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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Since we are repeating ourselves, let me just say fuck that.

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Cancel the cowardly Times and Post and set up an equivalent monthly donation to ProPublica.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

This chaos was totally avoidable.

If rights aren’t universal, they are privilege, not rights.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Our messy unity will be our strength.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

This really is a full service blog.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

If you’re gonna whine, it’s time to resign!

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

The lights are all blinking red.

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

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The willow is too close to the house.

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You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2020 / BLAARRRGGGHH!!! (Open Thread)

BLAARRRGGGHH!!! (Open Thread)

by Betty Cracker|  November 3, 20203:26 pm| 276 Comments

This post is in: Election 2020, Open Threads, Politics

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Check out President Cornered Rat here, decidedly NOT projecting confidence:

“Losing is never easy” — Trump pic.twitter.com/dIMnp1IJuF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 3, 2020

I hope and believe there’s a wave of voter revulsion heading Trump’s way that isn’t fully captured in the polling data (but is hinted at in turnout). Maybe Joe Biden is the ipecac that will cause America to vomit up the poison of Trumpism, providing an opportunity for the patient to begin the long road to recovery (prognosis contingent upon many additional medical interventions).

I’m hoping for the electoral equivalent of projectile vomiting, an expectoration of such great force that it blows away Collins, Ernst, Perdue, Loeffler and maybe even Graham, Daines and/or Cornyn while the spineless Rubio types scuttle, cockroach-like, under the nearest fridge to plot their next move.

It’s still possible the election might turn out to be a less dramatic affair. It could be a more discreet and dainty horking up of Trump himself with all but the most vulnerable of his Republican enablers left in D.C. to figure out how to reconcile the Republican base demand for Trumpian demagoguery with the GOP congresspeople’s own precious plutocratic legislative agenda.

That outcome would be a vexing conundrum for elected Republicans, as the “Quiet Parts Out Loud” era gives way to an “Inside Voices, Please” age. More importantly, it would leave the patient’s ultimate prognosis in much greater doubt than scenario #1. That’s why I’m pulling for a national BLAARRRGGGHH!!! heard ‘round the world.

Looks like Florida and Texas are heading toward record turnout, and I think we’ll win at least one if not both of those states, either of which would be ballgame, but I’m optimistic today. According to CNN, at least seven states have exceeded 2016 turnout already. And people are still voting.

What are y’all seeing in your neck of the woods?

Open thread!

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Previous Post: « On This Election Day, Be Like Steve
Next Post: Boooooring »

Reader Interactions

276Comments

  1. 1.

    Frank Wilhoit

    November 3, 2020 at 3:29 pm

    The screenshot doesn’t look like Trump, it looks like his stunt double.

  2. 2.

    chopper

    November 3, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    here in mail-in WA there’s not much to report outside of a break in the rain.

  3. 3.

    Kay

    November 3, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    I started following Florida this morning, like an idiot, and Democrats have already cycled through one whole despair – to- cautious – optimism cycle so I’m stopping while I’m ahead.

  4. 4.

    Ronno2018

    November 3, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    I’ve been vomiting at the sight of Trump for four years…

  5. 5.

    Nicole

    November 3, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    I went for a run with a friend and the polling place a block from my home in Harlem was empty.   That said, there were HUGE lines at the early voting site here all week,  so I am wondering if maybe everyone just already voted.

  6. 6.

    debbie

    November 3, 2020 at 3:32 pm

    The turnout here for early in-person voting has shocked the GOP into silence. I don’t think they realize yet that they had a significant hand in creating this success by screwing around with drop-off ballot boxes and sending out “mistaken” ballots. Just as well. Hats off to you, boys and gals!

  7. 7.

    Greg

    November 3, 2020 at 3:32 pm

    Been saying for quite a while that Trump’s ceiling is about the 62 million he got in ’16. Biden’s floor is the 65 million Hillary got. I do not see many new Trump voters that aren’t replacing defectors. If I am close to right, with this turnout, it might be a night with the porcelain god for the body politic, to use your metaphor.

  8. 8.

    Yarrow

    November 3, 2020 at 3:33 pm

    My neck of the woods is incredibly quiet. No one is out and about. I went to the grocery store and driving there I didn’t see hardly anyone. Weird because the weather is great and I figured I’d see at least a few people out walking their dogs or something.

    The store itself was very busy. Not quite pre-holiday level busy but way busier than usual.From the looks of people’s grocery carts and a few conversations I overheard it looked/sounded like people are stocking up. “Should I get cereal? Seems like a good thing to have on hand. But I don’t eat much cereal. Still…maybe I should get some. You don’t know what might happen.”

  9. 9.

    zzyzx

    November 3, 2020 at 3:33 pm

    @Kay: I vowed that I wasn’t going to fall for Florida again. If it goes our way, great, but I’m not going to live and die by it because thay way lies madness!

  10. 10.

    FelonyGovt

    November 3, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    @Frank Wilhoit: It looks like his Madam Tussaud’s was figure.

    Sounds like heavy voter turnout today in Los Angeles, which of course matters not at all to the Presidential contest.

  11. 11.

    AliceBlue

    November 3, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    I’m not giving up on Georgia.  The Biden campaign seems optimistic about it and they’ve got numbers that we aren’t seeing.

  12. 12.

    Aleta

    November 3, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    Is the WH press secretary supposed to be at what looks like a campaign headquarters, nodding along with what he says?

  13. 13.

    Yarrow

    November 3, 2020 at 3:35 pm

    News from Harris County, TX (Houston):

    Voter turnout in Harris County, Texas has surpassed 60% with almost six hours to go before polls close in the nation’s third-largest county https://t.co/jqCAd2jBn5 pic.twitter.com/eI9CvJ7eve— Bloomberg (@business) November 3, 2020

  14. 14.

    featheredsprite

    November 3, 2020 at 3:35 pm

    Election day in Washington state is kind of boring. We also have some rain and major fog.

  15. 15.

    oldster

    November 3, 2020 at 3:36 pm

    “Maybe Joe Biden is the ipecac that will cause America to vomit up the poison of Trumpism”

    I’d love to believe you, but peak wing-nut is a lie.

    Until we crush Fox News and Facebook, we’ll be faced with the same insanity. Maybe a different front-man, but the same underlying problem.

    So many reforms needed — an expanded court, a National Popular Vote Compact, the John Lewis act for voter enfranchisement, an end to the filibuster.

    And the long game: curing America’s racism. Or at least driving the racists back under their rocks.

  16. 16.

    Spanky

    November 3, 2020 at 3:38 pm

    Here in Confederate Southern Maryland the poll I drove past in the local HS had about 150 in line, about as many in today’s warm sunshine as I had in Thursday’s downpour. The difference being that I saw more Trump flags on pickemups today than I did on Thursday. ‘Course, that might be because the owners found out the cheap-shit flags fell apart when they get wet. Wouldn’t surprise me if that were the case.

  17. 17.

    Kay

    November 3, 2020 at 3:38 pm

    @zzyzx:

    It’s addictive. Okay, there’s three categories of votes- early and e-day and total. Someone will post the e-day votes as just “votes” and 5000 people will have a heart attack in the comments.

    Hours now, it’s been going on. The MAGA people are strutting around saying “500k” over and over, just to be cruel to the Democrats. It’s just a made up number!

    I’m stopping. Exhausted.

  18. 18.

    Hildebrand

    November 3, 2020 at 3:38 pm

    I used to love election day.  Treated it like the Super Bowl; party food, lots of excitement, watched tv all day, even in the years the Democrats had no chance, or my favored candidate never got to the general.

    I was the precinct Chair in 2016, came home from what I thought was a good day, sat down for some late night wings and hoped for a good night – and slowly watched it all turn to shit.

    This year – its dread, from stem to stern.  I want to enjoy this, but I am so damned worried that these knaves are somehow going to find a way to win – and there are just far too many people that I know who will be personally endangered if that were to come to pass.

    So, I will turn on the telly every now and then, but mostly surf through the threads here.  I have a class to teach late this afternoon, so that is a good way to divert the attention.

    I am hopeful, but, yeesh, this is not fun, and I blame every bloody Republican for that.

  19. 19.

    Baud

    November 3, 2020 at 3:39 pm

    @Kay:

    It’s like spinning the big wheel on The Price is Right.

  20. 20.

    arrieve

    November 3, 2020 at 3:40 pm

    @Nicole:  I was planning on voting early in NY but was discouraged by the reports of people waiting 2-3 hours (and passing by my assigned early voting site at Madison Square Garden one day, the line I saw was many blocks long.) So I ended up voting today, at my usual precinct and the whole thing took 11 minutes. The poll workers said they’ve alternated between long lines and no one waiting all day.

  21. 21.

    bt

    November 3, 2020 at 3:40 pm

    The dream scenario for a wave would be Texas, Florida and Georgia.

    The fact the Biden is within reach on all 3 is really quite amazing. If all 3 are captured, the GOP will have quite the circular firing squad event in their future.

  22. 22.

    cain

    November 3, 2020 at 3:40 pm

    They will rue the day that they pissed the lot of us off. We’re coming for them. We should thank them for waking us the fuck up.

    I’m told that young people are coming out and voting everywhere – especially in PA and TX. Lot of brown and black people.

    We are going to end this nightmare.

  23. 23.

    EriktheRed

    November 3, 2020 at 3:40 pm

    Voting for me today was very uneventful…

     

     

    …as it should be.

  24. 24.

    Bostondreams

    November 3, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    Seeing such doom and gloom from some Dems already in places like DKos. Ugh. I have no high expectations for anything at this point.

  25. 25.

    CaseyL

    November 3, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    Another Washingtonian chiming in to say, nothing to see here but rain and overcast.

    I have Tom’s latest, Money for Nothing.  Between that and work (and my kitties’ constant requests to open the door to see if the rain has stopped yet),  I’m hoping to stay occupied throughout the day.

  26. 26.

    Kay

    November 3, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    @Baud:

    I don’t understand the numbers completely. I THINK they use “3.5” mean “350,000” (and so on) – WTF with these people? Florida has their own number system.

  27. 27.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    So, in non-covid news.

    In the virtual education front, I just found out today that my 9th grade daughter doesn’t read her school email because there is just too much of it…Over 500 unread emails in her school inbox. She gets like 60 email update notices a day just from google classroom every time a teacher posts a new assignment or comment. And endless stuff from the school administration. I guess life in a corporate cubicle starts earlier and earlier these days. I learned this today while trying to track down a missing assignment with a teacher who assured me that she emailed my daughter with instructions on how to find it and complete it. “But Dad, I don’t have time for email. I only check my phone notices…..” Sheesh.

