US Poll Results

[Imran Siddiqui]

Apparently some counties have it and some don't:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/25/AR2006102501918.html

A few jurisdictions, including Loudoun and Stafford counties, use a hybrid system in which voters fill out paper ballots, indicating their choices by marking bubbles resembling those on the SAT, and then insert them into optical scanning machines. If necessary, the paper ballots can be used to verify the machine results.

[Ramo]

IIUC Jewish donors in general are still a big part of the Dem donor base (not that there arent GOP Jews) and have esp favored the Clintons. Of course the Kossacks dont say anything about the Jews, but I cant divorce this fact from the Kossack attack on Dem donors. Esp given the Kossack views on ME policy.

Dude... that's just paranoid...

I dont recall a primary fight over Kaine. And i dont recall a national focus by the kossacks on Kaine, like there was on Webb.

I was referring to the general election, and I do remember the focus...

The economic concerns of the professional class vary dramatically by occupation and region.

Of course, but there are a lot of similarities - connections with an idea economy. And they do vote in relatively cohesive groups.

Yeah, they dont like to admit to being protectionist,and so talk about inserting clauses into trade deals that everyone knows wont be accepted by our negotiating partners. And they then make coalitions with labor and industry groups who really DONT want low cost competition (oh, theyd be fine with free trade with central america, as long as central america had an average wage level as high as that of the US. I trust you know enough economics not to take that seriously as a "free trade" position)

Come on, that's a caricature. I mean, free-traders (like Hillary) opposed CAFTA.

Yep, there are coalitions with some protectionist organizations, but that hardly implies an appropriation an entire ideology.

Credentials - Built up the Navy to fight the awesome, frightening Soviet fleet. Makes Rumsfeld look positively insightful as a grand strategist, by comparison. Viability - like i said, even with Macaca, confed flags, Tunisian Jews cooking pork, and Allen just generally self destructing, he got 50% of the vote.

Allen has higher favorables than the other incumbent Senators that went down (except possibly Chafee). Remember that he started out looking really good this cycle...

As for credentials, my point wasn't that he was a really great Secretary of Navy, just that his resume's political gold.

[Ramo]

Ive read a bit of Kos, and from what I can tell they are INTENSELY hostile to the DLC. To Hillary, as we all know. To Biden (they say its about the bankruptcy bill - but hell the mans from Delaware, they seem perfectly ok with giving Dean a local out on dairy price supports) AFAIK even to Evan Bayh. Oh yeah, they were snuggling up to Warner. Of course Warner had hired an associate of Kos, and was snuggling up to them, and not being a Senator never had to vote on Iraq. (And even so, I think they were looking at Warner as a possible last gasp stop Hillary possibility)

Clearly they hate the DLC (and it's pretty mutual), but not for its basic ideology. The point I was getting at is that the left wing blogosphere is fundamentally more libertarian than populist. Webb is not their natural candidate.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
I thought someone said that his area of Virginia had paper ballots.

I said I thought we didn't use electronic voting. I voted absentee.

[Nubclear]

The AP sez.....
Senator Elect Webb

[Kuciwalker]

Reality check (and the WaPo) says RECOUNT.

This could go on for weeks.

[Odin]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15620405/

MSNBC: Democrats take control of the Senate


By LIZ SIDOTI and BOB LEWIS, Associated Press Writers 35 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Democrats wrested control of the Senate from Republicans Wednesday with an upset victory in Virginia, giving the party complete domination of Capitol Hill for the first time since 1994.

Jim Webb's squeaker win over incumbent Sen. George Allen (news, bio, voting record) gave Democrats their 51st seat in the Senate, an astonishing turnabout at the hands of voters unhappy with Republican scandal and unabated violence in
Iraq. Allen was the sixth Republican incumbent senator defeated in Tuesday's elections.

The Senate had teetered at 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans for most of Wednesday, with Virginia hanging in the balance. Webb's victory ended Republican hopes of eking out a 50-50 split, with Vice President
Dick Cheney wielding tie-breaking authority.

The Associated Press contacted election officials in all 134 localities where voting occurred, obtaining updated numbers Wednesday. About half the localities said they had completed their postelection canvassing and nearly all had counted outstanding absentees. Most were expected to be finished by Friday.

The new AP count showed Webb with 1,172,538 votes and Allen with 1,165,302, a difference of 7,236. Virginia has had two statewide vote recounts in modern history, but both resulted in vote changes of no more than a few hundred votes.

An adviser to Allen, speaking on condition of anonymity because his boss had not formally decided to end the campaign, said the senator wanted to wait until most of canvassing was completed before announcing his decision, possibly as early as Thursday evening.

The adviser said that Allen was disinclined to request a recount if the final vote spread was similar to that of election night.

The victory puts Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., in line to become Senate majority leader. He has led the Democrats since Tom Daschle, D-S.D., was defeated two years ago.

[Admiral]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Reality check (and the WaPo) says RECOUNT.

This could go on for weeks.

We won't have an official winner for weeks, yes. But we won't have an official winner most places for weeks. However, we can know, right now, that Webb has a 99% of winning the race. Also, sources inside the Allen camp say that Allen will not press for a recount unless the gap shrinks considerably. Allen's giving a speech tomorrow night. Expect him to concede.

Its time to govern.

[Winston]

Argh. Even the numbers are against the Repubs now. I mean really.

[Nubclear]

Sorry Winston Would you like a hug?

[Admiral]

Originally posted by Winston
Argh. Even the numbers are against the Repubs now. I mean really.

I think over the course of the next 4 years you'll find the Democrats surprisingly effective in the war on terror.

[Winston]

Hmm. The connection to my post being?

[Winston]

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
Sorry Winston Would you like a hug?

At least there's a little compassion here.

Don't know about a hug.. How about a bucket?

[Odin]

Our long national nightmare is over.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Odin
Our long national nightmare is over.

Not until Chimp in Chief is gone.