Target Centermass

Category: General

  • Election Wrap-Up

    It was a banner day for the Bush-Cheney administration and the GOP. Bush is the first since his father in 1988 to capture a majority of the popular vote. It looks like a probable 286-252 electoral victory, with Iowa and New Mexico currently leaning to the administration narrowly.

    In his concession speech, John Kerry was emotional, something to be expected in a man who had aimed for this election his whole life. His speech was dignified and conciliatory, but his running mate John Edwards struck a poor note when he again spoke of two Americas during his own concession and Kerry introduction.

    In declaring his victory, the president reached out Kerry supporters and vowed to reach out to those who opposed him. Some may question his claim of a mandate, but I agree, given his popular majority and Republican gains in both houses of Congress.

    Now, let’s go take care of Fallujah.

  • Target Centermass Declares W the Winner

    CBS gives Nevada to Bush but restrains on Ohio. The nets all seem to be battling on which state to hedge.

    Up all their asses. Dubya wins.

  • Going to Bed Soon

    Election decided … seriously. We can wait some hours on Nevada, New Mexico and Iowa, but it’s essentially done.

    Now let’s get back to the business of saving our civilization.

  • Bush Can’t Lose Tonight

    Per MSNBC.

    They have currently called 269 electoral votes for Dubya, meaning worst case scenario a tie.

  • Fox Just Called Ohio

    For the POTUS. Put that with Florida, and we’re looking pretty good. As far as I can tell, Fox was the first to call it, leaving them open for the next Moore mockumentary.

    Looks like Election Day Tuesday, Litigation Day Wednesday. I expect no Kerry concession, as this is his destiny. Just ask him.

  • Election Blogging Update

    The girlfriend is verging on venturing off to sleep, frustrated that we don’t know yet who won.

    However, things are looking better and better in Ohio, with Florida already in the books (take that, 2000).

  • Alright, Pete!

    And so long, Martin.

    Congressman Pete Sessions has just been declared the winner in the hotly contested and recently redrawn 32nd over fellow incumbent Martin Frost. As I expected.

    Current Presidential electoral tallies, per CNN, are Bush 193, Kerry 112, with several big players still too close to call (e.g. Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, etc.). At this time, no state called by the networks has changed hands from 2000.

  • Election Blogging

    I’m at the girlfriend’s for the vote tallying. I was a bad boyfriend and didn’t set up the wireless networking over the weekend as planned, so blogging will be light for a bit.

    So far, things are playing out pretty much as expected on the states the networks have actually had the sack to call. It looks like questionable exit poll results and the 2000 Florida fiasco have left the decision-makers a little gun-shy.

  • On Election Eve ’04

    No jitters, just a sense of calm and curiosity.

    No matter the victor, the world will not end, the Islamist terrorists will neither immediately perish nor instantly bring about the downfall of Western civilization.

    I’ll grant that a Kerry presidency will be a step towards a quicker peace and a greater acceptance in the global community. I do not view either of these issues a plus at this momentous crux in history. Kerry will pursue fuzzy ol’ Osama, and vigorously at that. It is a political requirement for his possible administration. He will work quickly to bring a state of stability in Iraq; however, not the longterm stability that is needed, as he will only work for a stable enough situation to tone down operations and begin an “honorable” draw-down. Other than Osama, the military aspects of the war against Islamic terror will begin to wane.

    None of this means we are doomed. It only means that we would creep back to a pre-9/11 mindset. Osama’s capture or death would clinch this, and we would call victory and leave intact the dangerous environment that allowed an animal like Osama to grow and flourish. No, Western civilization would not immediately fail, but the long-term price for its survival would increase dramatically — a needed burden prolonged only to our children or grandchildren.

    A Bush win would perpetuate the fight as is, pursued with energy and tenacity on several fronts. The war will be fought decisively; Bush simply and instinctively realizes it is better to fight it now with an iron gauntlet balanced by a promise of liberty. Whether now or later, that is the longterm formula for success, to offer opportunity of hope and destroy those who refuse.

    Other than Bush’s tax plans, there is little domestically in either candidate that the libertarian side of me can support, but certainly Kerry’s plans are worse from my vantage.

    Jitters, no. Doom, no. Hope, yes. Intrigue, definitely. Here’s some things I’ll be keeping an eye on tomorrow evening (and possibly Wednesday morning):

    • Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and New Jersey. Not much enthusiasm for Bush success in these three, but success in any two of them would immediately signal a long night for Kerry.
    • Florida. Duh.
    • The effect of gay marriage ballot amendments on conservative and moderate turnout in eleven states, including Arkansas and Oregon but especially Ohio and Michigan.
    • The South Dakota senatorial contest between Daschle and Thune.
    • The local congressional battle between Sessions and Frost.

    Okay, I’m calm. On the other hand, my girlfriend is fretting up a Texas twister. Apparently, so is blogger Phil Gray of Shades of Gray (Umbrae Canarum), who expresses his jitters at great length here.

  • Were Al-Qaqaa Pics Doctored?

    Looks like Scott, a.k.a. the Fat Guy, has found one of the originals.

    Scott claims he found it in the shower.