    The 12th grade daughter got her first college acceptance letter. She applied to 9 schools so 8 more to go. The first one to respond (Western Washington University) went WAY up in her estimation because of the cool letter and poster that they sent, and because they were first. The last one will probably be the loser because she’ll likely have made up her mind before then.

  28. 28.

    planetjanet

    November 3, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    I am textbanking with the national campaign all afternoon.  It keeps my mind busy and fingers moving.

  29. 29.

    Rob

    November 3, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    “Maybe Joe Biden is the ipecac that will cause America to vomit up the poison of Trumpism”

    This made my afternoon! Thanks, Betty.

    Back to lurking…

  30. 30.

    Kirk Spencer

    November 3, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    I figure lines all over will start getting busier in the next hour or two (3-4 west of here) due to people getting off work. Yeah, covid, but a lot of people are still going in to work.

  31. 31.

    arrieve

    November 3, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    @Hildebrand: I’m back in school (after many decades away) and have an 8 page paper due tomorrow. I wish I could say I’m 100% focused on that but at least it keeps me from turning the tv on.

  32. 32.

    Immanentize

    November 3, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    @Yarrow: 
    Texas is notoriously a low voting state. In 2016, the total vote % in Texas was a bit over 59%. And Texas has added at least 1 million more voting age people. So, already, at least 600k more Texas voters than in ’16.?

  33. 33.

    Hungry Joe

    November 3, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    Overheard in the Oval Office, just minutes ago:

    ”When Steiner attacks, everything will be all right.”

  34. 34.

    germy

    November 3, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    Who is the young lady standing behind trump in the above video?  She’s wearing the strapless dress and smirking maniacally.  I kept expecting her to flash the one-handed “OK” sign, like the woman did during Kavanaugh’s testimony.

  35. 35.

    Jamie

    November 3, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    @Kay: I had the exact same experience and reached the same conclusion.

    I should have realized this based on my experience watching returns in 2018, but apparently I’m a slow learner.

  36. 36.

    RandomMonster

    November 3, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    I always admire your writing, Betty, but I’m thankful today that you’ve reminded me of the delightful verb “horking”!

  37. 37.

    BlueGuitarist

    November 3, 2020 at 3:44 pm

    Thanks Betty for this and so many other awesome posts.

    Losing internet access until now meant missing some E-day virtual GOTV but this was an excellent post to see when finally getting on line.

    Too late probably for the Thank DougJ + thanks WaterGirl post, but kudos and thanks, and likewise to AL and Adam and John, and too many commenters to name, some of you know who you are, plus many people who might not realize the value of their contributions. You are all awesome!

  38. 38.

    MJS

    November 3, 2020 at 3:44 pm

    Anecdata, second hand – an hour wait in line early this a.m. in a red central PA county (boo), with many first time voters (yea), and only a couple obvious Trumpalos. I remain optimistic that Trump has lost a large number of voters over the last 4 years, and will lose by more than the 500,000 votes Republican Congressional candidates lost by in 2018.

  39. 39.

    Thumb Weaver

    November 3, 2020 at 3:45 pm

    At my voting station, there were more poll workers than voters… and they kicked our asses. We’re thinking of going back with weapons later on.

  40. 40.

    Bupalos

    November 3, 2020 at 3:45 pm

    I was super concerned about bucks county crosstabs, until I realized I was just reading the back label of the soup I’m eating.

    Be happy to projectile vomit this all over the breakfast nook if people think that might help. Even if not, I might just do that.

  41. 41.

    Splitting Image

    November 3, 2020 at 3:45 pm

    I just want to tell you both good luck. We’re all counting on you.

  42. 42.

    Immanentize

    November 3, 2020 at 3:45 pm

    @Kent: Congratulations to your daughter and you!  Oh how I remember those angst filled days.

    ETA. Isn’t that way damn early for next fall?  My son’s early admit date was 12/15….

  43. 43.

    Curtis

    November 3, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    I do like how the vibe of the post titles clash. Just below is a post titled: This Election Day, be like Steve (very calm kitty pic), then followed by BLAARRRGGGHH!!!

     

    Admittedly, I’m closer to the blargh. Maybe Steve will hack up an orange hair ball later.

  44. 44.

    jonas

    November 3, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    Me if we pick up Texas…

  45. 45.

    LuciaMia

    November 3, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    He didnt look all that happy the night he won in 2016. More like “deer in headlights.”

  46. 46.

    Jeffro

    November 3, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    Well this post has just done WONDERS for my appetite, thanks a lot, Betty!

    LOL and j/k, nothing can stop me from ordering up some Dr. Ho’s pizza tonight.  Should go great with many adult beverages and dare I say a sip of champagne.  =)

  47. 47.

    Central Planning

    November 3, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    I’ve driven past two different polling places 4 times today while I was doing errands and taking kids for flu shots. They have never had lines in past elections, and I didn’t see any lines this time. We’re an east-side suburb of Rochester (hey, mistermix!)

    We didn’t have to go in since we dropped off ballots 3 weeks ago at the county board of elections. We were considering going to actually vote today so our votes are counted earlier, but I’m sure NY is clearly/easily going for Biden tonight so it doesn’t matter if our vote gets rolled in a day or two.

  48. 48.

    Baud

    November 3, 2020 at 3:47 pm

    @Bupalos:

    “Sodium is really turning out!”

  49. 49.

    MJS

    November 3, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    @planetjanet: Thank you for the work you’re doing. I would be lying if I said I don’t momentarily get annoyed by the dozens of “Will you be voting” texts I’ve received, which are always followed by the, “Great, can you reach out to 3 people to make sure they’re voting too” text. But if it gets any lazy asses to the polls, I’ll deal with the annoyance.

  50. 50.

    rikyrah

    November 3, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    @debbie:

    The judges that messed with mail ballots-, making ruling after ruling denying people the access to mail ballots,while making such decisions REMOTELY.

     

    Then, the messing with the POST OFFICE.

     

    Folks started making their COVID-19 voting plans during this time.

  51. 51.

    Miss Bianca

    November 3, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    Just got done with some last-minute county Democrat phone-banking. According to the figures I received, 439 Dems,1518R’s and 842U’s had voted as of yesterday (That figure for the Dems represents about 75% of the registered Democrats in the county. Not sure about the percentages on the other affiliations).

  52. 52.

    mrmoshpotato

    November 3, 2020 at 3:50 pm

    Enough about losing.  Ask him about being a loser.

  53. 53.

    rikyrah

    November 3, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    @bt:

     

    I want the White Whale.

    I want Georgia second.

    And, if we can get Florida, okay,but, been burned too many times by it.

  54. 54.

    Tom Levenson

    November 3, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    @CaseyL: Thank you! I hope the disasters of 300 years ago distract you nicely.

  55. 55.

    Nicole

    November 3, 2020 at 3:52 pm

    @arrieve:  We waited an hour on Monday morning.  I found out later had we put it off until Monday afternoon, we’d have been in and out in under 15 minutes.

  56. 56.

    rikyrah

    November 3, 2020 at 3:52 pm

    @Kent:

     

    Congratulations to her :)

  57. 57.

    catclub

    November 3, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    VERY busy voting location for me, because my state (mississippi goddam) has NO early voting and a tiny bit of ‘effctively’  early voting if absentee with a valid reason – not clear if fear of covid became a valid reason.

     

    I was hoping for heavy rain. Beautiful day instead,

  58. 58.

    germy

    November 3, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    Pete Alexander of NBC News is reporting that there are concerns within the Trump campaign that the Republican operation to get out their voters for Trump is failing. pic.twitter.com/EE1LgG4GD3

    — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) November 3, 2020

  59. 59.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    @Immanentize:

    @Kent: Congratulations to your daughter and you!  Oh how I remember those angst filled days.

    ETA. Isn’t that way damn early for next fall?  My son’s early admit date was 12/15….

    Yep.  Most of them announce in Feb or March for regular admission and in late Dec for early action.  Western Washington University just does immediate early action if you apply by Nov 1.  I guess they just use GPA.  She would likely be in their top 5% of applicants so it was probably an easy formula.  I don’t expect to hear from any other schools for much longer because she didn’t apply early action anywhere.

  60. 60.

    Served

    November 3, 2020 at 3:54 pm

    Millennial and Gen Z voters have surged this year to become the number 1 and 2 age brackets for turnout in Chicago. 18-34 is the largest, 35-44 the second largest.

  61. 61.

    stinger

    November 3, 2020 at 3:54 pm

    “Rallies the likes of which nobody in the world has ever seen before…”

    The guy is delusional.

  62. 62.

    SiubhanDuinne

    November 3, 2020 at 3:55 pm

    Never has projectile vomiting sounded more attractive.

  63. 63.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 3:55 pm

    @rikyrah: The White Whale is Texas.  As a former Texan, nothing would thrill me more and redeem my estimation of that state.  But I’m not irrational.  It’s a big ask.

  64. 64.

    catclub

    November 3, 2020 at 3:55 pm

    @rikyrah: I was VERY pleased to see reports of very few failed signatures on ballots returned by mail. I was worried about that category.

     

    a worrywart would say those challenges are still coming.

  65. 65.

    Baud

    November 3, 2020 at 3:55 pm

    @germy:

    NO GOSSIP!

  66. 66.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    November 3, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    @Kent:She gets like 60 email update notices a day just from google classroom every time a teacher posts a new assignment or comment.

    WTF, sounds like one some in management’s idea of management’s idea of communications, just CC everything to hell and gone.

  67. 67.

    Baud

    November 3, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    @Served:

    Isn’t it too early to make that call?

  68. 68.

    Searcher

    November 3, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    I’ll be relieved if things are called quickly for Biden, but at this point, what my vengeful, angry spleen really wants is for Mitch McConnell to lose, for all there’s a 4% chance of that.

    It wouldn’t make 2020 squares-ie but it would at least start the healing process.

  69. 69.

    catclub

    November 3, 2020 at 3:57 pm

    @germy: They stiffed the workers and the contractors too soon?

  70. 70.

    Catherine D.

    November 3, 2020 at 3:57 pm

    Roy Zimmerman has uploaded the latest Liar Tweets Tonight.

