Pennsylvania way too early for Obama. No other news organization is making that call ... except ... Al Jezeera (credit to someone at the big blogger table -- didn't see who). Very funny.

Can hear cheers in the background of the current NPR broadcaster. Seems like a lot of people are psyched about those early calls for Obama. About 170 electoral college votes. Obama is almost half way there.

Colorado polls are still open apparently. NPR is broadcasting from a McCain support center. The lady says they are still calling people to get out the vote. So if you're a voter in Colorado and you still haven't voted....what in the world are you waiting for?

Appx 8:30 p.m. - Whew! NPR is no longer out on limb projecting PA for Obama. MSNBC and CBS News are now on board. If these folks are correct, it's a very big loss for John McCain.

Appx 8:50 p.m. - Obama-Biden headquarters are starting to heat up with excited supporters. John Dickerson reports from Chicago that there are six spotlights pointed to the sky, "presumably preparing for Obama's ascent to heaven." Can't tell if he's a supporter or detractor. Actually, I think I recall his earlier broadcast of a vote for Obama, but don't hold me to that.

Projected 80% turnout for voting. Hmph! I thought it would be way higher.

Now projecting Michigan, New York, Rhode Island, Minnesota and Wisconsin for Obama, North Dakota and Wyoming for McCain.

Appx 9:10 p.m. - Washington Post has a nice stream. They're refusing to call PA for Obama, probably out of an abundance of caution. Their team of pundits are now saying that the only way for McCain to hold on is to win all the red states for Bush in the last election plus a swing state. That's a lot to live up to, even for McCain. I don't think he can pull it off. It's 9:10 p.m. and I'm calling this election for Obama.

You heard it here first.

Georgia called for McCain. Big swath of red in the south. And now there's some red states showing on top of the map as well. Wyoming and North Dakota for McCain. There must be some kind of correlation between the people living in those big country states and the south. Far be it from me to suggest the commonalities. I'll leave that to you to figure out.

Appx 9:25 - The camera guys are here. Popping pictures all over the place. Maybe I'll download some and post here.

In the meantime, even The Washington Post has called PA for Obama. And NPR is calling Ohio for Obama. Richard Cohen from The Washington Post says this election is a vindication for Lyndon Johnson. Who would have ever thought the civil rights movement would forever go down in history as his baby.... Surely not Martin Luther King.

Appx 9:40 p.m. We're having an amazing round table discussion about the election and what a historic Obama-Biden victory will mean. Phrases like "fruition of a dream cut short in the late 1960s," "Americans voting for President based on the country they want to live in," "wanting a President who's smarter than me," and "Conservative voters hijacking the Republican party" are piquing my interest in another video. Still waiting for the NPR Studios composite to load. But if my computer speeds up, I may be able to post a video capturing the spirit of an impending Obama victory.

10:55 p.m. - Washington Post put Louisiana in McCain's column. Big duh.

10:10 p.m. - New Mexico called for Obama. After almost an hour of downloading 22 minutes of the NPR studio tour, the program malfunctioned. Can you believe that? No? Neither can I.

Eh, not much going on here really. A few bloggers have left, a sizeable amount are on break. Pundits reduced to how John McCain will save face and maintain his reputation.

More on the "I can't believe that just happened" front - while I was out at the buffet, I heard an NPR program where they were discussing our round table "fruition of a dream" discussion. Coincidence? I think not.

10:45 p.m. - Just wrapped my video with Terrance Heath - an in depth discussion about race and religion and recreation of our round table discussion. Good stuff!

Virginia just called for Obama. Hoo-ah!

10:55 p.m. - Colorado called for Obama by The Washington Post, but NPR is still staying neutral. Big shocker of the night - Virginia called for Obama and North Carolina still too close to call. And talk about Florida... 83% precincts reporting with 49% for McCain and 51% for Obama. Looks like tonight's story will be Virginia and Ohio. And "as Ohio goes, so goes the nation..."

11:00 p.m. CNN calls the election for Obama! California tipped the election. You're witnessing history!

11:45 p.m. Computer froze. But I'm back. Have some great photos of the blogger room. Here's the scene during McCain's concession speech.








11:50 p.m. Barack Obama is expected to speak at the top of the hour. Just checked my email. A bunch of links from the other NPR live bloggers. Check out their articles:

writeslikeshetalks
Matador Pulse
siteview
arstechnia

Okay - Obama has taken the stage in Chicago. I need to hear this.

Nov. 5th 12:15 a.m. Obama just wrapped his speech. Hurrying to upload on YouTube. NPR wants to pack up and go home.

12:35 a.m. - Last video of the night. Yes we can! Thanks, NPR.

Over and out.

Top Ten Questions About Tonight's Vice Presidential Debate

Late breaking post. Less than an hour before broadcast of the first and last vice presidential debate. So much riding on one televised broadcast, so little time.

Here's the top ten things I would like answered prior to tonight's debate:

#10 - Will Palin wear something other than that tired fire engine red bandleader jacket?

#9 - Will Biden formulate responses as actual answers rather than something akin to a soliloquy from Hamlet?

