"Historic victory; Obama elected nation's first African-American president in a romp; McCain falters on GOP terrain; Democrats increase clout in Congress" by Scott Helman and Michael Kranish, Globe Staff | November 5, 2008
CHICAGO - Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was elected the 44th president of the United States and the nation's first black commander in chief yesterday, his triumph ushering in an era of profound political and social realignment in America.
Obama's decisive victory over Republican John McCain is a landmark in the country's 232-year history, especially for the millions of African-Americans around the country energized and inspired by his improbable candidacy. It gives Democrats control of Congress and the White House for the first time in 16 years and it led to impromptu celebrations around the country.
Making good on his promise to draw his own electoral map, Obama captured Virginia, which last voted for a Democrat in 1964, and he beat McCain in key battleground states, including Colorado, Florida, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, while holding on to Democratic-leaning states. He won in part on the support of new voters, African-Americans, and Hispanics, and as of early today he had 338 electoral votes, far more than the 270 needed to win the presidency, while McCain had 142.
Obama's win, which comes as Democrats also picked up seats in the House and Senate, sets the stage for significant shifts in the country's domestic and foreign policy in the years ahead.
Of course, we thought that in 2006!
The election - the longest and most expensive presidential race in history and likely to attract a record turnout - came at a pivotal juncture for the country, which is fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and suffering the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. With the president's approval rating at 26 percent, and only one in 10 Americans saying the country is moving in the right direction, the landscape favored Obama considerably.
Though the race was tight after the Republican convention and the initial enthusiasm for Palin, Obama began to pull away in national polls once the economic crisis exploded in mid-September, as voters came to see him as the more capable economic steward. In nationwide exit polls of voters yesterday, 62 percent said the economy was the top issue, compared with 10 percent who cited Iraq - a sweeping change from last year when McCain's campaign believed that the election would center on foreign policy, his strong suit.
That makes you wonder about the whole PURPOSE-DRIVEN "crisis." Took the IMPERIALISM right off the table, didn't it?
That foreign policy boat ain't "changing," is it?
Obama also built an unmatched grass-roots army of supporters and volunteers, in part through novel Internet networking and fund-raising tools that may have changed forever the way presidential campaigns will be run. --more--"
Yeah, well, that didn't seem to help RON PAUL much, so you can still count me as a skeptic as far a the "integrity" of our election process.
The simple fact is, the LANDSLIDE EFFECT the BLOGGERS BEGGED FOR WORKED!!!!
And get ready for some Democratic fascism, folks (the most effective kind; remember, it was Democrats who brought you the CIA, Vietnam, Globalist Bill Clinton, and that enabled George W. Bush all this time).
"New era beginning for party in power" by Susan Milligan, Globe Staff | November 5, 2008
WASHINGTON - Democrats increased their ranks in Congress last night, picking up seats from the Canadian to the Mexican borders and ushering in a new era of Democratic power in Washington the party has not seen since the 1960s.
In a heavy blow to the GOP, Democrats collected several high-profile Senate seats, ousting veteran Republican lawmaker John Sununu in New Hampshire and replacing him with former governor Jeanne Shaheen. New Mexico and Colorado sent two Democratic brothers to the Senate, with Mark Udall taking the Colorado seat and Tom Udall winning the race in New Mexico.
In Virginia, Mark Warner easily defeated James Gilmore, his GOP opponent, capping a stunning Democratic showing in the Old Dominion State, which also voted for Barack Obama - the first time since 1964 that a Democratic presi dential candidate has taken the state. And in North Carolina, Democrat Kay Hagan defeated Elizabeth Dole, whose 11th-hour TV ads attempting to taint Hagan as someone who did not believe in God failed to persuade voters to give her a second term.
Democrats picked up at least 13 seats to expand their majority in the House of Representatives, and threatened to add another dozen to their sum as the results trickled in early this morning. The loss of Representative Christopher Shays, Republican of Connecticut, to Democrat Jim Himes leaves New England without a single House Republican in next year's Congress.