  71. 71.

    JPL

    November 3, 2020 at 3:57 pm

    @rikyrah:  One of the local polls said undecided was breaking trump’s way in GA. It’s still possible for Biden to, because of early voting. (imo)

  72. 72.

    Nicole

    November 3, 2020 at 3:58 pm

    @MJS: Which county?  Cumberland?  Was it Cumberland?  (I have a friend volunteering at the polls there today. :) )

  73. 73.

    SiubhanDuinne

    November 3, 2020 at 3:58 pm

    @germy:

    Pete Alexander of NBC News is reporting that there are concerns within the Trump campaign that the Republican operation to get out their voters for Trump is failing. pic.twitter.com/EE1LgG4GD3

    — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) November 3, 2020

    Photo of my violin, enlarged to show detail: ?

  74. 74.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    November 3, 2020 at 3:58 pm

    @Baud:NO GOSSIP!

    I am with you Baud, hard data only on election day.

  75. 75.

    MJS

    November 3, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    @Nicole: Sorry, not Cumberland. Lancaster, and just barely Lancaster – Elizabethtown.

  76. 76.

    Betty Cracker

    November 3, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    @Kay: Yeah, it’s crazy-making, trying to figure out WTF is happening in Florida.

    I’m cautiously hopeful about Duval Co. (Jax) at the moment. The Reps whittled into our early voting lead, but we’re still out front with tons of NPAs in the mix, which I’ve got to think will break our way this year. In Duval, Dem and Rep turnout is generally even with Reps winning narrowly, so this is maybe good? Turnout 70%!

    The turnout in Sumter Co. (The Villages of the Darned) is HUGE. Is that good for Biden or Trump? Is this the revenge of the Biden golf cart people? We’ll know more this evening!

  77. 77.

    mrmoshpotato

    November 3, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    LOL

    Via Kurt Eichenwald

    While I don't think this was meant to be a favorable piece–I offer to you all the National Review's critique of me!The GOP's main complaints about me seem to be:?I win a lot.?I hurt their feelings.??I hurt their feelings when I win a lot.https://t.co/gbYlsZQpFG— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) November 3, 2020

  78. 78.

    RSA

    November 3, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    No news here, but I haven’t gone anywhere today aside from the liquor store. (True story!) I did have a reaction to this, though.

    Check out President Cornered Rat here, decidedly NOT projecting confidence.

    As usual, Trump projects pure nonsense, saying,

    I’m not thinking about a concession speech or an acceptance speech. Hopefully we’ll be doing only one of those two…

    Hopefully? Only one of the choices, winning or losing? WTF does he mean? Does he even know? These are rhetorical questions, asked out of irritation. I will be happy to have a President who makes sense.

  79. 79.

    Geoduck

    November 3, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    @chopper: Although I guess a pretty good percentage of us got our votes in early. Here’s a fun little thought for any other WA state residents: Biden wins, Inslee wins, then the former offers the latter a cabinet post, and he bails. We could end up with Danny Heck as governor before this is all over. (Heck’s not terrible, but he’s also an arch-typical backbencher type, and would not make a superior governor..)

  80. 80.

    Aleta

    November 3, 2020 at 4:01 pm

    How does one follow Florida (as Kay mentions) or any other state before this evening?   Where do I find those kind of reports ?

  81. 81.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 4:01 pm

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:WTF, sounds like one some in management’s idea of management’s idea of communications, just CC everything to hell and gone.

    Yeah, I just had to laugh hysterically when I saw her inbox.   Welcome to the working world girl!   During in-person school the kids can mostly just ignore school email because teachers are physically in their face about every assignment.  And announcements are read over the intercom or on TV.  This is all new for her.  Most of it isn’t actual personal email directed to her.  It’s all notifications of some sort or another.  Google classroom is like facebook for schools. It’s where the teachers post up all the assignments and notices.  But it generates a notification email every time they make a change to their google classroom page and she has 6 google classrooms.  Plus, teachers are always sending out additional email reminders of this or that.  And the administration is doing the same “register for your AP tests by x-date”  “Order your yearbook by y date”  Monday is funny hat day on zoom”  ‘sign up by Tuesday to get your parking pass for when school reopens”  etc. etc.

  82. 82.

    Goku (Amerikan Baka)

    November 3, 2020 at 4:01 pm

    @JPL: Undecided voters were split pretty evenly between Trump and Biden. And isn’t too late for that matter?

  83. 83.

    Miss Bianca

    November 3, 2020 at 4:02 pm

    @Tom Levenson: And I have reached the epilogue of Newton and the Counterfeiter. Finally! It’s taken me weeks – nothing against your writing, I hasten to add, it’s just that my brain seems incapable of soaking up anything in bulk but the lightest of fiction right now. Do hope that that will change after tonight.

  84. 84.

    sdhays

    November 3, 2020 at 4:02 pm

    @germy: LOL. You mean the “Death Star” has a flaw?

  85. 85.

    Miss Bianca

    November 3, 2020 at 4:03 pm

    @germy: oh rlly?

  86. 86.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    November 3, 2020 at 4:03 pm

    hmm it’s 4:00pm East Coast time, that’s pretty much traditional peaking voting times as people get out of work, isn’t it?

  87. 87.

    AnotherBruce

    November 3, 2020 at 4:03 pm

    Well Chuck Toddler and Bret Hume are worried about the Democrats going too far left. Hume I understand, but Chuckie is worried about the progressives getting health care, for people that need it. (I’m one of them.)  Chris Christie was right about Chuck, he’s an insufferable asshole. Please MSNBC. Get rid of this both sides of the mouth idiot.

  88. 88.

    sdhays

    November 3, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    @rikyrah: I want Georgia first because I want those two Senate seats.

    Not that it makes a whiff of difference what I think/want. But the idea of 2 whole extra seats from one state is really enticing.

  89. 89.

    Lacuna Synechdoche

    November 3, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    @zzyzx:

    I vowed that I wasn’t going to fall for Florida again. If it goes our way, great, but I’m not going to live and die by it because thay way lies madness!

    Yeah, Florida is never there for Dems when we need it. It’s like the Susan Collins of electoral voting.

  90. 90.

    Kay

    November 3, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    @Aleta:

    You can do FL here. Florida’s weird because they’re really transparent- they publish everything immediately. You can’t follow PA like this.

  91. 91.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    @Geoduck:@chopper: Although I guess a pretty good percentage of us got our votes in early. Here’s a fun little thought for any other WA state residents: Biden wins, Inslee wins, then the former offers the latter a cabinet post, and he bails. We could end up with Danny Heck as governor before this is all over. (Heck’s not terrible, but he’s also an arch-typical backbencher type, and would not make a superior governor..)

    That’s how Oregon got Kate Brown as governor.  Kitzhaber resigned and they got stuck with her.

    I’m not sure how WA election law works.  I assume it would be an interim situation until the next special election.  But I don’t actually know.  And I haven’t seen any polling, but I’m not sure Denny Heck is going to win.  Marko Liias got a lot of endorsements from the more progressive elements.  But Heck got most of the endorsements from the more establishment elements like the teachers unions.

  92. 92.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    November 3, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    @Kent: You’re right, it’s good preparation for your child as to what work with be like, just a never ending blizzard of non information. But still, things can be done better than “Went in doubt, copy everyone”

  93. 93.

    Mallard Filmore

    November 3, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    @Kent:

     

    Over 500 unread emails in her school inbox. She gets like 60 email update notices a day just from google classroom every time a teacher posts a new assignment or comment.

    Does her email service allow for automatically sending incoming email to different folders? In the past I was able to set that up on Yahoo (I think ???).

  94. 94.

    Puddinhead

    November 3, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    @MJS:  which county?

  95. 95.

    negative 1

    November 3, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    Kind of sad that this didn’t get more attention before today.  I vaguely knew that Tommy Tuberville was a horse’s ass because I watch college football, but I never knew he was this bad:

    https://www.theringer.com/2020/11/3/21547185/tommy-tuberville-alabama-senate-election-campaign

    Anyhow I’m sorry that people in Alabama have had nothing but shitty choices for a while now.  At least Doug Jones narrowly beat a pedophile, but that’s sad to type out on its own.

  96. 96.

    something fabulous

    November 3, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    Just wanted to comment once on a thread that was not already 100s long, to echo what I’ve been reading: THANK YOU SO MUCH to the whole Jackal community; for the advice on places to spend my tiny donations this year, for a community to come and hang even as a lurker, every day, and for everyone’s amazing support of DEMOCRACY IN ACTION. Has been truly inspiring to read.

    Let’s go do this! [and for both my grandmothers, with that, a spit to ward off any evil eyes: ptui ptui ptui!!!]

    Will be here all night, watching with you!

  97. 97.

    Sab

    November 3, 2020 at 4:08 pm

    When I did tax prep we used to joke that the last week of tax season  we were so overloaded by work that we wore cocktail dresses because it was so long since we had had time to do laundry that that was all we had to wear. Trump’s women minions look like that only my cocktail dresses were much classier and more decent.

  98. 98.

    Kay

    November 3, 2020 at 4:08 pm

    @Aleta:

    It’s all like this, though:

    my bad! the electorate is at R+1.6 ! Sorry about that

    Just follow along- you’ll get the lingo.

  99. 99.

    DesertFriar

    November 3, 2020 at 4:09 pm

    I voted in NM on Oct. 23rd.  Haven’t ventured out to the polls.

    However I also ordered the ‘Soros 5: Swing State Edition’.

    I got AZ, TX, FL, GA, NC. absentee ballots  Sent them out in plenty of time to be counted.

  100. 100.

    MJS

    November 3, 2020 at 4:09 pm

    @Puddinhead: Lancaster.

  101. 101.

    SuzieC

    November 3, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    “The electoral equivalent of projectile vomiting”  OMG, I needed to laugh maniacally.  Thanks!!

  102. 102.

    Gin & Tonic

    November 3, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    @germy: So sad.

  103. 103.

    JPL

    November 3, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    @Goku (Amerikan Baka):  I’m just talking about GA.

  104. 104.

    piratedan

    November 3, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: well if these fuckers couldn’t get PPE out to providers in the middle of a pandemic, what makes you think that they can get voters out to the polls? Probably loaded a shitpotfull of them up in a bus and drove them to some fucking airfield out in the middle of no where and dropped them off and left….

