The Ashford Zone Blog

He's been a socialist, a Marxist, a terrorist-loving radical liberal with the most liberal agenda that's so radically liberal that everyone can plainly see how really really radically liberal he is…

Of course, all that was before yesterday.

Today, we learn that the Obama won because he's center-right, and ran a center-right campaign.

Whatever.

Then again, that might be true if one accepts that the "center" of America is progressive.

Kottke is collecting them.

He thinks the one at the New York Times was the best overall.

Here's The Onion's:

Newsweek informs us of things we didn't know before the election:

(1)  Palin's $150,000 spending spree?  It was actually "tens of thousands of dollars" greater than that.  As Newsweek put it:

One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family — clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards.

(2)  At the GOP convention one night, McCain advisors Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter went to her hotel room to brief her. After a minute, Palin sailed into the room wearing nothing but a towel, with another on her wet hair. She told them to chat with her laconic husband, Todd. "I'll be just a minute," she said.

(3)  Hackers broke into both the McCain and Obama campaign computers.  Not by their opponents, but by foreign nationals.

And perhaps more disturbing….

(4)  There was, according to the Secret Service, a sharp and disturbing increase in threats to Obama in September and early October, at the same time that many crowds at Palin rallies became more frenzied.

The article also mentions this:

The Obama campaign's New Media experts created a computer program that would allow a "flusher"—the term for a volunteer who rounds up nonvoters on Election Day—to know exactly who had, and had not, voted in real time. They dubbed it Project Houdini, because of the way names disappear off the list instantly once people are identified as they wait in line at their local polling station.

I learned about Houdini last week, but was (for obvious reasons) sworn to secrecy.  I can't say whether it was a success on the whole; I was only one kog in the whole Houdini machine.  In case it's not clear, the whole point was to find out who had not voted so that they resources could be directed to reaching these non-voters (by phone, email) and trying to get them to the polls.

I suspect, however, that Houdini's utility was limited in my district, as well as most of North Carolina.  Most people voted early or were already planning to vote.  It may have coaxed a handful more into the ballot box, but I just don't think it would have been that many.

Defined as:

A child conceived after Obama was proclaimed President by way of celebratory sex

P.S.  Can I just say something apropos of nothing but Obama-related kind of?

I don't like Oprah Winfrey.  I saw her being interviewed at the celebration in Grant Park last night, and there's just something about her demeanor that I just don't like.  There.  I've said it.

• The other day, I predicted Obama would win 52.2% of the vote to McCain's 46.6%.  Obama got 52.4% and McCain got 46.4%.  So, you know, bow to me.  Or something.
• 130 million voted, 64% of the electorate — the highest turnout in U.S. history
• Barack Obama's 52.4% of the popular vote is the best Democratic performance in 40 years, and the best of any candidate in either party in 20 years.
• And no non-incumbent has got 52.4% of the popular vote since 1952.
• Obama won self-identified independents (52% to 44%), and self-identified moderates (60% to 39%). I guess maverick voters didn't like the maverick candidate.  That's meta-mavericky of them.
• Obama narrowly won among men (49% to 48%), and won among women by a large margin (56% to 43%).
• For all the talk about Obama being unable to win over Hispanic support, Hispanic voters backed Obama by more than a 2-to-1 margin. McCain's Hispanic support dropped 10 points from Bush's four years ago.
• Obama won Roman Catholic voters, another group he was supposed to lose.
• Obama got 43% of the white vote; Kerry got 41% in 2004.  But whites made up a small percentage of the electorate this year.  When you factor these together, you find that 31.57 percent of voters in 2004 were white people who voted for John Kerry in 2004. In 2008, the tally was very similar — 31.82 percent of voters were white people who voted for Barack Obama.
• Youth (i.e. people under 30) was about 18% of the turnout yesterday.  That's an improvement over the last three national elections.  While onoe cannot say whether the young people gave Obama his victory, it's clear that young people and first-time voters helped.
• Obama is the first constitutional law professor to be elected U.S. President.  I can't even begin to tell you what this means to me.

I hate post-mortems, but the Wall Street Journal has a nice piece on why McCain lost.  To be sure, the economic crisis didn't help him (nor his response), and the article focuses on that.  But it also touches on something else: sometime after June, five of McCain's top advisors got together to give focus to the campaign and answer the question "Why should we elect John McCain?"  None of them could agree on an answer, so the entire campain just went negative on Obama after that.  In my view, that failed meeting sealed McCain's losses.

And finally, analysis from The Onion:

Nation Finally Shitty Enough To Make Social Progress

"WASHINGTON — After emerging victorious from one of the most pivotal elections in history, president-elect Barack Obama will assume the role of commander in chief on Jan. 20, shattering a racial barrier the United States is, at long last, shitty enough to overcome.

Although polls going into the final weeks of October showed Sen. Obama in the lead, it remained unclear whether the failing economy, dilapidated housing market, crumbling national infrastructure, health care crisis, energy crisis, and five-year-long disastrous war in Iraq had made the nation crappy enough to rise above 300 years of racial prejudice and make lasting change.