#8 - How many times will Palin say the moderator's name to fill time and fake answers sounding more intelligent than pageant prattle?

#7 - Can Biden swallow the foot he's inevitably going to stick in his mouth so the audience won't realize it's there?

#6 - Will Palin ask the moderator to reformulate the question like a kid at the National Spelling Bee whenever she gets stuck for an answer?

#5 - Will Biden make mincemeat of Palin's first gaffe or let it blow over in deference to politically correct rules of decorum?

#4 - Will Palin pull homespun analogies from a rabbit's hat trying to make the audience forget exactly how far in over her head she is in this election?

#3 - Can Biden get through the entire debate without reminding the audience he knows from experience what it's like to suffer through personal tragedy?

#2 - Will right-wing radio talk show hosts ever stop harping on moderator Gwen Ifill's blatant bias against Palin? Yeesh. It's like they fully expect Palin to implode upon impact.


And the number one question I would like answered prior to tonight's debate ....


(drum roll)


#1 - How many bloggers have posted drinking games predicated upon the number of times each candidate does and/or says something stupid and/or predictable?

Where is Hillary Clinton When Candidate Refers to Lipstick on a Pig?

In the return to "silly season" politics, the McCain Campaign is blasting Barack Obama for supposedly sexist remarks made at a campaign stop in Lebanon, Virginia.

Let's just list this for a second. John McCain says he's about change, too. Except -- and so I guess his whole angle is, 'Watch out, George Bush, except for economic policy, health-care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy, and Karl Rove-style politics. We're really gonna shake things up in Washington.' That's not change. That's just calling some -- the same thing, something different. But you know, you can -- you know, you can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.

Obama then praised both McCain's "compelling story" and Palin's "interesting story," saying his "hat goes off" to anyone who's looking after five kids -- I've got two and they tire Michelle and me out -- that's why John McCain's campaign manager said this campaign isn't going to be about issues, this campaign is going to be about personalities."

Jane Swift, Massachusetts chairwoman of McCain's "Palin Truth Squad," said Obama's lipstick remark was an obvious reference to Mrs Palin's much-quoted line that the only difference between hockey moms and pitbull dogs is lipstick.

"It seemed to me a gendered comment. There's only one woman in the race," she said.

Baltimore radio station WCBM immediately jumped on the bandwagon, devoting almost all of this morning's air time to outraged indignation and terse demands for an immediate apology.

Local talk show host Tom Marr not only relentlessly pounded Obama for his lipstick remarks, but also clobbered him on his "You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change -- it's still gonna stink after 8 years" remark, claiming the expression was a reference to 72-year old John McCain. One clearly misguided woman called the program to add how Obama's lipstick remark proved he is a Muslim because "all Muslims refer to their women as pigs."

Obama Campaign senior advisor Anita Dunn swiftly responded to the ridiculous controversy in a prepared statement,

A pathetic attempt to play the gender card about the use of a common analogy - the same analogy that Senator McCain himself used about Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's health care plan just last year. This phony lecture on gender sensitivity is the height of cynicism and lays bare the increasingly dishonorable campaign John McCain has chosen to run.

"The expression is timeless and it has always meant that though you may dress something up, it doesn’t change what that something is," explained Robert Gibbs, chief Obama Campaign spokesman.

Indeed, the expression is so common that McCain's former press secretary, Torie Clark, used it for a book title and McCain himself used the expression last October when offering his opinion about Hillary Clinton's health care plan (thank you, Jake Tapper).

Obama recently issued his own response to the unnecessary distraction. He has nothing to be sorry about. In a full-blown effort to counteract media bias, the McCain Campaign has gone overboard, jumped the shark to a whole new level of underhanded politics. Talk about vicious attacks. McCain supporters are having a field day with the misrepresentation of Obama's remarks.

The American people want to hear about issues, the candidates' political platforms, and answers to hard hitting questions. Cloyingly desperate attempts to revisit political silly season only demonstrates how little McCain/Palin have to say.

Kenny Rogers' Beard Smells Like a Lawsuit

Oh, that over-the-top shock jock, Howard Stern. What he won't do to entertain an audience. Half-naked ladies in the studio, plastic surgery contests, the raunchiest repartee this side of the Mississippi, and now the icing on the cake of a deliciously nasty career.

Dolly Parton wants to sue, claiming Howard left her "completely devastated" after broadcasting a NSFW remix of her latest audio book. Howard seems to enjoy pushing the edge of reason, but this time he's probably in the clear.

Nobody could take this stuff seriously. Goddam, I LOVE Howard's version! Nearly pissed my pants listening to it. I still can't stop laughing. For anyone with delicate sensibilities, DO NOT play this tape. It's crude, rude and downright lewd. Walk away and do not return. That's the only warning you're going to get.

Blatantly inappropriate or not, this is one of the most creatively funny gimmicks I've heard in a long time. What does Dolly have against Kenny Rogers anyway?

[Source]

The Spewker is Going Dark Until February 4, 2008

This is the last article on The Spewker until February 4, 2008. If you could see my house, you'd know why.

