Detailed 2008 Election Results, Analysis

Continuing Coverage from 7:00-10:00 a.m. Wednesday Morning.

The Road Forward, 10:00 a.m., Wednesday

It has been an eventful election season culminating in an historic achievement. Whatever one's party affiliation, we can all agree that the election of Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States opens a new door in America. Barack Obama has pledged to serve as the elected representative of all Americans. Without regard to how we voted, it is in our collective best interests to put past differences aside as both John McCain and Barack Obama urged us to do in their speeches on Tuesday night. As a nation, we have daunting tasks ahead of us. We must weather the economic storm and put the nation back on the path of growth. We must protect this nation from terrorist threats. We must find solutions to the struggles we face in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must transform our tattered reputation from global bully to global leader. It will take all of us working together to make this happen. If we persist, as Rush Limbaugh has pledged to do, in attacking one another and dividing Americans into separate camps, then we will fail.

Source: abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news&id=6490667

My Experience Counting the Votes, 9:45 a.m., Wednesday

As I recounted in yesterday's article, when I went to the polls in my town, there was note posted at the check in table asking for volunteers to help count the votes. I signed up and reported back to the polls at 7:00 p.m. when the polls closed. Minutes after the doors closed, one voter was turned away, having arrived too late. Those in line or busy completing their same day voter registrations, however, were allowed to finish and cast their votes.

The first step for the volunteers was to be sworn in as vote counters. We swore to uphold the laws and faithfully administer our duties. Our small town uses simple paper ballots with voter selections marked with a pencil. The first step was to unfold the ballots and separate them into stacks of 25. There were roughly 20 volunteers so this took only a few minutes. When that was done, tally sheets were handed out. The first batch of the two page tally sheets had two page ones and no page twos, so there was short delay while the error was corrected and new tally sheets were handed out.

Vote counters worked in pairs, with one person calling out the names and office reflected on the ballots one by one and the other person adding a tally mark for each vote under the appropriate name on the tally sheet. After two hours, all the votes were recorded and totaled. While awaiting our dismissal, I pulled out my cell phone to check the news about the election results. Pennsylvania had been declared for Obama, as had New Hampshire where we were, ironically, still counting votes. I counted 100 ballots and found the results really did mirror the overall state results. Notably, even though Obama had a wide margin in the ballots I saw, there were, what seemed to me to be an unusual number of ballots which voted the straight Democratic ticket with one exception - these voters chose John McCain along with their Democratic selections. While I have no empirical evidence either way, it raised questions of racism in my mind, though the selections could have been made for any number of reasons.

The International View of the Election Results, 9:15 a.m., Wednesday

There is a great article from Reuters detailing the reaction of world leaders to the election of Barack Obama to the American presidency. I reprint five of the more noteworthy quotes here:

"I think Obama will rightly call on us to take our responsibilities more seriously." - Franco Frattiani, Italian Foreign Minister.

"Israel expects the close strategic cooperation with the new administration, president and Congress will continue along with the continued strengthening of the special and unshakeable special relationship between the two countries." - Tzipi Livni, Israeli Foreign Minister

"Your victory is an inspiration for us. That which appeared impossible has become possible." -Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukrainian Prime Minister

"We don't expect any change through our previous experience with the Democrats ... When it comes to foreign policy there is no difference between the Republicans and the Democrats." - Ali Al-Sadig, Sudan's Foreign Ministry Spokesman

"With the world in turmoil and doubt, the American people, faithful to the values that have always defined America's identity, have expressed with force their faith in progress and the future. At a time when we must face huge challenges together, your election has raised enormous hope..." - Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France (the real one, not a Canadian radio host)

There are many more quotes available at the Reuters site, and, as you can see, the response is varied, but generally Obama's election is viewed as a positive and an opportunity for our allies to build stronger relationships with the United States built upon mutual respect.

Source: reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUSTRE4A42U620081105?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=10112

Addressing Message Board Concerns from the Right, 9:00 a.m., Wednesday

This next section reflects some of my opinions, in contrast to the political ramblings of so called leaders of the religious right, who have deluded their followers in recent years. Specifically, I am responding to one of the comments on the message board below this article which says:

"Sadly, I fear America is doomed... As liberal non-values continue to be embraced throughout America, we will continue a steady decline. A historical look at societies that have done so will confirm it, we are moving down the same path to destruction. Examine the values that built America into the greatest nation on the face of the earth compared to our degenerating society of today...me thinks it's much more than a coincidence our country is suffering its current maladies."