  105. 105.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    @Mallard Filmore:Does her email service allow for automatically sending incoming email to different folders? In the past I was able to set that up on Yahoo (I think ???).

    It’s just school-managed Gmail, so yes.  I can help her get it all set up once school is over today.  I just found it hilarious because one of the things I had never thought to monitor was her actual school email.  She is a wizard at the online stuff she cares about, like Discord and her gaming forums.  Email is only for teachers and letters to grandma so she doesn’t care about it.

  106. 106.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    November 3, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    I’m really missing the wisdom of Chris Matthews this year, so I think I’ll channel him:

    Tip and Ronnie at Tenagra.

    When the walls fell.

  107. 107.

    Morzer

    November 3, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    @Kay:

    https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/1323716735451758597

    One thing that does seem clear in the Election Day numbers is that the GOP vote came out early but the vote is becoming less Republican (and more indie) over the course of the day. @NateSilver538

  108. 108.

    SFBayAreaGal

    November 3, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    Betty, I love your flow of words.

  109. 109.

    NeenerNeener

    November 3, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    @Central Planning: Hi, Central Planning! Webster here. We had over 8000 early votes by 2 pm on Sunday at the Webster Rec Center.

  110. 110.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    November 3, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    @Kent:

    When I use folders, it just leads me to miss or ignore emails with an excuse.

  111. 111.

    Lacuna Synechdoche

    November 3, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    @arrieve:

    I was planning on voting early in NY but was discouraged by the reports of people waiting 2-3 hours

    Heh, my experience was exactly the opposite. I was going to vote today, but back on Friday when I looked up the hours, I found a couple articles that showed only 28% of New Yorkers had voted early. I figured that meant the polls could be crowded on Election Day and decided to vote early instead, Friday, at MSG.

    There was a line, it wasn’t bad though. Looked longer than it was due to social distancing, and it didn’t even look that long to begin with. Waited in line maybe 10-15 minutes; the whole process, including wait, took about 20-25 minutes.

  112. 112.

    LuciaMia

    November 3, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    women minions look like that only my cocktail dresses were much classier and more decent.

    Yeah, not to  be catty, but they look like ex-bridesmaids dresses.

  113. 113.

    Jeffro

    November 3, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    Kent, I read that Rubin piece that you posted in the last thread (thanks) – she is so spot-on with these things.  The Repubs have a lot of work to do and we will not be forgetting these past four years, hopefully ever.

    Just a quick repost from below: at the polling place I was working at this morning, there were four of us older white guys working as observers/greeters for the Ds, and no one (at first) for the Rs.  Then a young Asian-American lady showed up, kind of confused, and from looking through an email she showed us, we figured out that she was an R observer/greeter…who was being paid to be there(!)

    Kind of says it all, I think!

  114. 114.

    VeniceRiley

    November 3, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    I read R from Irvine Moorlach is toast for CA statehouse. Hahahaha! What a win that will be!

  115. 115.

    Puddinhead

    November 3, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    @MJS: ignore my previous comment. Early NYC voter got there first. I live in the MAGA-est part of York county and the line was long a little after the polls opened but by the time I finished voting it was maybe half as long. Lots of people all apparently need to be at work at the same time.

  116. 116.

    Ruckus

    November 3, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    I walk by the polling place closest to me and at 7:45 there was a line outside. Now I imagine there are fewer stations in the large room that is used because of COVID-19, but there are two drop boxes within a mile, voting has been open here for 4 days, every registered voter got mailed a ballot, and there is still a line. I believe voting will be a colossal disaster for shitforbrains.

  117. 117.

    The Enderville Phantom

    November 3, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    A day off from work here being responsible by going to the dentist. After years without a single issue … I suppose that’s what happens when you get old. Rainy and grey. Ballot is already in.

  118. 118.

    MJS

    November 3, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    Question for the group – why would I still be getting texts from a Senate candidate asking for donations 4 hours before polls close in that state? I understand if there will be campaign debt that needs to be addressed, but the texts indicate the money is needed right now to win the election.

  119. 119.

    Tony Jay

    November 3, 2020 at 4:15 pm

    Here in the festering dampwort paddies of rainswept Little Brexitannia everything is in hand. Bathed and shaved. Watched another Doctor Who in our run through (we’re up to the Matt Smith era, ‘Let’s Kill Hitler’ – class episode I’d forgot the plot of, which was nice) then put the boy to bed. Currently watching Liverpool FC beating the beejeebus out of Italy’s Atalanta 0-4 in the Champion’s League. Beer in hand, laptop in position, looking forward to a very late night enjoying the Q Tang Klan being punched in the nuts over and over and over again.

    Oh, Liverpool have a fifth goal. Looks like it’s a good night for the good guys all round.

    Be joyful, Juicers. You’ve waited for this for a loooonnnnnnng time.

  120. 120.

    cain

    November 3, 2020 at 4:15 pm

    @Served:

    You can thank the March for Our Lives movement – this day is the day they’ve all been waiting for. The 15 year olds, the 16 year olds back in 2016 now have the power of the ballot in their hands and they are going to use it.

  121. 121.

    Suzanne

    November 3, 2020 at 4:16 pm

    Is election poo a thing?

    Or just me?

  122. 122.

    MJS

    November 3, 2020 at 4:16 pm

    @Puddinhead: Dillsburg? Or near the MD border?

  123. 123.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    November 3, 2020 at 4:16 pm

    Holy crap, the early vote count is now over 101 million. Is that going to be a majority of the turnout this year?

    Makes it that more ridiculous to pretend you can stop counting after today’s in-person votes are in.

  124. 124.

    kindness

    November 3, 2020 at 4:16 pm

    I live in a relatively red area of California, the Central Valley.  Four years ago almost every house on my street had Trump signs in front of their homes.  This year not one home had signs up in their front yard.

    That tells me lots.

  125. 125.

    Mary G

    November 3, 2020 at 4:17 pm

    On this #ElectionDay #Elections2020 America needs "scorched earth" Democrats who will fully reject the Republican Party and all offers of "compromise" in the future if America is to be saved and improved. My new @Salon with David Rothkopf @djrothkopf: https://t.co/v56HpA5d8g— chauncey devega (@chaunceydevega) November 3, 2020

    That’s right! Double the number of judges at all levels, confirm ’em lightning faster than the Turtle and make all his ratfucking for naught, then maybe a tiny slice of unity. Microscopic even.

  126. 126.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 4:18 pm

    @MJS:Question for the group – why would I still be getting texts from a Senate candidate asking for donations 4 hours before polls close in that state? I understand if there will be campaign debt that needs to be addressed, but the texts indicate the money is needed right now to win the election.

    First, it may not actually be a text from the actual candidate.  There is a shitload of fake fundraising stuff out there.  So never follow email or text links, go to act blue or another site to donate money.

    Second, many of them have campaign debts so the fundraising continues through the election and beyond.

    Third, a lot of it is automated stuff set up by staffers and not things that the candidate themselves ever actually approved.

  127. 127.

    cain

    November 3, 2020 at 4:18 pm

    @Lacuna Synechdoche:

    I”m sick of their 1% – but in general I htink most of the time they fall on the blue side, but thanks to state officers being Republicans they rat fuck the vote.

  128. 128.

    HeleninEire

    November 3, 2020 at 4:18 pm

    I am loving all the synonyms for hurling (oh, there’s another one) in this post.

    5 stars Betty.

  129. 129.

    leeleeFL

    November 3, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    I am hoping for a National Puking Up of the Poison.  Perhaps the turnout is an indication that people are finally understanding that “DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THOSE WHO SHOW UP”

    SO LET IT BE WRITTEN, SO LET IT BE DONE!

  130. 130.

    Mary G

    November 3, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    @cain: David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez and the rest of MFOL all need to receive medals.

  131. 131.

    Nutmeg again

    November 3, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    Voted!  I got to the polling place mid day. No obnoxiousness to be seen. I had a socially distanced thumbs up moment with the Dem rep candidate. In my little town of ~ 8,000 folks in CT, the guy in the high school lobby said it had been really busy all day, and just slowed down. (First place I can remember voting where there was only one location for the whole town!)  There was a steady stream of voters, but no pile-up. The poll workers seemed very young to me, and I made a point of thanking the two with whom I interacted.

    At the grocery store afterwards, the person in line ahead of me had ice cream, ginger ale and some other noshes. I got ice cream and some of those Tates chocolate chip cookies. (Having mangled my knee, cooking + baking ain’t happening).  The clerk voted too, but none of us got stickers. I don’t mind, and I said that voting matters more than a sticker anyway… but she was funny.

  132. 132.

    mrmoshpotato

    November 3, 2020 at 4:20 pm

    @AnotherBruce: Oh Chuckles! STFU!

  133. 133.

    patrick II

    November 3, 2020 at 4:20 pm

    @JPL:

    There’s a big surprise, “undecided ” voters were really Trump voters.

  134. 134.

    Baud

    November 3, 2020 at 4:20 pm

    @Mary G:

    Let’s win first.

  135. 135.

    Nicole

    November 3, 2020 at 4:20 pm

    @MJS: I know Elizabethtown! :)  I have family in Dauphin, which went for Clinton by a whisker in 2016.

  136. 136.

    Suzanne

    November 3, 2020 at 4:20 pm

    Oh. So I took SuzMom this morning at 7 AM sharp down to the church on the next block to vote in person. I had three forms of ID, and the poll workers were very impressed. We (also including Spawn the Younger, as a civics lesson) waited for about an hour, outdoors, in a very respectful, socially distanced line (about 36 degrees). All told, including the walks there and back, as well as the actual voting, it took right around an hour and a half. Then Mr. Suzanne went over and also voted without incident.

    It’s quite a thing, coming from *a* swing state, to *the* swing state.

  137. 137.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 4:21 pm

    @kindness:

    I live in a relatively red area of California, the Central Valley.  Four years ago almost every house on my street had Trump signs in front of their homes.  This year not one home had signs up in their front yard.

    That tells me lots.

    Pretty much the same here in my purple suburb.  Lots of Trump stuff in 2016.  This year there is none.  There is still loads of signs for our crazy “constitutional sheriff” GOP candidate for governor, Loren Culp, and for local GOP candidates.  So you sill know who all the GOP neighbors are. They just aren’t putting up Trump signs.

    The only Trump stuff we see are the damn truck parades and those are usually MAGA folks driving in from more rural areas to be assholes in the suburbs and city.

