Welcome to Election Day with Tommy Christopher! Here's what's going on.
Tonight, I will be in New York at the Comedy Central viewing party, where I will be posting live updates and videos. You can see those on the next page. The bash starts at 8, but I will be posting updates before then, as well.
Additionally, we are doing a special 4 hour edition of Unusable Signal, from 8pm until midnight, EDT. Wendy, Tom Fitzsimmons, and Caleb Howe will anchor. We'll have live results, commentary, and field reports. Yeah, I said it, field reports! I'll be calling in from New York, Caleb will call in for the first hour from his voter suppression outpost, and Christina Cedeno is live in Grant Park! Plus, we'll have guest commentators. Click here after 8pm to listen live.
But, first things first. With .000001% of precincts reporting, Barack Obama has a 100% lead in New Jersey. I cast my historic vote at 7:13 am Eastern. My polling place was busy, a good sign for turnout. The bad news is, my town is 96% Republican. Blech.
If you feel inclined to do so, email me your Election Day pix at TommyChristopher@comcast.net, along with your name and location, and I'll post them.
Let the updates begin: (Updates in video player and at the bottom of the next page)
Here is the video player. This is where all of the updates will appear. I have it set up to show my most recently uploaded videos, so check back periodically. You can even go deep into the Tommy Christopher catalog, if you've got the time. The first one is of me voting.
My Unusable Signal co-host, Christina Cedeno of YesToDemocracy.com, is in Chicago's Grant Park.
She told me an interesting story. She noticed that, on her way in to the general media area, a staffer who checked her credentials called another man over, who pretended to be another journalist. I say "pretended" because they ran the same ruse on her twice. The purpose was to nonchalantly quiz her about her credentials, in order to weed out scalped, stolen, or forged credentials. Talk about political theatre!
My oldest, Justin, voted for the first time today. He just turned 18 in October. What a great time to cast your first vote!
2:21 pm It is killing me to be stuck in the office 'til 4:30. I have to say this, though. This story about Black Panthers that Drudge is pushing makes about as much sense as a backwards "B" on the face.
Who, exactly, are these guys supposed to be intimidating? White people? That would only hurt Obama, since the overwhelming majority of his supporters are white.
If these guys were at a polling place in Altoona, where they probably don't have costume rentals, it would make more sense. And if the news organizations "breaking" this story were someone other than Drudge and Fox.
Wright Ads in Grant Park
4:30 pm EDT: Christina informs me that CNN has graciously provided the video feed for the general media area in Grant Park, which, from her description, sounds like the press equivalent of Hades. That, she points out, means that there are anti-Obama ads airing at the Obama celebration. She mentioned, specifically, seeing the Rev. Wright ad that the National Republican Trust has been running. Halfway through the ad, he stops and says, "I can see my house from here!"
It's funny, I tried to think of an equivalently scummy ad that could come on at McCain's party, but there aren't any that come close. That says something. The best we can hope for is that, right after a Sarah Palin speech, one of those "Holiday Inn Express" commercials will come on.
8:56PM OK, sorry so late, my computer was acting up. So, they called PA for Obama, huh?
8:57PM OK, I'm gonna get a drink and call my radio show real quick. It's 347-677-1645
9:01PM OK, I have a drink now. Obama takes Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, but hey, McCain got Wyoming! Nice!
9:02PM Ohhh, but Arizona, no call yet. Oof! Y'know, I didn't drink beer before this election.
9:15PM Obama has an encouraging lead in Florida. 52-48 with 49% reporting. I just went to get food, and I got lost. This is a big place.
9:16PM The people from PuckYouPalin.com are here, hopefully I'll get to interview them before Palin loses.
9:19PM Jeanne Shaheen wins in NH. That's 55 Dems so far!
9:20PM Dammit, I feel enormous pressure to be funny. Where's my beer?
10:06PM I'm back! The Daily Show is on. I just talked to Jane Kaszmarek.
10:06PM She looks younger and prettier in person. So, Obama's gonna win, huh?
10:18PM There will be more celebrities here later, I'm told, but I haven't even annoyed all of the ones who are here now.