'Today the American people have made their voices heard, and they have said, "Things are finally as terrible as we're willing to tolerate,"' said Obama, addressing a crowd of unemployed, uninsured, and debt-ridden supporters. 'To elect a black man, in this country, and at this time — these last eight years must have really broken you.'

Added Obama, 'It's a great day for our nation.'"

I was watching several races last night.  On the whole, I'm pretty happy.

As for ballot initiatives (bellwethers of the social climate of the country), pro-choice folks had a nice night, but the gays got screwed.  Details on that below.

Other ballot initiatives of note:  The State of Washington voted in favor of doctor-assisted suicide, Michigan allowed the use of medical marijuana and (in a separate initiative) stem-cell research, and Arizona rejected a number of laws designed to make it harder to hire illegal immigrants.

So again, liberal viewpoints prevailed, except on gay issues.

SWEET VICTORIES

Presidential – U.S.: Obama over McCain

Presidential – NC:  I predicted McCain would win this state.  And he still might (Obama leads McCain by only 112,000 votes, with all precincts counted, but then you've got provisional ballots and other issues, making it too close to call).  But win or lose, the fact that Obama made this red state become so much more blue, is enough to feel good.

Presidential – OH and FL:  Nice victories, but also by nice undisputable margins of 2% or more.

Senate – NC:  Hagan (D) trounces Dole (R) 53% to 44%.  Best rally cry was at Hagan headquarters last night: "Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Hey-Hagan, Goodbye!"

Senate – NH:  Jeanne Shaheen (D) overwhelms Sununu (R) 52% to 45%.  Another Dem pickup.

Senate – CO and NM:  Both states are Dem pickups in the Senate.  Udall (D) wins in both states.  That's right — both winners are named "Udall".  Yes, they're related (cousins), and one of them is the son of Mo Udall.

House – generally: Dems had a lead of 235-199 seats going into Election Day.  Dems have lost four of those (so far) but picked up 21 elsewhere (so far), for a net gain of 17 seats (so far).  Eleven seats are still up in the air, but it looks like Dems will end up with a lead of 251 seats to the GOP's 183.

Governor – NH:  My home state overwhelmingly re-elects Dem incumbent John Lynch (70-28%)

Governor – NC:  North Carolina gets its first women governor.  Bev Perdue (D) beats Patrick McCrory (R) 50% to 47%.

Human Life Begins At Conception – CO:  A pretty obvious attempt to restrict all abortions – by defining "human life" as beginning at contraception — gets soundly thumped in Colorado.  Had it won, then ALL abortions could be legally defined as "murder" and effectively outlawed.

Ban On All Abortions – SD:  No abortions except where health of mother at risk, or in cases where preganacy is due to rape or incest (BUT only during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy).  South Dakotans aborted this attempted ban in overwhlming numbers (55% to 45%)

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Senate – GA:  It looked for a while like Democrat challenger Martin might defeat GOP incumbent Chambliss.  Sadly, it was not to be.  No Dem pickup here. [UPDATE:  Because neither candidate got over 50%, the race, under Georgia law, goes to a run-off.  Theoretically, Martin could still win]

House – NC 05:  My home district.  Republican incumbant Virginia Foxx beat Carter badly.

House – MN 06:  That bitch Michelle Bachmann, who recently suggested that there should be Senate investigations against Obama and others for being "anti-American" barely beat out her Democratic challenger, 46% to 44%

Unmarried (read: "gay") Couples And Adoption – AR:  Unmarried couples will not be allowed to adopt children in Arkansas.  This applies to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples (but this was not-so-subtly directed at gay couples, who can't marry in Arkansas). 

Bans On Gay Marriage – AZ, CA, and FL:  Florida and Arizona have now amended their Constitution to state that "marriage" is defined as between one man and one women.  California's Prop 8 still hasn't been officially called, but it looks close to losing.

TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Presidential – IN:  Even closer than NC, as I write this (Obama has 1,352,356 votes; McCain has 1,329,370 votes, with 99% of precincts reporting).  But win or lose, it's nice to see the state get a little bluer

Senate – AK:  Stevens (R-Convicted Felon) is maintaining a marginal lead of only 3,500 votes, with 99% precincts reporting.  Obviously, every senator in the Dem column makes the Obama agenda flow much easier.  If Stevens wins, he'll probably have to step down anyway.  And then there will be a runoff.

Senate – MN:  The tighest race by far.  With 100% of the votes counted, comedian Al Franken (D) trails Norm Coleman by less than 600 votes (out of 2.5 million cast).  There will probably be a recount; maybe even court fights.