    Way out in the country you still see the barns painted up for Trump and the big signs made out of hay bales and such.  But not in the suburbs.

  138. 138.

    Jeffro

    November 3, 2020 at 4:21 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: lemme join you in a duet!

  139. 139.

    MJS

    November 3, 2020 at 4:21 pm

    @Kent: Being sometimes foolhardy, I just clicked on the link. It’s either actually from Act Blue, or a very realistic looking fake. Either way, I never use my phone to donate.

  140. 140.

    leeleeFL

    November 3, 2020 at 4:21 pm

    @AnotherBruce: Where the hell is that rusty pitchfork when we really need it?

  141. 141.

    Jeffro

    November 3, 2020 at 4:21 pm

    I’d love to see some nice Midwestern diner stories and interviews with trumpublicans who were demotivated by trumpov’s continued downward spiral these past couple of months.  “Lacking a Hillary to vote against, these stalwart, salt-of-the-earth folks realized that they’d be voting for trumpov, and just couldn’t rouse themselves to do that…”

  142. 142.

    Puddinhead

    November 3, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    @MJS: I am not going to advertise that fact too hard online but I will give you enough hints to get it since you are familiar with the area:

    1. currently represented by Smucker

    2. Good God, what is that smell?!?

  143. 143.

    Connor

    November 3, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    @Kent:

    WWU is a great school (my wife is an alumnus), and Bellingham is a great place to live. I hope your daughter gets lots of acceptances and takes her personal pick of the collegiate litter, of course — but WWU woud be a fine choice!

  144. 144.

    Aleta

    November 3, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    Our poor vet, who couldn’t be more anti-T and all-around decent, has been harassed for months by anti-maskers and lately his location’s become an outbreak spot for truck parades and new covid cases.   We changed the dog’s check-up to today instead of tomorrow, in case of truck protests around that town post-election.  All was quiet all the way along the 40 min. drive and past one of the infamous rebel churches.

  145. 145.

    Ruckus

    November 3, 2020 at 4:23 pm

    @germy:

    They never considered that the quality of the candidate might have something to do with it. Shame they seem to be such colossal fuckups…..

  146. 146.

    MJS

    November 3, 2020 at 4:23 pm

    @Nicole: Believe it or not, I think we had a similar conversation in 2016. I’m recalling that you’re from the “West Shore”, but I’m old, so…

  147. 147.

    Central Planning

    November 3, 2020 at 4:23 pm

    @NeenerNeener: Nice. I heard something like 100K votes in Monroe County (Pittsford over here).

    I’m always surprised by the number of BJers in western/central/upstate NY

  148. 148.

    Gravenstone

    November 3, 2020 at 4:24 pm

    @germy: Okay, that caused a mirthful chuckle.

  149. 149.

    Another Scott

    November 3, 2020 at 4:24 pm

    @MJS: In addition to what Kent said above, I assume that the vast majority of fundraising is going to dry up tomorrow.  If candidates need money for expenses, they need to raise the money while they can.  And, they may be wanting to build up their war-chest to keep other candidates from getting ideas about jumping into the next contest.

    My $0.02.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  150. 150.

    bluefoot

    November 3, 2020 at 4:25 pm

    @Kent: My 9 year old niece had a “working lunch” session for one of her classes.  She’s remote learning in her district.  Nine year old and a working lunch!

  151. 151.

    JAFD

    November 3, 2020 at 4:25 pm

    Greetings from New Jersey !

    Went walking today.  At main post office, notices up “Ballots postmarked until 7:30 PM at window 7”.  Passed by drop box at City Hall – people driving or walking up, about 1 a minute, and by Prudential Center. around 1:15.  Three TV trucks there, half a dozen Center staff, and a dozen ‘Election Protection’ volunteers, armed with a box of candy bars.

    (for more, see  https://www.nj.com/politics/2020/11/cavernous-prudential-center-arena-reopens-to-public-for-1st-time-in-months-as-election-day-polling-site.html )

    Went by the firehouse where I’d worked, previous elections.  Bunch of voters there, but no familiar faces amongst the pollworkers.  Ran some errands – now have four different varieties of prescription eyedrops to take before and after operation, and every day now on.

    Sat in Riverbank Park for a while and nibbled.  Nice day, 55 degrees and partly sunny – I’d worn too heavy a coat, got home sweaty.

    Hope you’re keeping healthy and happy !

  152. 152.

    catclub

    November 3, 2020 at 4:25 pm

    @RSA: Hopefully? Only one of the choices, winning or losing? WTF does he mean? Does he even know? These are rhetorical questions, asked out of irritation. I will be happy to have a President who makes sense.

     

    No, it makes perfect sense. He is hoping there is no result and he is announcing multiple lawsuits and the result is to be handled by the SC.

  153. 153.

    Suzanne

    November 3, 2020 at 4:25 pm

    Oh. I wore pearls and a VOTE face mask. SuzMom wore a RBG face mask. Spawn the Younger got an “I VOTED” sticker despite not voting because she is a charming kid.

  154. 154.

    Morzer

    November 3, 2020 at 4:26 pm

    If y’all haven’t seen this, it’s worth a couple of minutes:

    https://twitter.com/LincolnsBible/status/1323633972543303680

  155. 155.

    Anoniminous

    November 3, 2020 at 4:26 pm

    @sdhays:

    In Georgia a candidate has to get 50%+ to win the seat.  Since that rarely happens odds are they’ll be doing the Senate races all over again Jan 5.

  156. 156.

    Ruckus

    November 3, 2020 at 4:26 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I am eating lunch, at work, and read that with a mouthful.

    Thanks….

  157. 157.

    Feathers

    November 3, 2020 at 4:27 pm

    @Kent: Yeah, setting up label and archive in GMail is pretty simple. One trick I found helpful for notifications was to add a label for “check and delete.” That way I could just pull it up, hit select all, go through to find any I might actually need and then just delete the rest. Basically a spam label for stuff that well meaning people send you.

  158. 158.

    catclub

    November 3, 2020 at 4:27 pm

    @bluefoot: I have that every day at the office. I eat my lunch from home at my desk. NOW, I have to leave the office and go to the kitchen.

  159. 159.

    Nicole

    November 3, 2020 at 4:27 pm

    @MJS: Gadzooks; you have a great memory.  Yes, I grew up on the West Shore.

  160. 160.

    Amir Khalid

    November 3, 2020 at 4:27 pm

    Meanwhile, in the UEFA Champions league, Liverpool lead hosts Atalanta 0-5 in their group stage match, with new hotness Diogo Jota bagging his maiden hattrick for the Reds and Mo Salah equalling Steven Gerrard’s club record of 21 goals scored in this competition. Oh, and Sadio Mané scored too. I hope it’s a good omen for the election result.

  161. 161.

    dm

    November 3, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    @Catherine D.: The “Vote like Americans: Way-oh Way-oh” break at 1:30 was delightful.

  162. 162.

    Morzer

    November 3, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    @Nicole: Gramercy! A sighting of the rare wild gadzooks!

  163. 163.

    Ruckus

    November 3, 2020 at 4:29 pm

    @bluefoot:

    Teaching her about the most important part of the day when working.

  164. 164.

    jackmac

    November 3, 2020 at 4:29 pm

    Our family had different ways of casting ballots this year. I always liked going on Election Day but not this year. My wife and I voted on the first day early voting was available while my daughter voted last week in her college town.

    My son, however, wanted to avoid the tight quarters (and worries about COVID sharing) at the early voting site in my Illinois county, so he showed up at our regular polling place for today’s 6 a.m. opening and cast his ballot in a spacious gym.

    Regardless how it was done, it mission accomplished for all four of us.

  165. 165.

    HeleninEire

    November 3, 2020 at 4:30 pm

    Can all of my Balloon Juice/Facebook friends please go to my page and give a shout out to Megan. She is my best friend’s daughter. I’ve known and loved her her whole life. In September she turned 18 and she volunteered as a poll worker in Queens, NY.

    She is the BEST.

  166. 166.

    Mousebumples

    November 3, 2020 at 4:30 pm

    Nice and warm on wisconsin today, perfect for a socially distanced election day! Surprised to see it in the 60s in November, but I’ll take it!

  167. 167.

    Morzer

    November 3, 2020 at 4:30 pm

    Josh Marshall has a pretty good list of people who look at the numbers relevant to this here election:

    https://twitter.com/i/lists/706696973345107968

  168. 168.

    catclub

    November 3, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    @kindness:

    Four years ago almost every house on my street had Trump signs in front of their homes. This year not one home had signs up in their front yard.

    That tells me lots.

     

    In MY neighborhood, 4 years ago 1 Trump sign, 1 Clinton sign.  Today, probably 20+ houses with multiple Trump signs.  1 Biden sign.

    So I think Trump will do BETTER in 2020 in Mississippi than in 2016.

  169. 169.

    The Moar You Know

    November 3, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    “Rallies the likes of which nobody in the world has ever seen before…”

    @stinger:  I have seen store openings and building demolitions that have gotten more people out than at ANY of his rallies this year.  He’s a fucking failure and he’s about to fail bigger and better than anyone has failed before.

  170. 170.

    bertintx

    November 3, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    Here in Travis County, TX  (Austin), I just checked numbers from the county website and some local TV news sources. At the time I checked the latest update was from 12:30, but it showed about 6000 votes per hour being cast (27,000 cast reported). Turnout (early voting plus latest update) is already at least 22% higher than 2016.  The elections clerk is quoted as predicting that at least 77% of registered voters will cast ballots, and that 80% is possible. Travis county has registered 96% of eligible voters. But it is weird to look at the wait time map and see green dots everywhere, like this is not the most important election of our lives.

    Then I found this, which is very encouraging:

    Voters are turning out in record numbers across the state, and according to a new study from Tufts University, an amazing 753,600 Texans ages 18-29 have already voted early in this election.

    That’s more than seven times the number that voted by this point in the last presidential race in 2016.

  171. 171.

    Ruckus

    November 3, 2020 at 4:32 pm

    @Central Planning:

    Why, there’s not really anything better to do for what, 4 months a year?

  172. 172.

    Suzanne

    November 3, 2020 at 4:32 pm

    @HeleninEire: Yes, I will, as soon as I am back on FB today!

    I also made sure to thank the poll workers today.

  173. 173.

    Suzanne

    November 3, 2020 at 4:33 pm

    @The Moar You Know: To be fair…. building demolitions are great.