10:27PM Make sure you're checking the videoplayer for updates. I'm gonna try typing even less. I'm on my 3rd light beer, you feel me?
10:22PM David Knowles calls it for Barack Obama! Nice song selection. Iowa has gone for Obama. http://www.politicsdaily.com/2008/11/04/paint-the-white-house-black/
10:30PM I tried to enable Twitter from my phone but it didn't work!
11:27PM Hi, it's me again. Obama is the Prez!!!!
11:28PM McCain's giving his concession speech. Now, it's all reasonableness and niceness. This was one ugly camaign.
11:39PM Hello,everyone! It's Diana. What a celebration here at Comedy Central. There have been some celebrity spottings, like my fave so far, Detective Batista from "Dexter", as well as Robert Sean Leonard from "American Pie", Jane Krakowski and Jack McBreyer from "30 Rock", Morton Sperlock of "SuperSize Me" fame, and we're still waiting for an expected appearance from Jon Stewart himself. Tommy is lovin' life right now, totally in his element. Yay for Obama/Biden!!! BTW - a little piece of advice: don't rely on Verizon's VZ Navigator when trying to get around Manhattan.
0:11AM This is a great moment.
0:14AM I remember sitting around with some other writers in Denver, telling them that this election was already decided, and we just didn't know it. Either Barack Obama would win, as every step of this campaign made it obvious that he should, or there were too many people afraid to step forward, and all of this excitement was flirtation. Tonight I have my answer, one I didn't think I would get.
0:52AM Well, things are winding down a lot, so I'll wrap up now. Check out the radio show, they're doing an extra 2 hours, and I'll have more from this event tomorrow. Good night, and Happy Election Day!
Omens are pointing to an Obama victory. One omen is the Washington Redskins. If the Redskins win the political party that is in the White House wins the election. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Washington Redskins 23-6 on Monday night. In Dixville Notch, N.H Obama defeated John McCain 15-6. The hand writing is on the wall. It is a good thing that McCain made his farewell tour yesterday. The dream is over for McCain and the McCainites.
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S. Merritt
9:50AM Nov 4th 2008
One day a tragedy and next day a celebration. The tragedy was the death of Obama's grandmother. The delebration is today, the day that marks the death of the Republican party and their Bush clone Mccain.
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Mokele Mbembe
10:09AM Nov 4th 2008
I can't wait to hear the bloggers accusing Barack of killing his grandmother the day before election to win sympathy votes. It's an AOL blog, some wingnut is going to say it.
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jamesnpost
11:49AM Nov 4th 2008
John McCain's last campaign stop? ROSWELL!! He was there to get his battery charged back up by the ALIEN SPACE INVADERS who control what is left of him... Where are the MIB when we need them?
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JVZaccaro
10:49AM Nov 4th 2008
FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, BARACK WILL MAKE EVERYTHING FREE AT LAST!
The "fun bash" on George W. is almost over. I'm sure Dems will want to keep trotting out his name, especially if Obama wins the election and the country continues to tank. But, that should wear thin within the first few months, it always has.
With control of the House, Senate and possibly the Executive Office, who will be left to blame? Two significant things happened within the past two years and, happy to say, neither of them was George Bush’s doing.
First, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac came undone. After years of providing loans to people who were unqualified to own anything, the scheme that Barack Obama defended, collapsed. Thank Franklin Raines, Jim Johnson, Barney Frank, and a large number of lock-step liberals for that mess.
Second, as I recall, the US House and Senate were turned over to the Democrats in 2006.
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Derrick Mott
11:11AM Nov 4th 2008
where do I find the voting area in Mobile AL
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Jude
2:18PM Nov 4th 2008
I would like to challenge all Christians, Jews and all moral and decent citizens of America to stop and think before you vote for Obama or any other liberal politicians on Tuesday. The long list of outright lies to illegal associations is staggering to my mind. How can this man, and many of his fellow liberals, with all these strikes against them, gain the votes of anyone who honors the God of the Bible?