Parental Notification Of Minor's Abortion – CA:  California constitutional amendment requiring physicians to notify parents of a pregnant minor at least 48 hours before providing an abortion.  It does NOT require parental consent for the abortion.  If minor fears parental abuse, then notification can be provided to another family member besides parents.  Exception to notification in case of medical emergencies.  An interesting, but probably unworkable amendment.  As of now, Californians are rejecting it — barely — 52% to 48%, but all precincts are not in.

The debate for the GOP nomination between McCain and Palin:

This is, of course, satire; McCain won't be alive in 2012

I'm sure I'm not the only person who kind of tilted his head a little last night, when John McCain said this:

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

The immediate question that came to my mind is: "Why can't *I*, as a white American, feel a 'special pride' that an African-American was elected President?"

Now, McCain's comment wasn't racist.  It wasn't mean.  It wasn't intentionally divisive.  It just shows where he and so many of his followers are coming from.

Or, as Obama would say, he "just doesn't 'get it'."

The sad undercurrent beneath McCain's comment is that there is an "us" and a "them"  It's like, there's the black "team" and the white "team".  And Obama's victory (implies McCain) has "special" significance only for the black team.

That's just so early 20th century, and I don't subscribe to it.

A 1960s white civil rights worker once told a news reporter that, in his belief, his rights and freedoms as an American were very much tied to those of every other man.  Martin Luther King, in his speeches and writing, said the same thing.  Essentially, when you diminish one race, you diminish all of them.

The 14th Amendment, the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s, and so on were not victories for the "black team".  In fact, if you look at the text of those statutes, it makes no specific mention of any particular race.  They were, literally, victories for ALL races.

Yes, it's true: for the first time in history, black parents can look at their children and honestly say, "In America, a child can grow up to be anything they want." 

However, my point is, this is the first time parents of any color can say those words to their children.

So Obama's election wasn't a "special" victory FOR any particular race; it was a special victory because it TRANSCENDED race.  And that's something that everyone of every race can take a "special pride" in.

***************

Turning to Obama's victory speech, it was just as I expected: humble, and a call to arms.  No, we're done yet, he spoke.  And he's right.

What struck me in particular was his attempt to transcend color.  But not the colors of black and white so much as the colors of red and blue.

He reminded us that we are not a nation of "red states and blue states", but the "United States".  He used that same line in his 2004 speech to the Democratic National Convention.  And the fact that he was still on that same message warmed me.

Specifically, Obama's consistancy throughout the campaign warms me.  He started this campaign with promises of being non-devisive.  At that time, many — including me — despaired.  We remembered all too well how John Kerry "took the high road" and didn't counter the punches that Bush threw at him.  "Grow a pair", we pleaded to John.  He didn't; he lost.

Obama got the same advice from pundits, and probably from those within his campaign.  But he didn't take the bait.  When McCain, Palin, and their surrogates were coming at Obama with ridiculous charges and name-calling ("socialist", "terrorist-lover", etc.), you didn't see Obama or his surrogates calling McCain similar names.  They stayed on message, stayed the high road, and countered the attacks with a dismissive: "Yeah, whatever.  Here's what I'm going to do for the country…."

It's was a very disciplined and positive campaign, so much so that it not only defeated McCain, but it may have defeated, permenantly, the Rovian tactics of negative campaigning and mudslinging. 

That sort of positive discipline not only benefitted Obama, but also downticket races as well.  For example, Liddy Dole actually hurt herself with the "Hagen/atheism" attack.  Mudslinging LOST this year, big time, and that bodes well for future elections.

Whether Obama can govern with such discipline and positivity remains to be seen.  But I think he can.  At another point in his victory speech last night, Obama addressed those "whose support I have not yet won".  He told those people that he will listen to them, and be their President as well. 

That's pretty magnanimous.  After all, Bush, Cheney, and their supporters have been calling people like Obama and me "anti-American" for 8 years.  There have been members of the Bush Administration who have admitted that they never felt the need to govern all the people.  The mindset was "WE Republicans won; YOU guys lost; WE get to do what we want".  And as a result, I never felt that Bush was MY President (as I did with, say, Reagan, although I never voted for him either).  My government rejected ME these past eight years, and that pissed me off.

Now, I'm quite sure Obama is going to go forth with his agenda, and he will face opposition along the way.  But what will be different in an Obama Administration, as opposed to the Bush Administration, is that Obama's detractors will not be attacked at the highest level of government as being "unpatriotic" or "unAmerican".  As Obama himself said last night in his victory speech, that is the politics of "immaturity" and divisiveness, and I'm confident that will finally be put to death too.

What I wrote on this blog on July 27, 2004 (the first day of the 2004 DNC convention):

For me though, the man to watch is keynote speaker, Baruch [sic] Obama. For many of you, this will be the first time you see him. Pay close attention — he will be your President one day.

I tell you again — he's going to be your President someday, so you better warm up to him soon.

I know some readers of this blog aren't political, and now that the election is over, here's what you missed….

Read More

You know, it's not just the fact that my guy won.  I knew that would happen several weeks ago.

Various networks have chimed in…. and while not all of them have called these races, at least one has called: