Blue AZ

Lookit my old homestead, would ye?



They let me down by voting McCain. They let me down by denying gay marriage rights. But damn if it doesn't look like they won't be letting me down for long.

El numeros:

District 1

Ann Kirkpatrick (D) 56%
Sydney Hay (R) 39%

District 4

Ed Pastor (D) 72%
Doug Karg (R) 21%

District 5

Harry Mitchell (D) 53%
David Schweikert (R) 44%
(Historical note: Harry Mitchell was the first Congressman I ever voted for.)

District 7

Raul Grijalva (D) 63%
Joseph Sweeney (R) 33%

District 8

Gabrielle Giffords (D) 55%
Tim Bee (R) 43%

The Cons held on to 3 seats out of all of Arizona. 3. And they got absolutely annihilated in every other district.

Beauty.

Change Has Come

Later today, the work of rebuilding this country begins.

Right now, savor the moment, and drink deep the inspiration:



We can do this, America. Together with the world.

Sinking In. The Numbers Help

I've spent most of tonight staring in disbelief at post after post about our victory. It's almost too much to believe. I should have gone downtown and marched in the streets with many other deliriously happy Obama fans, but I didn't know about that little event until long after it was over.

It's okay. I've been looking at some numbers. Some glorious, beautiful numbers.

First off, states:

Obama: 27 + DC
McCain: 20
Too Close to Call: 3

Arizona disappointed me, but Indiana pulled through, and it looks like North Carolina will as well. Watching a lot of Republicon strongholds fall tonight was awe-inspiring. That map's turning bluer as we speak.

The electoral vote is delicious:

Obama: 349
McCain: 147

My darlings, this is what is known as an ass whuppin'. And it ain't over yet.

Are you ready for your eyes to pop? Check out the current popular vote total so far:

Obama: 62,202,520
McCain: 55,207,708

Obama has already won the most votes of any presidential candidate in our history. I believe this is what we like to call a "mandate."

And how about turnout? Not too shabby:

From the Politico ...

More than 130 million people turned out to vote Tuesday, the most ever to vote in a presidential election.

With ballots still being counted in some precincts into Wednesday morning, an estimated 64 percent of the electorate turned out, making 2008 the highest percentage turnout in generations.

We have at least 55 Senate seats, with at least a hope in hell of reaching that magic 60 once the close races are called.

We picked up 17 House seats, with a few more too close to call: right now, we're at 251-171, which I don't have to tell you is a rock-solid majority.

We have our majorities. We have our mandate. Now it's time for us to put them to good use.

Howard Dean's fifty-state strategy paid huge dividends. Let's keep that going. In 2012, I want to be able to drive from sea to shining sea passing through nothing but deep blue states.

Yes. We. Can.

President-Elect Barack Obama

Let me say that again:

President-Elect Barack Obama.

Here's our President-Elect with First Lady Michelle Obama and First Daughters Sasha and Malia (h/t).



And no, I'm not going to get tired of saying "President-Elect Obama" any time soon.

Break out the bubbly, my darlings. We did it. The best is yet to come.

Yes We Did

PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA.... At 11 p.m. EST, the networks have called California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii for Barack Obama.

And with that announcement, Obama will be the 44th president of the United States.

Yes. He. Did.

Update: I'm not embarrassed to admit that I'm at a loss for words. Eleven months ago today, Obama told a group of Iowans, "You know, they said this day would never come."

And yet, he we are. It's an extraordinary moment to savor.

Yes, it is.

First Victories

Obama takes midnight voters by storm:

The first results are in for the 2008 general election, with the small village of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire again performing its tradition of having everyone turn out to vote at midnight and then immediately reporting the results.

And the count is a real shocker, as just read on CNN: Obama 15 votes, McCain six votes -- in a place that has only voted Democratic once in the 50 years they've been doing this tradition.

He won Hart's Location, NH by a vote of 17-10, too.

We're off to a beautiful start, my darlings.

This Is The Time

Soon, polls will open. Americans will line up and cast their votes. Many of us will be voting for hope, change, and a future while making history.

In light of that, there's no more fitting song for today than Savatage's "This is the Time." I spent a few hours tonight whipping us up a little inspiration:

This is the time,
And this is the place,
And these are the signs
That we must embrace.

The moment is now
In all history
The time has arrived,
And this is the one place to be.

I don't think there will be another election like this in our lifetimes.

Carpe diem, my darlings. Seize the day for Obama, for America, and for us. Seize it for those who cannot:

Dear Americans, then, whom I have never met, and yet whom I love with all my heart. This is my plea to you. Do it for me. Get out the vote with every bit of strength you have.

Do what we cannot, myself and my friends and all the other Britkids from a thousand different backgrounds, who wait and hope. Because we may not be your fellow citizens, but we are your honorary fellow liberals. And we're with you.

Seize this day for them, and for yourselves. This is our time. This is our place. This is our moment.

And remember:

Yes we can.