Obama voted four times in the Illinois legislature not to protect babies who were born alive after a botched abortion. In other words, he voted to protect the right for the 'doctor' (butcher) to let these babies just die outside the womb, yet he has the gall to call for universal health care for all citizens. He has voted consistently against banning partial birth abortion and says that he will reinstate this gruesome procedure if elected president. 50,000,000 innocent babies have been murdered in America since Roe v. Wade was passed, by the Supreme Court, in 1973, all in the name of sexual freedom without responsibility. What of the freedom of these babies? Doesn't the baby have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness like the rest of us? We give citizenship to babies born to illegal aliens, but for those who should have the benefits of citizenship, they are murdered before they breathe their first breath of American air. What if Obama, Clinton and other supporters of abortion had been aborted themselves? What if your mother and mine had done so? We love being alive and so do the unborn. They retreat when the butcher’s blade comes to kill them in the womb and they suffer immense pain. This has been proven by research! These citizens are literally pulled from the mother's womb in PIECES!
Obama has also consistently voted to push homosexuality into the faces of those who oppose this behavior and into our public schools. They have the guts to call this a civil rights issue. This should be a huge slap in the face to all black Americans! What does sexual preference have in common with what black Americans went through to be set free from slavery? I hope that black Americans will remember which party it was who fought to set them free, the Republicans. Democrats fought to keep slavery legal.
Godless judges have overruled the people of California and made sexual perversion a legal right and call it marriage. For all of history, marriage has been between a man and a woman. God commands us to love all people, and I do enough to write this strong piece, but He never commanded us to accept sin as normal. Obama has said that he would immediately push for the bill to force all employers to hire homosexuals regardless of what they personally believe on this issue. What happens to the freedom to choose for the employer, landlord, merchant or restaurant owners? The freedom of the gay person overrides the personal freedom of the one who says no to them. Is this what the freedom of speech and association is about? My rights only extend to the end of the other person's nose and no further! Political Correctness needs to be banned from public life once and for all! It is destroying this wonderful nation. It is nothing more than a license to manipulate people into submitting to an evil agenda. We are on the verge of making America a Socialist nation. Does this even matter to you? I pray that it does!
I cannot for the life of me understand how professing Christians and other God fearing people can believe that homosexuality and abortion are acceptable to God! They are an abomination to Him, so is having sex outside the bonds of marriage of all heterosexuals. Many churches today are not only accepting these sinful behaviors in their churches, but many are ordaining them to the priesthood and condoning abortion. THIS ACTIVITY IS NOTHING SHORT OF BLASPHEMY AGAINST GOD! How can mankind condone what God has condemned? I lay this insanity right at the feet of many preachers and pastors who refuse to teach on these issues from the pulpits of America because it might OFFEND someone. They had better learn to offend people with the truth or they will find themselves sending people into Hell. Most preachers today, but not all, have only one string to play from the pulpits today, that of the 'feel good' passages. They refuse to teach the whole Bible but pick out only the passages that would make people feel good about their sins. Conviction of sin is very uncomfortable. This is why God created mankind with a conscience. We naturally feel badly when we hurt others, lie to them or steal their stuff. We are not mindless robots, we are intelligent people. They are telling sinners that there is nothing to worry about. 'Don't worry be happy' is their theme song and they sing it every Sunday. Sin and sinners will be judged by God according to HIS standard, the Bible, not by what sinful people try to tell us. All forms of sexual perversion, murder and anything that God has forbidden, will receive God's wrath in the judgment, after people have died, not a second chance to believe or a suspended sentence. All sinners will reap what they sow.