This sentiment is echoed around the web and was a prominent issue raised during the campaign. To those who feel this way, I understand your concerns, but you are misguided. Let me explain why. The founding fathers, despite popular neo-con rhetoric to the contrary, were not all Christians. Indeed, Thomas Jefferson, the author of the constitution, was, along with others of his colleagues, was known as a Deist. He believed strongly that the United States should not promote any religion, in any form. Monticello.org quotes him as saying "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg . . . . Reason and free inquiry are the only effectual agents against error." Monticello.org further states that "Jefferson's religious views became a major public issue during the bitter party conflict between Federalists and Republicans in the late 1790s when Jefferson was often accused of being an atheist." To argue that the founding fathers intended America to be a Christian nation are simply wrong. Many who came to America in the pre-colonial days did so because they were the victims of religious persecution. At the time, it was unheard of for a government not to choose and espouse one particular religion. The founding fathers deliberately broke with that tradition, intending the United States of America to be a nation welcoming and supporting to all, whether one believes in Christ or, to paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, "twenty gods, or no god."

There are some who say that America's troubles are the result of our turning away from morality and Christian values. First, I dispute that we are turning away from Christian values, in the same way that biblical polygamy has faded as a morally acceptable value as the times have changed, I would argue that other social values of the Bible have evolved in the thousands of years since those days as well. However, if we look at recent American history, we see that the last two Bush presidential administrations, which were lauded by conservative fundamentalist leaders for their strong Christian values, have both resulted in financial ruin for the United States. On the other hand, under the morally questionable (by all standards) Clinton presidency, America thrived. To those who would attribute America's success or failures to God, it seems as though you are ignoring His repeated and obvious messages about his preference for the separation of that which is Caesar's and that which is the Lord's. Personally, I believe that God neither chooses one political candidate over another, nor punishes the United States for disagreeing with the transient pronouncements of conservative fundamentalist leaders.

Sources:

monticello.org/reports/interests/religion.html,

The Holy Bible

The Economic Challenge Remains, 8:10 a.m., Wednesday

Despite the celebrations that occurred around the country with the announcement of Barack Obama's victory in the presidential election, serious economic trouble still looms for the United States. New jobless claim numbers will be announced Friday, and based upon the many job cut announcements being made by companies like Circuit City, Chrysler, and many, many others in recent days, as I have reported in my Tuesday and Thursday articles at managingmoney.com, those jobless numbers will not be good. The stock market has started to show some signs of bottoming out, but further economic down-sliding could send the market down even further. Something like two-thirds of the American economy is fueled by consumer spending. Without jobs, consumers don't spend. The country is firmly in the grasp of a recession and is widely expected to remain that way for another 3 quarters at least. As jobs disappear, the likelihood of that recession deepening and lengthening grow in corresponding measure.

As Barack Obama takes office, he will need to contend with these economic issues first and foremost. I expect he will not enact any new taxes until the temporary Bush tax cuts expire around 2010. Obama has expressed support for a strong economic stimulus package, so it is likely that many American families can expect a second stimulus check from the government in the next few months. The markets will look to see who Barack Obama plans to appoint to key positions like the Secretary of the Treasury for reassurance that sound monetary policies will be enacted to support the economy in the coming months. Governor John Corzine, thought to be one of several candidates for the office, denied on CNBC television news Wednesday morning that he had been approached or had any conversations about the office with Barack Obama or his representatives. Paul Volcker is reported to be another strong contender. Either of these choices would likely be welcomed by the markets.

sources: managingmoney.com/weblog, CNBC News television

California's Proposition 8 Banning Gay Marriage, 7:50 a.m., Wednesday

California's Proposition 8 banning gay marriage has passed according to Bloomberg. This is a sad note for America. The passage of Proposition 8 takes away rights and freedoms from Americans. The basic rights, as Thomas Jefferson wrote that are "endowed by their creator." He wrote "that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." To any reasonable person, those inalienable rights include the right to choose the person that one wishes to marry. It is inconceivable to me how anyone can feel that their own marriage or the institution of marriage is threatened by someone else's choice of a spouse. In my opinion, the institution of marriage is threatened by those who would politicize it with misguided efforts like California's Proposition 8. Defenders of the institution of marriage, defenders of the US constitution, and defenders of fairness and humanity must, if they are true to those ideals, work to overturn Proposition 8 and prevent further attempts to limit the basic freedoms of Americans.