  174. 174.

    Geoduck

    November 3, 2020 at 4:33 pm

    @Kent: Yeah, for the record, I voted for Liias, but I sorta assume that Heck will drift into the office.

  175. 175.

    zzyzx

    November 3, 2020 at 4:34 pm

    I made the mistake of reading the comments to a Nate Silver post and either Biden is going to win in a massive landslide or it’s completely over and we’re doomed! I emerged knowing far less than I did going in.

  176. 176.

    Glyph2112

    November 3, 2020 at 4:35 pm

    It gonna be 90 degrees here in AZ, so he’ll hasn’t frozen over yet.  Not sure if it’s a good or bad sign.

  177. 177.

    SFBayAreaGal

    November 3, 2020 at 4:35 pm

    @HeleninEire: Done

  178. 178.

    Ruckus

    November 3, 2020 at 4:35 pm

    @bertintx:

    I don’t think a lot of people have a decent grasp of just how pissed off a lot of their fellow citizens really are.

  179. 179.

    lowtechcyclist

    November 3, 2020 at 4:36 pm

    @bertintx: according to a new study from Tufts University, an amazing 753,600 Texans ages 18-29 have already voted early in this election.

    The kids are alright!!

  180. 180.

    MisterForkbeard

    November 3, 2020 at 4:36 pm

    @negative 1: I’ve said it before, but I think we should transfer Alabama’s statehood to Puerto Rico. Give it to someone who’d use it constructively.

  181. 181.

    HeleninEire

    November 3, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    @Suzanne: Thank you.

  182. 182.

    Princess

    November 3, 2020 at 4:38 pm

    @Served: Checks out. I passed an early voting site in Chicago yesterday and not only was there a huge line, I’d say that 90% of the line was people <30, both students at the university and locals.

  183. 183.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 4:38 pm

    @Connor: @Kent: WWU is a great school (my wife is an alumnus), and Bellingham is a great place to live. I hope your daughter gets lots of acceptances and takes her personal pick of the collegiate litter, of course — but WWU woud be a fine choice!

    I like it too.   She applied to four state schools (UW, WSU, WWU and UO).  And she applied to 5 private schools (Whitman, Lewis & Clark, University of Puget Sound, Gonzaga, and Occidental).

    I think if she decides to go the public school route she will choose UW and the other three are backups with WWU probably the second choice.

    If she chooses to go small private liberal arts college then I think Whitman or Lewis & Clark would be the first choices with the others backups, depending on merit aid offers and such.

    Personally I’m kind of rooting for UW so we can go up for football games and such and see her in the Husky Marching Band which is something she wants to do.  But she has to find the right fit.  I would be fine with any of her 9 choices.

    Hopefully they will be back with on-campus learning by the spring when she has to make up her mind so she can visit her top choices again before making the decision.

  184. 184.

    HeleninEire

    November 3, 2020 at 4:38 pm

    @SFBayAreaGal: Thank you.

  185. 185.

    patrick II

    November 3, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    @negative 1:

    It always bothers me when some who comes from the world of sports, particularly football or basketball which have so many minority players, are so transparently racist. You have to have serious ability to be two faced to be able to do that.

  186. 186.

    Morzer

    November 3, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    @lowtechcyclist: I have heard that the yoots dislike the Orange Abomination bigly…

  187. 187.

    Van Buren

    November 3, 2020 at 4:40 pm

    @Kent: I went to HS in eastern Virginia. Best friend wanted to get as far away from his parents as possible, looked at a map, found Bellingham and WWU, and that’s where he went.

  188. 188.

    Ken

    November 3, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    @Frank Wilhoit: The screenshot doesn’t look like Trump, it looks like his stunt double.

    So Melania got out of the country last week, and now Trump has fled, both of them leaving behind their stand-ins?  As plausible as anything else about this administration.

  189. 189.

    Ruckus

    November 3, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    @The Moar You Know:

    It’s the only thing he’s ever been at all good at, fucking up. He’s the guy who can fuck up that proverbial wet dream. Consistently.

  190. 190.

    Emma from FL

    November 3, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    @Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: you owe me a new shirt! I have spewed pomegranate juice all over the one I’m wearing. And now I am laughing maniacally while typing.

  191. 191.

    Connor

    November 3, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    @Kent:

    That’s a wide range of possible selections, and all options sound fine. What is her preferred field of study?

  192. 192.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    November 3, 2020 at 4:42 pm

    Texas is my real hope. Florida has been in play several times, but Texas has been a “don’t bother” for Dems for so long.

    If anything would stamp the imprint of “LOSER!!!” on Trump forevermore, it would be losing Texas.

    Of course, if we’re talking actual *dreams*, it would be that Biden tells the DOJ to go after everyone, as long as the evidence is strong and conclusive, no matter how high (emphatically including Trump, who is *not* above the  law), or how low (emphatically including everyone who was duty bound to report lawbreaking, corruption, etc., and failed to do so – but be generous with the small fry who were reasonably afraid and unsure).

    Ordinarily, I understand not prosecuting the small fry who were simply carrying out the orders of the higher ups; but I believe I’m quite properly scandalized that there was only *one* whistleblower in Trump’s extortion scheme, and that “anonymous” thought it’s okay if Trump is corrupt and lawless, so long as people are sufficiently insubordinate.

    (Maybe I’m reading too much into my early Robert Heinlein influence, but I came to respect how he would have characters ask for written orders in certain situations – either to show they were *directly* ordered to do something they didn’t think was right (or that might lead to retaliation), or to preserve evidence for why they refused to obey the order.  The idea was, if a lawful order is given, you follow it; if it’s unlawful, you refuse outright; and if you’re not sure, you demand a record be made, including your objections, so there’s a trail for later investigation. The idea that the President could give orders or instructions, and have people just ignore them, seemed far worse than the President giving those orders/instructions. If people are in the habit of disobeying orders, we have no confidence that things will actually get done in a real crisis.)

  193. 193.

    zzyzx

    November 3, 2020 at 4:42 pm

    I love pronouncing WWU as “Wooo-wooooo!”

  194. 194.

    Nicole

    November 3, 2020 at 4:43 pm

    @Morzer: You piqued my curiosity, so I googled the origin of “gadzooks.”  It is believed to be a contraction of “God’s hooks,” referring to the nails on the cross.

    Now I want to start using “God’s hooks!” as an exclamation.

  195. 195.

    Tony Jay

    November 3, 2020 at 4:43 pm

    @Amir Khalid:

    If we’d maintained the same intensity this could have been double figures, but we’ve been smart, eased down the gears, made substitutions, saved our cutting edge for the game against Citeh on Saturday.

    Should be a corker. Just the thing for a Lockdown Weekend.

  196. 196.

    The Moar You Know

    November 3, 2020 at 4:43 pm

    @Suzanne: Hell yes they are.  That “slap/crack” you feel through the soles of your feet and then the building coming down; I love a good building knockdown.

  197. 197.

    Miss Bianca

    November 3, 2020 at 4:44 pm

    @HeleninEire: “BLAAAARRRGGGHHH” is my new favorite. : )

  198. 198.

    Geoduck

    November 3, 2020 at 4:45 pm

    @Kent: If she does go to WWU, be prepared for the fact that, unlike the rest of Western Washington, they actually have winter in Bellingham.

  199. 199.

    jackmac

    November 3, 2020 at 4:47 pm

    In Illinois, formerly ruby-red DuPage County in Chicago’s western suburbs had a 68 percent turnout by 3:30 p.m. (and 3 1/2 hours to go).  Total numbers (including early and day-of voting are at a record 449,040. Hillary Clinton carried DuPage in 2016 with 222,499 votes (or 53 percent).

  200. 200.

    Another Scott

    November 3, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    An Arlingtonian shows President Trump a finger as his motorcade makes it’s way back to the White House after a stop at their campaign headquarters in Rosslyn. pic.twitter.com/q3TfGnSusn

    — Jay Westcott (@jwestcottphoto) November 3, 2020

    More than “a finger”…

    Good, good.

    (via nycsouthpaw)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  201. 201.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 4:49 pm

    @Connor: @Kent:

    That’s a wide range of possible selections, and all options sound fine. What is her preferred field of study?

    Biology with a specific interest in molecular biology and genetics.  She is absolutely not interested in a medical career. She sees my wife’s life, who is a primary care physician and wants none of that.  So maybe she goes into research or some ancillary science field.

    Her second interest is digital art and animation and she wrote her liberal arts admissions essays on the intersection of digital arts and science using the example of the coronavirus, which is always pictured as red when in fact it is too small to actually have a color, being smaller than the actual wavelength of visible light.  So she wrote about how visual perceptions of science are so important for science communication.

    But she isn’t particularly set into any one career path at this point and really needs a college where she can explore and discover her interests.

  202. 202.

    Central Planning

    November 3, 2020 at 4:51 pm

    @Ruckus: They say if you don’t like the weather in Rochester, wait a few minutes.

  203. 203.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 4:52 pm

    @Geoduck:@Kent: If she does go to WWU, be prepared for the fact that, unlike the rest of Western Washington, they actually have winter in Bellingham.

    We live in Camas at the mouth of the Columbia River Gorge so we get our occasional winter ice storms out of the gorge.  It sometimes gets so icy here you can’t walk outside your front door without crampons on your feet.

    I used to ski all the time at Mt. Baker.  I wasn’t aware that Bellingham had any particularly harsher winters than Seattle.

  204. 204.

    Steeplejack

    November 3, 2020 at 4:53 pm

    I voted at 3:00—in and out, no line. Mine is a small precinct near Seven Corners in Falls Church, VA. I quasi-interviewed the worker manning the ballot-scanning machine. He said about 500 people had voted today, out of a precinct voting population of about 2,200. Some busy patches and lines earlier in the day, punctuated by lulls such as the one I hit. He expected another bulge as people got off work. No way to tell how many people voted ahead of time, of course.

    Biggest disappointment: no voting sticker! All I got was the cheesy little golf-score pen I used to mark my ballot. Well!

    I have stayed away from the news today. Took a short nap around noon to fortify myself. Just easing back into the data stream now. And I’ll be going over to Sighthound Hall about 6:30 to follow the evening coverage. I’m taking the brother-in-law a couple of bottles of top-shelf spirituous liquors for his birthday, and I won’t say no if he offers me a drink.

  205. 205.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    November 3, 2020 at 4:53 pm

    @Another Scott:

    I love that woman so much.