"But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." Ephesians 5:3-6
America has become the supplier of sleaze to the rest of the world and I believe that America is getting close to being judged for our blatant disregard for God's commands. America has become obsessed with sex and sexual perversion. Even the miniseries 'John Adams', on DVD, which is rated TV-14, had a full frontal nude scene not more than thirty minutes into the movie, which we promptly turned off. Who in their right mind could conceive of a need for nudity in a historical documentary but the twisted souls of Hollywood? America was founded on the Bible, not perversion! God will not put up with this much longer. It is no accident that the porn industry has endorsed Obama and previously Bill and Hillary Clinton. The head of the industry proclaimed that the Clinton years provided them the most freedom that they have ever experienced. The Greek word for evil is porneia from which we get the word pornography. Perversion has made children the target for sexually twisted humans here and around the world. Kidnapping children to rape and murder them is far too common and keeping these children in 'sex for pay rings,' by the most perverse people in the world, is infuriating to God and should infuriate His people. The homosexuals lobby congress constantly to lower the age of consent so that they can molest them and not face any consequences for destroying the lives of the most innocent of our society. America is sex crazed and this must change and soon. When will real Christians, Jews and all moral and decent people stand up to this evil and demand life sentences for ALL who molest the under aged? Planned Parenthood (which should be called Planned NON-parenthood since no baby survives their evil hands) has deliberately shielded the adult molesters who get young girls pregnant. This is totally illegal and yet they refuse to turn these vile men over to the law. Planned Parenthood gets $300,000,000 a year from our tax dollars to murder the innocent and they made one billion dollars last year from murdering babies, and Obama would continue to push for their support as he does today. They have contributed to his campaign and have endorsed him for president. Why do they need taxpayer support to do this? Think twice before you vote for OBAMA.
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JD
11:48AM Nov 4th 2008
Hey, Tommy, no mention of the fact that one of Obama's endorsers, Democrat and US Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York, said last night in an interview in Florida that Obama stayed in Reverend Wright's racist church for twenty years because Obama "lacked the political courage" to leave. Nadler said that Obama only joined the church to build a base for his political future and when he realized Wright was a "loon" Obama should have left, but he lacked the political courage to do so. If his own party thinks he lacks the political courage to leave a racist church, how do they think he will have the political courage to stand up to our enemies????? Spin that one for us all, won't you Tommy Obama.
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JD
11:49AM Nov 4th 2008
Hey, Tommy, no mention of the fact that one of Obama's endorsers, Democrat and US Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York, said last night in an interview in Florida that Obama stayed in Reverend Wright's racist church for twenty years because Obama "lacked the political courage" to leave. Nadler said that Obama only joined the church to build a base for his political future and when he realized Wright was a "loon" Obama should have left, but he lacked the political courage to do so. If his own party thinks he lacks the political courage to leave a racist church, how do they think he will have the political courage to stand up to our enemies????? Spin that one for us all, won't you Tommy Obama.
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Mokele Mbembe
11:50AM Nov 4th 2008
That's a lot of words to type only to be ignored.
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JVZaccaro
12:17PM Nov 4th 2008
Bet's Dar (from the voting storied blog)
You have a touching story, it makes me want to cry. Now, put down the hankie, and let's talk some sense.
Blacks had a rough start in America, no denying it. Looking back, there was no justification for slavery and discrimination. The two Executive Orders that created the Emancipation Proclamation took place 145 years ago. Brown vs. Board of Education, which overturned “separate but equal” took place 54 years ago. Civil Rights legislation which made it against the law to discriminate took place 42 years ago. How long, do you suppose, will it take the black community to stop “eating their young” and start acting responsibly?
Other ethnic groups came to this country under difficult circumstances, as well. Not as difficult, to be sure, but difficult none-the-less. They (We) too were different than white Anglo-Saxons. Those that have successfully assimilated, have grown to share the “American Dream”. Those that continue to wallow in self-pity have not. It’s not a difficult concept.
There are more young, unwed mothers in the black community because they have unprotected sex, get pregnant and young black men desert them. It’s not rocket science.
There are more young black men in prison because they commit more crime. Pretty simple.
Many years ago, when I returned from active duty in the Army, one of my first military recall situations was to protect innocent black citizens from having their property stolen or being shot by black looters in the Watts riots. We had to protect firemen who were attempting to save black peoples homes. As you know, there is more black-on-black violence than any other category.
Is there any reasonable explanation for the first O.J. Simpson verdict? He kills his wife and another innocent victim and he walks away, writes a book about the stupidity of the Justice System, and the black community supports him?