The dishes are no longer simply piling up in the sink. This morning I saw creepy little bugs crawling around the dish drainer. And the laundry! Don't get me started on the laundry. There's always another pile that needs sorting and washing. Maybe I could see the light of day if the children would hang up all the clothes they pull from their closets and reject. But since they're too lazy to put clean clothes back on the hangers, and since they clean up their rooms by stuffing all the clothes scattered across their floors in their laundry baskets, I think I'd better start getting used to the dark.

Mind you, I would hang the darn clothes up myself if they didn't stew with the stanky stuff for umpteen days. Their laundry baskets are filled with gym socks, underwear, and moldy looking junk I can't decipher. I'd beat the kids silly and take away their cell phones if I thought it would change their scuzzy hygiene habits. Where did they learn such infuriatingly disgusting habits, I wonder. Oh. Right. Our house. Never mind.

I'm also starting to have nightmares about the inch and a half of dust building up on the heating baseboards. Is something like that bad for one's health? I know. I know. I should hire a cleaning service. Well, good services are hard to find. The last one I had drove me to drink. Constant new personnel, interminable lateness, and couldn't care less attitudes. I kissed them goodbye without so much as a whimper.

Ah, navel gazing. Thrilling for the writer to unload, boring for readers to view. I'll bet half the people who started this article surfed to something else after my diatribe against the children. Were you one of them?

Oh, crimey, you couldn't be one of them if you made it this far, now could you? I don't know what's more stupid, me asking a question like that or someone responding to it.

Mona is now nudging me saying this article is truly starting to sound weird. "If you don't stop," she's warning me, "we're going to lose a lot of subscribers." Moan has a tendency to be right about such things, so I suppose I will stop. If I've offended anyone, I sincerely apologize and beg forgiveness. It worked for Gene Simmons with The Donald, right?

A few random thoughts before I sign off for the rest of this month.

Conservative talk radio blows. No, I mean it. It didn't before, but now it does. It's like all the conservative talk show hosts have bandied together and decided the only Republican candidates that make sense to them are Romney and Thompson. Maybe, maybe Giuliani if he would just get out there and campaign in the early primary states. The votes of little states don't seem to figure into Rudy's political strategy, or so they say. Not wanting to look positively thick, the conservatrons are barely mentioning his name. Rudy is not out of this race, fellahs, remember that!

Also, I'm getting fed up hearing every single one of them say, "I still think Hillary is going to become the nominee, even though I don't want her to become the nominee, I really think she's going to get the nomination." Those blithering idiots! If they really didn't want Billary to become the nominee, none of them would be saying that. Every single one of them would be too scared to come out with such a prediction for fear of being wrong. They're only repeating the Billary mantra because they want the Democrats to nominate her. They know she can't win against any of the Republicans and that's a fact.

Believe it or not, and I say this most sincerely, Obama at least has a shot at becoming our next president. He's likeable, his sound bites are right, and he plays to his own party. Hardly any Dem is going to jump ship if Obama becomes the nominee. That's exactly what the conservative talk show hosts are afraid of, mark my words.

Moving on. The presidential election. I've decided to stop blogging about it. My thoughts about the election and the candidates are pissing too many people off, probably because I'm such a moderate. I don't understand where these people are coming from. My legal training allows me to see both sides of a controversy without becoming emotionally invested. Not so for the majority of people I've met on the Internet. Either I agree with them and align myself with their point of view, or they target me as the enemy. Divisive politics is counterproductive, antithetical to my inherent nature as a people person, and not worth the animosity it engenders. I'm tempted to remove all the "political commentary" articles from the topix list in this blog, but that would be capitulating to the bullies. One thing about yours truly, I don't back down on issues I truly believe in and care about.

In fact, I care so passionately about these issues -- *sniff* *sniff* -- I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if I didn't *sniff* *sniff* care about these things so very passionately. I'm only trying *sniff* *sniff* to help *sniffle* the American people (smattering of water in the eyes) when I blog about political issues *sniff* because I care so unbelievably passionately (clearing throat) and want to make the world a better place for the children, the dear precious children, bless their tiny little hearts and souls.

Finally, social media. It's huge, very powerful and impressive. Each day I become more emersed in it, I am energized by a newfound ability to reach people from all walks of life and nationalities. I don't have to actually meet these people. I only have to somehow connect with them. When I do I feel the same way as if we had connected at a bar or a convention. Sometimes such chance encounters become lasting friendships. I'm debating whether to post articles about social media when I return. They wouldn't be research or anything intellectual, just my own thoughts and impressions. If anyone is still reading this article, let me know what you think about social media and whether you think it may compliment the existing "American media" category here at The Spewker.

Thank you, whoever is left, for your interest, time, and patience. Please subscribe or bookmark this site and return on February 4th. You won't regret making the commitment, I promise.

Update: 2.25.08 The 2008 presidential election has been way too exciting to ignore. Despite my best efforts, I continue to blog about it. If the articles piss people off, so be it. At the end of the day, I have to be true to myself. Besides, I'm a believer in the cliche, if you build it they will come. There's a place for a political moderate on the Internet. The Spewker should be a place similarly minded people can call home.