Presidential LiveBlog!

The First Family Elect

2:53 (6.54): HOLY SHIT, Missouri is functionally tied: 49.4% (1,426,779) to 49.4% (1,426,381). Indiana is really in Obama's column, barring some sort of recount. North Carolina is closer, but I don't see how McCain could make up the margin. Montana is weird, but my guess is that it will go for McCain. Lookin like AT LEAST Obama 364, McCain 163, with Missouri still out.

2:37 (6.54): Aaaannnd Kenya declared today a public holiday in honor of Barack Obama's victory. Hell yes.

1:19 (6.54): Bill Richardson shaved! WTF! On the plus side, he just said "Bad people like me, so I do well with them." Also, NC and IN look to be going Obama, and MinnesotaMissouri, while still in the McCain column, has shifted towards Obama lately. MT is still out.

12:32 (JJ): I'm going to bump this thread below the down ticket race one, since those races are still active. Not sure how long I'll be able to stay up and keep updating, but we'll see what happens.

12:21 (JJ): Biden joins Obama onstage after his speech for a genuinely powerful moment, your next president and vice-president of the United States. Jesse Jackson in tears, the crowd going nuts. The Oregon Trail music in the background just adds to the drama.

12:18 (6.54): Obama's had better speeches, but that will fucking do. (and bonus: with 28% of the vote in, DC is giving Obama 94.2% of the vote. Best. "State." Ever.)

11:30 (JJ): McCain amazingly gracious in his concession speech while being interrupted by awkward outbursts and boos from the crowd.

11:25 (6.54): Hilarious things: Todd Palin's blank dismayed face as McCain talks about Sarah's future in the Republican party.

11:15 (JJ): People outside setting off fireworks and yelling in my neighborhood. Had to go outside and join them, too much fun.

11:00 (JJ): NBC News calls it. Obama will be the next president of the United States. Wow. This is going to take some time to sink in.

10:58 (6.54): Hilariously, Utah is still technically blue. Yeah, Salt Lake City! But nah, that is one state that will not come through for us tonight.

10:56 (6.54): As Atrios and an OpenLeft poster that I can't remember predicted, the pundits immediately went for the "What a hard time the Obama administration will have" angle.

10:50 (JJ): The major networks might start calling the race shortly after 11. They'll call California, and I'm guessing that VA, CO or one of the other ones could put him over 270.

10:43 (6.54): I concur. In addition to Ohio's early call looking like its gonna bear itself out, Obama's already got a significant lead in VA and nearly all of the red counties are at 100% while some major blue ones (Fairfax, Arlington, Newport News) are still low in the count. BARACK OBAMA HAS WON THE 2008 UNITED STATES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

10:30 (JJ): And Obama Wins! When Chris Bowers and Nate Silver say it's so then it has to be right. Add Colorado, (as the Rocky Mountain News is reporting) and this thing's really over.

10:22 (JJ): Stewart and Colbert are on Comedy Central with Live election coverage. Why is Steve Forbes there? Doesn't quite make sense.

10:01 (6.54): Iowa! Also, Obama just passed McCain for the first time in VA.

9:30 (6.54): I say it's still too close to call, with only about 15% of Ohio's vote in. But to continue the theme of the month, there strategic possibilities for a McCain victory are virtually nonexistent and shrinking every moment.

9:27 (JJ): And with Ohio Chris Bowers calls the race for Obama. And if you read this blog, you know that Chris Bowers can do no wrong.

9:23 (6.54): OHIO OHIO OHIO !!!!! (from MSNBC)

9:21 (JJ): @Helen- As much as my inner democrat is telling me to be nervous, I just see now way for McCain to win without Pennsylvania. I'm afraid the senate isn't going to be as great as we all hoped, but Obama really, really, think that Obama should be fine.

9:15 (6.54): Haha, Governor Crist of Florida has been "called away on an urgent legal matter, and won't be able to attend the McCain campaign's election night party."

9:09 (JJ) Still nervous about Virginia. I know northern Virginia is still on the way, but I was hoping he would have done better in the south.

9:03 (JJ): It doesn't seem like many surprises with the 9PM states. Sucks about Georgia, hopefully we can still pull off the senate there.

8:37 (6.54): Damn, looks like Georgia's going for McCain. There goes my election prediction!

8:27 (6.54): Wow, according to an MSNBC exit poll, 30% of the NC voters who said that race was a factor in their decision voted for Obama. I guess it's obvious: even for crazy racists, race won't be their ONLY concern. But it's still pretty crazy, and certainly demonstrates McCain's weakness in the state.

8:23 (JJ): MSNBC has a report on Palm beach county voting screw ups with confusing ballots. Honestly, if these assholes couldn't get this shit right after 8 years, we might have to consider just sending the whole state into the Atlantic.

8:16 (6.54): Oddly, Obama seems to be killing in Florida but getting killed in Virginia, with a fair number of precincts reporting. Still, the actual numbers are really low, and there's reason to think that cities (Obama's strength) report later.

8:07 (JJ): MSNBC seems to be the only one calling PA so far. It has to mean something that it was called at 8:01 though, there must have been some pretty impressive trends.

8:00 (JJ): Obama takes Pennsylvania, essentially this race is over. Not an exaggeration in the slightest. McCain's whole strategy needed that this one for any chance of winning, not gonna happen.

7:46 (6.54): Oh noes! MSNBC calls South Carolina for McCain!

Well, this one's pretty self explanatory. But that's why we're all so obsessed! Bring on the precinct reports!