  206. 206.

    Steeplejack

    November 3, 2020 at 4:55 pm

    @chopper:

    A break in the rain? That’s big news!

  207. 207.

    Another Scott

    November 3, 2020 at 4:56 pm

    UPDATE: Big NoVA counties are planning to do an early vote dump at 7. That’s a change from the past- now expect VA to be wire to wire blue tonight.

    — Ben Tribbett (@notlarrysabato) November 3, 2020

    Woot!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  208. 208.

    GoBlueInOak

    November 3, 2020 at 4:56 pm

    Praying I’m wrong but I am calling FL, GA, NC and TX for Trump.

    MI & WI for Biden.

    Only toss-up fights are AZ and PA.

    If I had money on it, I’d bet AZ for Trump.   With PA being a total coin toss depending on how many of my home state jagoffs turnout vs. how well (or not) Biden campaign was able to boost Philly and Philly suburban turnout.

    Leopards don’t change their spots that fast and neither do crazy xenophobic, racist whites.  As well as the random voter of color who hates on the “illegals” too.

  209. 209.

    Steeplejack

    November 3, 2020 at 4:58 pm

    @Yarrow:

    Very calm in my little corner of NoVA. After I voted I went to the super Giant, and it was slower even than the usual midafternoon lull. Same at the state liquor store, although I don’t go there often enough to really know their patterns. Street traffic seemed a little lighter than usual too.

  210. 210.

    patrick II

    November 3, 2020 at 4:58 pm

    @catclub:

    It was taking babies out of brown  mother’s arms that has helped him in Mississippi.

  211. 211.

    Aleta

    November 3, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    @Kay: thanks very much for this and your other comments

    I didn’t realize until now that there are reports during the day of the numbers of D vs R voters in locations.  If anyone else is interested,  I found another account (via  @Morzer: thanks!) that also gives numbers:  @sorceror43

  212. 212.

    Steeplejack

    November 3, 2020 at 5:00 pm

    @FelonyGovt:

    It is useful to run up the popular-vote score even in “safe” states, because it underscores the stupidity of the Electoral College system.

  213. 213.

    Steeplejack

    November 3, 2020 at 5:01 pm

    @Aleta:

    She’s a Hatch Act poster girl.

  214. 214.

    Uncle Cosmo

    November 3, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    @jonas: Reminds me of the old joke about the soldier who dreamed all night of returning home to see his sweetheart  – and woke up next morning with his discharge in his hand. :^p

  215. 215.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    @Steeplejack:

    @FelonyGovt:

    It is useful to run up the popular-vote score even in “safe” states, because it underscores the stupidity of the Electoral College system.

    It gave us Shrub and TRump.  How much more underscoring of the stupidity do you think we need?

  216. 216.

    Full Metal Wingnut

    November 3, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    @MJS: maybe they’re anticipating a really tight race and need the funds for legal challenges?

  217. 217.

    opiejeanne

    November 3, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    @Catherine D.: I recognized the Washington State Voter Guide! Yay!

  218. 218.

    Full Metal Wingnut

    November 3, 2020 at 5:07 pm

    @Connor: misread this as WVU. Morgantown is nice though.

  219. 219.

    LurkerNoLonger

    November 3, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    @GoBlueInOak: Hey, man. Stay away from the punchbowl. Drop your turds somewhere else.

  220. 220.

    Kayla Rudbek

    November 3, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    Last Thursday it took me 2.5 hours total to vote (Northern Virginia, voting at the satellite office county government center, most of that was standing in line outside); it took my sibling in Arlington under 10 minutes today (as most of Arlington apparently voted early).

  221. 221.

    cmorenc

    November 3, 2020 at 5:09 pm

    @Betty Cracker:

    I’m hoping for the electoral equivalent of projectile vomiting, an expectoration of such great force that it blows away Collins, Ernst, Perdue, Loeffler and maybe even Graham, Daines and/or Cornyn

    I wish I could believe there’s a realistic chance Jamie Harrison could pull off the upset against Graham, but with SC likely going to Trump by at least six to eight points, I just don’t see a scenario whereby enough voters split their ticket to vote Trump-R for President and Harrison D-for Senate.  The only way it could possibly happen is if Trump’s base fails to show up at all in huge numbers, sufficient to reduce the composition of the voters who do show up to parity between R and D, with a fractional edge to D.

    I would be most happy to be wrong about that, but I doubt I am.  A Hager upset tonight of Cornyn is much more of a practical possibility, even though the odds are Cornyn hangs on by low single digits.

  222. 222.

    Steeplejack

    November 3, 2020 at 5:10 pm

    @bt:

    If all 3 [states] are captured, the GOP will have quite the circular firing squad event in their future.

    That reminds me: When I was out and about this afternoon I heard someone on MSNBC interview Harry Reid, and I did a spit-take to hear that even he buys the framing that everything is Trump’s fault—“he took over the party.” Reid is “disapponted” in his former colleagues, etc., etc. No apparent awareness—at least for public consumption, and why would he give a fuck now?—that his former colleagues went all in with Trump. He is them and they are him and koo-koo-ka-choo. They are going to have to do more than explain how that evil Svengali hypnotized them all.

  223. 223.

    JAFD

    November 3, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    @HeleninEire: Say ‘Thank You !’ to Megan for me (looks at the  rookie coming into lineup, as he goes on disabled list… )

    Megans are nice people.  I should have married the one I had a chance to…

  224. 224.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    @Steeplejack:

    @Yarrow:

    Very calm in my little corner of NoVA. After I voted I went to the super Giant, and it was slower even than the usual midafternoon lull. Same at the state liquor store, although I don’t go there often enough to really know their patterns. Street traffic seemed a little lighter than usual too.

    Nothing going on in my corner of SW Washington.  Light drizzle.  Town is quiet.  The red ballot drop box in front of the post office looks deserted.  We are 100% mail-in ballots so it is completely anti-climatic.  The only in-person voting is a few central locations where they have machines set up for blind and disabled voters who can’t or don’t want to do the paper and pen mail ballots.  The city has cop cars stationed at each ballot drop box to deter any last minute bullshit but appears there is none.

    WA is already at 105% of our total turnout from 2016 and our county is also ahead of the 2016 totals.  Our big race here is the Wa 3rd where we are trying to defeat the last GOP House member on the entire Pacific Coast south of Alaska.

  225. 225.

    Steeplejack

    November 3, 2020 at 5:12 pm

    @Kent:

    Enough to get it reformed or thrown out.

  226. 226.

    Another Scott

    November 3, 2020 at 5:14 pm

    @Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: Me too!

    The photographer is selling prints (he has $4k in medical bills he’s trying to pay off).  I bought a jpeg. :-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  227. 227.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 5:14 pm

    @Steeplejack:

    @Kent:

    Enough to get it reformed or thrown out.

    Constitutional Amendment is what that takes.  We nearly got there in 1970 but a devil’s pact between southern white racists and black machine politicians from NYC blocked that from happening:  https://www.history.com/news/electoral-college-nearly-abolished-thurmond

  228. 228.

    Tony Jay

    November 3, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    I’ve been wondering where “Brinks Trucks full of money” Reality Bites guy has been this Election, since I’m pretty sure he was here for the last two, maybe three. Then it occurred to me, with such a fantastic resume they probably scored a job in the Z-List Administration sometime in 2019 and are currently busy being ‘acting’ Director of Sourcing Small Dogs for Tangry Beigeface to kick around every time someone hesitates to tell him how superplus great their GOTV efforts are looking.

  229. 229.

    Uncle Cosmo

    November 3, 2020 at 5:17 pm

    @SuzieC:

    Does your state suffer from ED – Electoral Dysfunction?

    Remember: If an election lasts for more than 3 days, call your spin doctor immediately…

  230. 230.

    mali muso

    November 3, 2020 at 5:20 pm

    @Another Scott: I love this!  It’s always so annoying when the returns in VA start coming in and it looks like it’s all red and people who don’t pay attention to this stuff (normies) freak out… Wait for the NoVA numbers and BOOM.  There comes the blue.

  231. 231.

    jimmiraybob

    November 3, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    Overall, I’m eager to see what non-extradition nation he and the fam land in. Has anybody started a pool yet?

  232. 232.

    Elie

    November 3, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    @Geoduck: 

    I am also very focused on some local races up here in the 42nd Legislative District — got a couple of good ladies for the State Senate and House and want to get them across the finish line along with Biden and Inslee…

  233. 233.

    rikyrah

    November 3, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    @Kent:

    The White Whale is Texas

     

    I know…

    I know…

  234. 234.

    CarolPW

    November 3, 2020 at 5:31 pm

    @Geoduck: Ex-spouse and I also voted for Liias, because he got the coveted Stranger endorsement!

  235. 235.

    Connor

    November 3, 2020 at 5:31 pm

    @Kent:

    Those are both exciting paths. She’s obviously got a lot of imagination and drive — here’s to a great future for her!

     I wasn’t aware that Bellingham had any particularly harsher winters than Seattle.

    Oh my, yes. We’ve been back here five years, and real snow (yay!) has been part of every winter. Last year we had several snowfalls deep enough to blockade us at home for days at a time — we could have gotten down the hill in our car, but not back up, so we just stayed in.

  236. 236.

    Miss Bianca

    November 3, 2020 at 5:33 pm

    @GoBlueInOak: Has anybody told you yet how not glad we are to see you back? Go peddle your doom porn someplace that actually gives a fuck what you think.

    Oh, wait…yeah, I think I can guess what the problem is, here…

  237. 237.

    Full Metal Wingnut

    November 3, 2020 at 5:35 pm

    @catclub: I was trying to figure out where on earth Trump could possibly pick up MORE voters. I guess I have my answer. Mississippi goddam

  238. 238.

    GoBlueInOak

    November 3, 2020 at 5:37 pm

    @LurkerNoLonger:  I don’t see any reason to uncritically wave pom-poms around.  YMMV.

  239. 239.

    Steeplejack

    November 3, 2020 at 5:38 pm

    @Kent:

    There is also the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact as a possibility.

  240. 240.

    opiejeanne

    November 3, 2020 at 5:39 pm

    @Ken: Melania’s in Palm Beach today, where she voted. Funny, I thought she voted last week when the Orange Mussolini voted.

  241. 241.