See: Connecticut's Shays Rebellion
The only Democrat in New England with a close race, Representative Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire, easily won reelection.
Yeah, whatever happened to that batch of ANTIWAR REPS we sent down there in 2006? They got there, and we never heard from them again!
Combined with Obama's historic win, the Democratic congressional victories give the party a control on Washington politics they have not enjoyed in many years. After losing the White House in 2000 and enduring a bruising series of legislative losses in 2004 - events which had Karl Rove, President Bush's chief strategist, confidently predicting a "permanent Republican majority" - Democrats appeared destined for minority status for many years.
But a dismal economy, two wars and low GOP approval ratings, coupled with a continuation of an aggressive "50-state strategy" engineered by Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, led to a stunning turnaround. Democrats last night not only padded their majority, but extended their reach into regions traditionally held by Republicans and set themselves up to become a national party.
The longtime GOP control of the South began to crumble last night with the wins by Hagan and Warner. The Mountain West, a region that has been trending toward the left in the past few years, also elected new Democrats to Congress last night.
"It's a new day in Washington. A new political era is coming," said Simon Rosenberg, president of the Democratic interest group NDN. "I don't think we're going to see the restoration of an old political age, but the ushering in of a new age," he said. "They're going to rewrite the rules."
As the hair on my neck stands on end.
"It looks like [California Democrat] Nancy Pelosi is going to be the most powerful Speaker in a generation," lamented Tom Delay, the former House Republican leader, on MSNBC.
Sadly: Pelosi defeats Cindy
It appeared unlikely yesterday evening that Democrats would reach the 60-vote Senate threshold that would allow the party, if united, to break Republican filibusters.
GOOD!!!
But their increased numbers make Democrats well-positioned to push through a left-leaning agenda for the economy, energy, and government regulation and oversight.
BAD!!!!
"You're really talking about a new deal," said Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Newton, laying out a plan for what he hopes will be a new era of government restraint of the banking and financial services industry. "There's going to be significant regulation, comparable to what FDR did, saving capitalism from its own excesses" in light of the Wall Street meltdown and resulting poor economy, said Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
Well, WHERE YOU BEEN, Barn?
See: Memory Hole: Barney and Business
Barney Frank is Bush's Best Friend
Barney Frank Benefited From Bailout Bill
Senate Democratic aides said the national economy would be the first item on the agenda, with lawmakers looking for ways to address the low growth, high unemployment, and economic strain on American workers. In the longer term, Democrats are hopeful they can complete a healthcare plan and immigration reform.
With bigger majorities, congressional Democrats said they can pass a slew of legislation that was blocked by the Bush administration or which failed to pass by small margins in the House or Senate. The expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides health care aid to low-income families with children, was vetoed by President Bush, but Democrats now expect to easily extend the program in the next Congress. Stem cell research, another measure stopped by Bush, will be brought back on the legislative table next year, according to lawmakers and congressional aides.
That stuff I don't mind.
Members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation - all of whom easily won reelection last night - said they were eager to put forth bills on taxes, the environment, and human rights that stalled during the Bush years.
Yeah, I am so disappointed in my fellow citizens here.
Representative Ed Markey, a Malden Democrat, said he saw an "historic opportunity to pass a global warming solutions bill and create a green jobs coalition."
I TOLD YA!!!!
Frank's office said he would also push legislation to expand and protect rental housing, and the representative said he expected legislation extending rights to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons.
Pffft!
Democrats and Republicans alike warned that strong majorities in both chambers - if accompanied by an Obama victory - would put heavy pressure on the Democrats to deliver at a time when the country is suffering from an ailing economy, fighting wars on two fronts, and seeking to repair soured relationships with foreign nations.
I'm NOT VER HOPEFUL!
"Finger-pointing, excuses - none of that's going to work," said Peter Fenn, a Democratic strategist. "Voters are going to say, 'You've got it. We gave it to you. Now move.' " --more--"
We did that in 2006, too, and you SAW WHAT HAPPENED!!!