Source: bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aer_VqlQmE3U&refer=us

John McCain's Concession Speech and Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech Videos, 7:30 a.m., Wednesday

I want to mention again both the concession speech by John McCain and the acceptance speech by Barack Obama. Both speeches called out for an American unity. Barack Obama promised to be "everyone's president," representing the interests and needs of all Americans, while John McCain asked his supporters to put aside their differences and rally behind the new American president. You can view a video of John McCain's concession speech here. View Barack Obama's acceptance speech video here. To me, both speeches were very moving. John McCain showed his dignity and strength in a way that had been missing from much of his presidential campaign, particularly toward the end. Barack Obama demonstrated again his ability to inspire people with hope, an ability which was largely responsible for his election victory.

Obama Supporters Dance in the Streets of Washington DC, 7:14 a.m., Wednesday

In my lifetime, I don't recall any presidential election which resulted in more joy and celebration among such a large number of Americans. In Washington DC last night, Obama supporters were literally dancing in the streets around the White House after the victory was announced. A celebration in Chicago's Grant Park drew more than 240,000 Obama supporters, according to the LA Times. As I mentioned earlier, this election truly is a landmark event in the history of our great nation. Truly now, every American child can not only dream of being president, but can actually have a realistic chance to achieve that goal.

President Bush called both Senator McCain and President-elect Obama on Tuesday night after the results of the election were clear. Fox News television reports that during the congratulatory call to Barack Obama, President Bush invited Barack Obama and his family to the White House. There was no report available on whether President Bush would allow the drapes to be measured during such a visit.

Sources:

Fox News television

latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-obama5-2008nov05,0,3836919.story

politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/04/bush-calls-obama-to-congratulate-him/

zimbio.com/pictures/4NkIOSebumr/Supporters+Celebrate+Obama+Victory+Front+White/L9L0zyEVSlz

House of Representatives Update, 6:45 a.m., Wednesday

The Democrats also picked up more seats in the House of Representatives in yesterday's election. CNN reports 251 seats now under Democratic control with 173 held by Republicans, leaving 11 seats still too close to call. The larger margin for the Democratic majority makes it easier to pass legislation supporting a Democratic agenda, even if a few Democrats vote against a particular bill.

Senator Biden? What Happens to Delaware Senate Seat? 6:45 a.m., Wednesday

Joe Biden, in addition to being elected vice-president as part of the Obama-Biden ticket, has been re-elected to the Senate in the state of Delaware. Obviously, he will need to resign that office. Under Delaware state law, the state's governor will appoint a replacement to assume Biden's Senate seat once he resigns. Both the current and incoming governors are Democrats so this appointment will not change the Senate's balance of power.

Key Senate Races and Balance of Power, 6:30 a.m., Wednesday

At this hour, 4 Senate races remain undecided including the contest between Democrat Al Franken and Republican Norm Coleman. CNN reports that Coleman has a 4000 vote lead with 98% of the vote counted. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reminds us that Minnesotan law requires a recount if the margin of victory is less than one half of one percent, which it is almost certain to be in this race. If the trailing candidate does not waive the recount, we may not have an official result in the Minnesotan Senate race for several days.

In any case, it looks like the Republicans have narrowly avoided a Democratic super-majority of 60 seats in the Senate which would have allowed them to over-ride any potential Republican filibuster. With four seats still undecided, it could still happen, but it is very unlikely. The current Senate seat count stands at 56 for the Democrats (including two Independents) and 40 for the Republicans.

In another hotly contested race, incumbent Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole has been defeated by Democrat Kay Hagan. As of 2:52 a.m., 100% of the vote in North Carolina has been counted giving Hagan a 53%-44% victory over the wife of former Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole.

Barack Obama Wins, 11:30 p.m., Tuesday

The election is over and the historic results are in. The winner and the next President of the United States is Barack Obama. Black Americans, indeed all Americans, have taken another step forward toward realizing that American mantra: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." The outcome of this election is one of the truly remarkable milestones in the evolution of our nation.

The Democrats also increased their majority in the Senate and the House ofRepresentatives. Many pre-election and exit polls showed that the most important issue for a wide majority of voters was the economy. The message was clear and reminiscent of the Clinton campaign slogan, "It's the economy stupid." It turns out the polls leading up to the election were pretty close to the actual results.

John McCain delivered a concession speech shortly after 11:00 p.m. last night in which he urged his supporters to work together with Barack Obama for the good of the country. In a particular poignant moment, McCain offered his heartfelt regret that Barack Obama's grandmother did not live to see this day.