You get the point? I wanted to avoid a political diatribe, but one last thing. Like it or not, this election is largely about race. Obama made his candidacy a referendum on race, and the media “got tingles down their legs” when he spoke. If another respected, white Democrat showed up with the same credentials, and the same crowd of friends, he/she would have been laughed off the political stage. And yet, the black community is expected to support Obama by over 90%.
The black community can’t expect to be treated like everyone else if they refuse to act like everyone else.
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Henry
12:41PM Nov 4th 2008
Jude, Challenge your self. Some old washed up "ho" with a complex.
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marco
2:02PM Nov 4th 2008
Tomy: Hoy empieza el Siglo XXI para los Estados Unidos de America.Recien hoy. La nueva generacion sustituye a otra,agotada.En continua repeticion.Sin cambios frente a la evidencia diaria del desastre creado,en especial,a lo largo de estos ultimos 8 anos. Renace la decencia,la honestidad,la proactividad,el humanismo liberal que esperabamos todos los que creemos que la condicion humana es mucho mas que la mostrada por los lideres decadentes y cada vez mas miopes,que ostentaron el poder en esta nacion bajo las banderas del partido Republicano. La vejez de este partido no encontro mejor estandarte para representarlo en estas elecciones que Mr.Mac Cain.Un rostro y una tesis politica senil,gastada,inutil. Hoy Mr Obama empieza a liderarnos y,todos nosotros,a apoyar su gestion.En un esfuerzo matricial deberemos sacar al pais del abisco al que nos llevaron. Y decir con energia:Si se puede. Marco
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bc
2:09PM Nov 4th 2008
predition - don't think arizona can beat chicago unless mccain is a phoenix. nostradomus said mccain will win but polls said not. mccain campain seem to want him to lose - like some imposters in it. obamas campaign is too scary perfectly organized - so didn't vote for obama.
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YOUNG TRAY
2:19PM Nov 4th 2008
ANYTHING BESIDES BARACK OBAMA WINNIN IS A TRAAAAGEDY!!! VOTE OBAMA. EVERY1 VOTING FOR MCCAIN IS AN ASSHOLE. TRU ASSHOLE.
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Linda
2:20PM Nov 4th 2008
The tradegy here is that half you people are voting for the wrong reasons, Obama will ruin our country and all of you out there voting for him now will singing a new song later. No experience but lots of history behind this man that will make change alright all for the bad
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bmedion2
3:02PM Nov 4th 2008
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN!!!!!!!!!
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pat
2:26PM Nov 4th 2008
Obama's victory is a given. He was chosen by God and no one can change that. Look at nomination day! This Radio preacher that I used to respect so much literally prayed for it to rain so that Obama's nomination could be washed out. The result- the day was beautiful, everything went well. On Mckain's nomination day the Good Lord sent tornadoes and hurrianes and Mckain's nomination had to be rescheduled. Need I say more! America and the world needed this change and God sent Obama who is as white as he is black meaning he represents everyone and I mean everyone. Today I am not feeling well but I am there because if I don't vote I couldnt live with myself. God bless Obama and God bless all the wonderful people of this country who had the vision and good common sense to vote for him.
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bc
2:26PM Nov 4th 2008
predition - nostradomus said mccain win polls said not. don't think arizona can beat chicago unless mccain is a phoenix. mccain campain seem to want mccain to lose - imposters in it? chicago is perfectly organized - too scary, so voted for mccain. any thing - crime, politic, person, whatever, whoever that perfect that organized is scary. mccain & hililary that unorganized & obama that perfect is scary. ???
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Marcie Anderson
2:40PM Nov 4th 2008
What about the morals of our candidate for republican vice president? Family values? Ha! The gal has 5 children, one with special needs and a teen age daughter who is pregnant... oh the sin! Not to mention, a nanny or hired help and hubby are raising the kids right now. Give me a break. And isn't there a verse somewhere that states you cannot love both God and money? Which one do you think the lefties really care about? I understand people are strong about the abortion, gay, and gun rights, however, I think the main priority right now is to save our economy and save those who work hard and get no where. Not everyone can be rich you know, and don't the rich need the middle class as their customers? How can they survive if we can't?