Official Election Night Thread

[Ess Ay Cee Dee]

Ryan, I really wish you hadn't made me look at that.

[Rspaight]

Happy to share.

Ryan

[Patrick M]

Fort Worth, Tex.: I'm deeply troubled by the media reports that people's voting based on "moral values" led them to vote Bush/Cheney. Is this not really a euphemism for judgmental, far-right social policy such as anti-choice and anti-homosexual, and aggression in foreign policy? And personally, both Bush and Cheney have highly immoral business practices in their background, as well as substance abuse on the part of our moral leader. Unless I'm missing something, I'm appalled by what passes for morality in our national conscience.

Shouldn't "our moral leader" be plural? Or have we already forgotten Cheney's two DUIs?

[Mike Hunte]

I'm an African-American female who is a registered democrat. I voted for George Bush, because I am also a believer in the Word of God. Although I don't agreed with a lot of decisions he made over the last four years, as a Christian his belief in God and open confession of his beliefs persuaded me to vote for him. I think you will find a lot of people voted because of morale values versus party affiliation. I think we are better off with a president who has a biblical foundation and is not a shame to admit he hears from God. With the help of God we can get through anything. Kerry didn't offer me the same assurance. Thank you for allowing me to speak.

Translation:

"I like the fact the Bush shamelessly used religion as a tool to cloud the landscape of reality in this election. Furthermore, when I refer to his "biblical foundation," you can be damned sure that I mean Christian. If W was professing his devotion to Allah or Buddha, "faith" in the Oval Office would all of a sudden be pretty scary to me."

[Beatlesfan03]

Sad just sad.

In the end, it came down to us and we blew it as predicted. Sure, Kerry was not without his faults, but Ohio should have been handed to him, especially since we have thrived so well here under the Bush administration.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep taking over, but I was hoping that something would come of those provisional ballots. But as I woke up this morning, I pretty much realized that the inevitable would happen.

I'm not going to get started on the whole morale values thing as that is a load of crock. Neither candidate was a saint, but I'd have to say that I found less faults with Kerry. Bush couldn't admit that he's doing anything wrong during his first term. Maybe he does hear from God because he's certainly delusional in that aspect.

Out of curiousity, have they said what the finalized the number of provisional ballots yet? I know it's hopeless, but curious nonetheless.

[Patrick M]

"I like the fact the Bush shamelessly used religion as a tool to cloud the landscape of reality in this election. Furthermore, when I refer to his "biblical foundation," you can be damned sure that I mean Christian. If W was professing his devotion to Allah or Buddha, "faith" in the Oval Office would all of a sudden be pretty scary to me."

What about Catholics?

[Rspaight]

Atrios had a good observation on this:

All the talking heads talking about the role of "moral values" in the election know that what that really means is "fag hating," but they won't say it.

That about covers it.

Ryan

[Bennett Cerf]

[Patrick M]

That's "heartland" to you, mister.

[Rspaight]

Bush Makes Not-So-Good Headlines in Europe



LONDON - The re-election of President Bush (news - web sites) dominated British newspapers Thursday, and many cast impartiality aside in reporting the result.

"How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?" the liberal Daily Mirror asked in a Page One headline. Inside, several pages of coverage were headed "U.S. election disaster."

The Independent bore the front-page headline "Four more years" on a black page with grim pictures including a hooded Iraqi prisoner and an orange-clad detainee at Guantanamo Bay.

The left-leaning Guardian led its features section with a black page bearing the tiny words, "Oh, God." Inside a story described how Bush's victory "catapaulted liberal Britain into collective depression."

Across Europe, many newspapers expressed dismay at the prospect of another term for Bush, a president often regarded as inflexible and unilateralist.

"Oops — they did it again," Germany's left-leaning Tageszeitung newspaper said in a front-page English headline. The cover of the Swiss newsmagazine Facts called Bush's re-election "Europe's Nightmare." "Victory for the hothead: how far will he go?" asked another Swiss weekly, L'Hebdo.

A few British papers welcomed the U.S. election result. "The world is a safer place with George W. Bush back in the Oval Office," the tabloid Sun said in an editorial.

All agreed the result reflected a sea-change in U.S. politics, a victory for neo-conservatives and the religious right.

"March of the Moral Majority" said the conservative Daily Mail, above a photo of Bush with his wife and daughters. "America's moral majority sweeps Bush back into the White House," The Daily Telegraph said.

The Times said Europe "must come to terms, not only with Mr. Bush, but with the nation that has elected him. This is a president who really can speak for America."

[Rspaight]

Here's another interesting map:



Ryan

[Rspaight]

[czeskleba]

Here's another interesting map:

Here's my favorite election result map. It colors the states based on popular vote percentages, rather than electoral vote winners. Aside from a few places like Utah and DC, most of the states are 45/55 or closer in candidate percentages. It's a nice reminder that despite the Civil War analogies, the country is actually not divided geographically as much as the electoral red/blue map suggests. There are both good people and fuckwits almost everywhere.

[lukpac]

From what I've seen it seems to be much more urban/rural than anything.