Populist News

Hillary conflicted about taking Sec of State job

Ben Smith of Politico is told by a Democratic source that Hillary is torn on whether to accept the Secretary of State job with the new Obama Administration.

Pragmatically, if Hillary is still dead set on becoming president someday, what would she gain at all by taking that job?  As a Senator, she has the ability and name recognition to write and pass historic legislation on health care, and possibly the ability to become Senate Majority Leader someday.  She has so much influence in the Legislative Branch.  Being Secretary of State would lessen her net influence on public policy.  Also, does she really want a boss?

Even with that said, I still hope she accepts the job.

Obama, bring in Powell and Hagel

So we are more than one week removed from what has been a truly historic and ground-breaking election.  Already, the speculation has begun as to the people that Barack will choose to fill his cabinet posts.  Many liberals prefer a left-only cabinet -- because after all, a Democrat did win the election in a landslide, which does translate into a mandate.  However, most Americans, including young voters such as myself, want Obama to hold true on his promise to open his Administration to the other side of the isle as well.

Obama should take a page from the Clinton Administration, which brought in William Cohen, a Republican lawmaker, to head the Defense Department.  And already, Republican names like Colin Powell and Chuck Hagel have come up as "mavericks" (a touchy word these days) that are independent-minded and have proven that they are more than willing to think outside the box than those on the far-right and far-left.

Bottom line: we need realists governing our Executive Branch, not ideologues like in the other Administration.  Hagel and Powell, like Obama and Biden, are two realists that would help Obama make the case that he is reaching out to the other side of the isle, while also putting in place the most knowledgeable and capable individuals to lead our country.

Us Democrats can use the word 'mandate' all we want.  But that sense of post-campaign righteousness will be gone unless we can actually lead and get things done.  Bringing in Hagel and Powell, who are Republicans, would help Obama break the partisan gridlock in Washington and usher in a new era of inter-party unity.

(Video) Lieberman's flip-flop rhetoric

As Majority Leader Harry Reid decides whether to keep Joe Lieberman as the head of the Homeland Security Committee, and ultimately whether to boot him from the Democratic caucus, maybe he should watch this video that Jed put together.

(Video) Obama Victory Celebrations Throughout Country

One day after history was made, let's look back at the reactions throughout the country of Obama's victory.

Dancing in the streets of D.C. at 3 AM:

Students at University of Wisconsin chant "Yes We Can"

Reaction from Times Square in New York, New York.

Dancing to victory in Orlando, FL.

Singing and cheering to victory in Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, WA.

The Obama party spanned the globe

In Chicago's Grant Park

(Video) YES WE CAN!

LIVE ELCTORAL TALLY

LIVE ELECTION BLOG THREAD

Updated minute-by-minute (Eastern Time).

11:05: It's over.  We have our 44th President!  This eight-year mess is over.  Bush, you're fired!

9:31: Obama's on his way to victory.  Ohio is his!!!!  Break out the champagne!

8:36: So much for our dreams about winning Georgia.  That state is going for McCain.

8:15: It's tightening a bit in Florida.  The northern areas are starting to be counted.  Stay tuned.

8:03: WOW!  Pennsylvania is in the blue column!  That is huge!  Since it was called this early, it may be a big night for Obama.  Huge blow to McCain.

7:41: I read from Kos that Vigo County in Indiana is going for Obama, even though it went for Bush by 7 in 2004.

7:35: Don't worry about Virginia, guys.  McCain's up 15 there.  But only the main Republican places have been counted.

7:08: GOP Lindsey Graham of SC won re-election.  Mark Warner won US Senate bid in Virginia.

7:01: NBC: McCain wins Kentucky and Obama wins Vermont.

6:57: Obama is up by 2 in Indiana.

6:22: Apparently numbers actually are coming in.  In Kentucky, McCain leads by 19%.  But that number will soon change, as only 2,000 votes have already been counted.  But don't be surprised if the state gets called for Bush soon.

6:02: Polls have closed in Kentucky and Indiana.  Networks must wait one more hour before reporting any data.

5:56: Also, the exit polls indicate that 61% think Michelle Obama would make a great First Lady.

5:50: I am reading reports that, according to exit polls, Obama is +15 in Pennsylvania.  Again, these are only exit polls.  So proceed with caution when it comes to making judgments about what is in store for us tonight.

5:42: Exit polls say 6 in 10 Americans list the economy as the number one concern.  Not surprising there.  What's surprising is that, according to the AP, "None of four other issues on the list — energy, Iraq, terrorism and health care — was picked by more than one in 10."

5:25: Exit polls will be released any minute now.

About the coverage tonight

OK, so this is it!  A few hours from now the polls should close in Kentucky and Indiana, and an hour later the rest on the east coast will follow.  Starting at 2:30 PM (if I get back from voting in time) I will blog until we have a winner.  I'll start a new thread, and add updates to it throughout the day.

Keep in mind, I will constantly update breaking news stories on the right side of the site.

2008 Election Prediction

Here we go!

Presidency: Obama wins big!

• Electoral College: Obama - 364, McCain - 174
• Obama wins Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada.
• McCain holds onto Missouri, North Dakota, Montana and home state of Arizona.
• Obama ends up with 53.6% of the popular vote.
• This thing will be over by 9 PM ET/6 PM PT.

Senate: Democrats fail to reach filibuster-proof majority.

• Senate seats: Democrats - 58%, Republicans - 42%
• Al Franken beats Norm Coleman in closest race of night.
• Elizabeth Dole dethroned!
• Saxby Chambliss holds Georgia seat.

House: Democrats expand majority.

• House seats: Democrats - 262, Republicans - 173.

GOP Filth

McCain really is putting it all on the line to win Pennsylvania -- especially after his party launches junk like this on the airwaves.

The GOP knows they can't debate actual issues, so they resort to this kind of swift boat style filth.  I guess some could care less how they win an election, just as long as they do.