    JaneE

    November 3, 2020 at 5:39 pm

    We had a lot of early voting, since every registered voter got a ballot this year, and you have to turn that one in and bring your own pen to vote in person (masked of course).  It was just easier to drop in in the mail or an official ballot box.

    Our county usually runs in low 80’s for voter turnout anyway. (80% in 2012, 82% in 2016) Most of the voting is done at the fairgrounds, and you can tell by the traffic on the route what the crowd is going to be like.  Usually I would see 4 – 6 cars backed up in the left turn lane to head to the fairgrounds, but today it seemed like normal traffic when I was out, but I was about 3 hours later than when we were going to vote in person ourselves.  It will be about a month before we get the full analysis, based on past practice.

  242. 242.

    GoBlueInOak

    November 3, 2020 at 5:40 pm

    catclub:  I expect that to happen in a number of deep Red states.  Increased partisanship since 2016 can fuel both sides.

  243. 243.

    Steeplejack

    November 3, 2020 at 5:42 pm

    @Aleta:

    You could start with Josh Marshall’s “Numbers Peeps.”

  244. 244.

    opiejeanne

    November 3, 2020 at 5:43 pm

    @Geoduck: We get winter in Woodinville, most years, but we are in a  convergence zone and the weather forecast in the winter is usually incorrect. We used to look at the forecast for Lynnwood to see if we were getting snow, and that usually worked. I’m up on Hollywood Hill and it’s just high enough that sometimes it’s raining in town and snowing by the time we get to our house.

  245. 245.

    louc

    November 3, 2020 at 5:44 pm

    I’ve been obsessing over El Paso’s turnout. Dem leaders told El Paso Matters that if today’s is over 60K they’re confident of sewing up Texas. As of 2 p.m. MT 23K had voted in-person. So I fear it won’t reach the target.

    OTOH, 500,000 FT Latino voters early voted in Texas!

  246. 246.

    The Pale Scot

    November 3, 2020 at 5:47 pm

    @Hildebrand:

    but I am so damned worried that these knaves are somehow going to find a way to win – and there are just far too many people that I know who will be personally endangered if that were to come to pass.

    Has Golden Bear been around? Or I am thinking of another forum?

  247. 247.

    Sab

    November 3, 2020 at 5:47 pm

    I was going to drive by to looksee my regular polling place, but stayed in the sun on the bed with Meankitty instead. Daughter went and voted at most recent usual polling place. Line, which is unheard of.

    Son voted in another corner of my city. 4 minutes to vote. Very working class area. Racially very mixed.

  248. 248.

    Bill Arnold

    November 3, 2020 at 5:52 pm

    @arrieve:

    The poll workers said they’ve alternated between long lines and no one waiting all day.

    Took me exactly an hour to vote, midday, long line (all outside), mostly-white northern barely-fringe suburb of NY. Early voting in the county was taking an hour or two from reports, so I waited until election day. Everyone was masked, though one of the guys at the name-taking station was a nose-showing mask wearer, probably the Republican since the other guy was African-American. Wore a full N-95 today, since SARS-CoV-2 infections have been slowly increasing in county and there were a fair number of people in line and inside.

  249. 249.

    Kent

    November 3, 2020 at 5:55 pm

    @Connor:Oh my, yes. We’ve been back here five years, and real snow (yay!) has been part of every winter. Last year we had several snowfalls deep enough to blockade us at home for days at a time — we could have gotten down the hill in our car, but not back up, so we just stayed in.

    Is there some sort of weird mountain/sound weather effect that hits Bellingham?  Like lake effect snow in Buffalo.  Or dry weather in Sequim WA because of the Olympic rain shadow?   Because I’ve never heard any of this before.

  250. 250.

    Ruckus

    November 3, 2020 at 6:12 pm

    @Central Planning:

    And you will probably like it less. I’ve been through there in winter. Good times.

  251. 251.

    Cowgirl in the Sandi

    November 3, 2020 at 6:18 pm

    “Maybe Joe Biden is the ipecac that will cause America to vomit up the poison of Trumpism”

    I know everyone else has commented on this, but I had to add my congrats for an absolutely fabulous statement!  Well done Betty!!

  252. 252.

    Central Planning

    November 3, 2020 at 6:19 pm

    @Ruckus: I started at RIT in the fall of 1988. That year we had 70+ degree weather in January, and then something like 12″ of snow the first week of May. Good times indeed!

  253. 253.

    germy

    November 3, 2020 at 6:20 pm

    The USPS has turned down a federal judge's order to sweep mail processing facilities serving 15 states, saying it would stick to its own inspection schedule.

    The order came after the agency disclosed that more than 300,000 ballots could not be traced. https://t.co/piATxquT5l

    — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 3, 2020

    We’ll win anyway.

  254. 254.

    Bill Arnold

    November 3, 2020 at 6:32 pm

    @germy:
    We need to make https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_DeJoy miserable. (prosecution, preferably.)
    Seriously. He’s scum.

  255. 255.

    Geoduck

    November 3, 2020 at 6:33 pm

    @Kent: WA is already at 105% of our total turnout from 2016 and our county is also ahead of the 2016 totals. Our big race here is the Wa 3rd where we are trying to defeat the last GOP House member on the entire Pacific Coast south of Alaska.

    I was so glad when we in the Olympia area got carved off into a new district and we left her behind. But yeah, sorry it made it that much harder for the rest of you to unseat her.

  256. 256.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    November 3, 2020 at 6:38 pm

    John Whitehouse @existentialfish · 21m
    Mark Levin just announced on the radio that this scheduled interview (as of this am) with President Trump has been canceled.

  257. 257.

    Omnes Omnibus

    November 3, 2020 at 6:38 pm

    @germy: The USPS turned down a court order?

  258. 258.

    germy

    November 3, 2020 at 6:38 pm

    @Bill Arnold:

    Yes, he’s definitely scum.  He’s one of the most horrible examples of the “boss’s son” in this administration.  Inherited a shitty business, made it a bigger shitty business, and cares only about filling his pockets after entering government.

  259. 259.

    J R in WV

    November 3, 2020 at 6:38 pm

    @Tony Jay:

    I’ve been wondering where “Brinks Trucks full of money” Reality Bites guy has been this Election…

    He was banned, tried a second ‘nym, was banned again.

    Apparently went somewhere else to do his RU propagandizing. Thank FSM !!!

  260. 260.

    MoCA Ace

    November 3, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    I voted early-in-person last week here in northeast Trumpsconsin.  Today I drove by my polling place on the way to work and on the way home.  During the day I was out of the office and made a point to drive by every rural polling location I could (4 total).  If not for the polling location signs you would never know it was election day.  Not a Trump Truck to be seen.  I is hopeful!

    For luck I also gave the one finger salute to every single Dump sign I passed today… There’s so many fucking signs I may need to ice down my finger.  I think I’ll wrap it around a cold brandy old-fashioned tonight.

  261. 261.

    Sab

    November 3, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: That is interesting. Is it actually even possible? Asking for several friends

    ETA: OO said USPS turned down a federal court order.

  262. 262.

    Omnes Omnibus

    November 3, 2020 at 6:49 pm

    @Sab: I did not say it.  I was questioning what germy quoted.

  263. 263.

    J R in WV

    November 3, 2020 at 6:50 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    @germy: The USPS turned down a court order?

    These folks don’t understand about court orders and contempt. I suspect Mr Dejoy, current postmaster of the whole USPS shebang, is looking at a lot of jail time, if they’ve managed to lose 300,000 ballots and won’t look for them under a court order.

    Sounds like election tampering wholesale. I hate these bastards so hard. I put another bottle of champagnes in the fridge, just in  case. Have a ton of high-end popcorn for after dinner.

    ETA: Evidently the Washington Post has reported that the USPS is “disregarding” the judge’s order. Sounds pretty illegal to me!

  264. 264.

    Immanentize

    November 3, 2020 at 6:53 pm

    Dupe

  265. 265.

    Sister Golden Bear

    November 3, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    @The Pale Scot: I’m here. Just had to go completely offline this afternoon to try to get some work done.

    Narrator voice: She did not in fact actually get any work done.

  266. 266.

    Tony Jay

    November 3, 2020 at 7:02 pm

    @J R in WV:

    Outside of newspaper comment pages, those hives of scum and villainy, you don’t see much of the old-school trolling anymore. Apparently the raw hate has been dialed up so high that just dropping by to chat some shit at your enemies has become too vanilla.

    Ah, I remember more innocent times….

  267. 267.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    November 3, 2020 at 7:04 pm

    Can we just kill all the scoreboard pundits? I hate them, and want them to die.

    In pain.

  268. 268.

    A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)

    November 3, 2020 at 7:14 pm

    @Steeplejack: My maternal grandmother was born in Falls Church VA in 1887. Since I was born raised and live in N CA and have never seen FC. I think of it as an old-timey place with horses pulling wagons in the streets. Of course my brain says it is just as modern as anyplace, but my heart has it frozen in 1887.

  269. 269.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2020 at 7:16 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Bet ya they didn’t teach you that in law school.

  270. 270.

    James E Powell

    November 3, 2020 at 7:17 pm

    @J R in WV:

    Where are the 300K ballots located? In one state or all over the country?

  271. 271.

    Omnes Omnibus

    November 3, 2020 at 7:17 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: I might have skipped that day.

  272. 272.

    frosty

    November 3, 2020 at 7:29 pm

    What are y’all seeing in your neck of the woods?

    Dead thread, but based on two polling places in South PA; long lines, which could be the result of 6 ft separation. But overflowing parking lots, too. This makes me nervous in a county that usually goes 2:1 Republican; I don’t know who’s turning out. We’ll see how it goes over the next few hours.

  273. 273.

    frosty

    November 3, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    @Puddinhead: I accept the challenge! We’re the MAGAest part of York County, down by the M-D Line! Let’s check the results by precinct in a month or so.

  274. 274.

    The Pale Scot

    November 3, 2020 at 7:56 pm

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    I’ve been missing threads, didn’t remember u seeing  around.

  275. 275.

    frosty

    November 3, 2020 at 7:57 pm

    @MJS: @Puddinhead: I got put into Smucker’s district with the ungerrymander. Worked for DePasquale this time around since he had a chance to get rid of (ptui) Perry. Worked for Jess King in 2018, she would have been a great rep, but this district, man.

  276. 276.

    frosty

    November 3, 2020 at 8:09 pm

    @Another Scott: Another reason to be proud I worked for Arlington County for part of my career!

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