One Election Result Is Still Not In...

That baby already has good priorities.

Congrats to the new dad!

Help! I've had a silly grin on my face for the last 12 hours and it I can't stop!

Premature congrats!

Newsweek has some good stuff. Seems like the McCain camp is venting left and right.

NEWSWEEK has also learned that Palin's shopping spree at high-end department stores was more extensive than previously reported. While publicly supporting Palin, McCain's top advisers privately fumed at what they regarded as her outrageous profligacy. One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family—clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards. The McCain campaign found out last week when the aides sought reimbursement. One aide estimated that she spent "tens of thousands" more than the reported $150,000, and that $20,000 to $40,000 went to buy clothes for her husband. Some articles of clothing have apparently been lost. An angry aide characterized the shopping spree as "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast," and said the truth will eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.

A Palin aide said: "Governor Palin was not directing staffers to put anything on their personal credit cards, and anything that staffers put on their credit cards has been reimbursed, like an expense. Nasty and false accusations following a defeat say more about the person who made them than they do about Governor Palin."

McCain himself rarely spoke to Palin during the campaign, and aides kept him in the dark about the details of her spending on clothes because they were sure he would be offended. Palin asked to speak along with McCain at his Arizona concession speech Tuesday night, but

southernbell, watching that party eat itself for a while will be fun.

This is the most satisfying hangover I've ever had. If that's possible.

Yes, Paul, I think a bit of schadenfreude is not out of place. The Republcans were willing to tear this country apart to get a win, they have used fear tactics to fray the cords that bind Americans to each other. They deserved to be rebuked.

Palin was a disastrous pick. And the thing is the press let her off easy. When discussing Hillary the MSM often attacked her character. But few reporters brought up the flaws in Palin's character, they seemed to suggest that a few years seasoning was all she needed to be a great politician.

And speaking of Hillary, I hope she gets some credit. Just compare Romney's behavior to Hillary's. She stumped her guts out for Obama but Romney was not a particularly good surrogate for McCain.

Southernbell, Good point about the difference in between Hillary and Romney. Especially with the economic meltdown, Romney could have done McCain some real good. Although we don't know. Perhaps he offered and they prefered to stay with the attack dog mode.

If anyone deserves credit it is Howard Dean for formulating the 50 state strategy. Governor Dean, a hat tip to you!

PNNTO - I hope the recount finds that Al Franken wins. What would Paul Wellstone say?

Saddened that it appears Prop 8 passed in California. I guess bigotry and the culture wars aren't quite dead yet. With that said (and hoping this eventually makes its way out of moderation):
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this whole thing is simply amazing! even though i was less nervous than most liberals were in the final weeks, it is still truly amazing to see it actually come to fruition, solidly, with what even fox news suggested was "a mandate." the people have spoken and elected a truly exceptional man, offspring of a Kenyan immigrant and a woman from Kansas. a self-made man, as most Democratic presidents are.
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in the coming days you are going to here A TON about how america is a "center-right" nation. i'm not so sure about that. think of it this way- the democrat won the plurality of the popular vote in FOUR OF THE LAST FIVE presidential election. they also have nearly swept every competitive congressional race in the last TWO elections.
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i don't know that it means the nation is a "center left" nation, but it does mean that the dominant political movement of my life is dead- Reaganism. trickle down economics and trusting big business to always do the right thing in a casino environment is over with. it has been thoroughly repudiated. government may not always be the solution, but it is not always the problem as many of the problems we are in could have been dealt with a lot earlier if the greenspans and norquists and delays and george w bush of this world lived on planet earth instead of some ayn rand fantasy world.
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the only other positive big political event of my lifetime was the bringing down of the berlin wall. beyond that, though, what have we had to feel good about? impeaching the most popular president of the last half century (read the numbers), the horrific disputed election of 2000 that lead george bush who did not even win a plurality of the vote in the nation to rule as if he had received the kind of mandate president elect barack obama has indeed received. then the big bush disasters: 9/11, Iraq, Katrina, the financial meltdown.
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this is truly a moment of great hope for this nation. the country is ready to turn the page on bush and reagan and chart a new 21st century path forward. america is ALREADY stronger than she was yesterday- on account of electing a man that the world can respect and that increases their respect for us. thomas jefferson and the founding fathers understood that it is important to be respected as a nation and nothing wipes away the hideous stain of george walker bush's failures better than electing a minority, a Democrat, a man of exceptional intellect and understanding and a man who truly believes that working together, all americans can create a better future. a community organizer, Constituional law professor, and the first president from illinois since abraham lincoln (whose 200th b-day is coming up soon- how fitting).
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for the first time in my adult life, i am REALLY PROUD of my country. we face enormous challenges but have undoubtedly elected the right man at the right time to lead us. out of great crisis grows great opportunity, and a President Barack Hussein Obama will have the opportunity to positively effect the future of this nation like no man since franklin delano roosevelt.
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a quick shoutout to john mccain who, although running the sleaziest and lease substantive campaign i've ever seen and disqualifying himself to the american people with his unconscionable choice of sarah palin for vice president and his erratic gimmickry surrounding campaigning and the financial crisis (and please, "joe the plumber," GO AWAY), he nonetheless gave a very good concession speech (over many loud booos from his crowd) and did reach out his hand to the next president and has begun to try to heal the many festering wounds he has attempted to profit on and expose. its hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube when you've convinced a good quarter to a third of the country that the president elect is basically the embodiment of all that is evil and wrong, but mr. mccain did take one step forward in trying to ease the hatred oozing from his side.
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will the republican party reform itself and serve as a useful opposition to the democrats? so far the answer seems to be no: if sarah palin is the next leader of the gop that would be great for democrats and bad for democracy. already the cable news channels are trying to spin this away from what it clearly is- a thorough beatdown of republican orthodoxy. yet many in that movement still insist it was that they "went away from their principles." its simply another variation on the idea that conservatism never fails it is only failed- by apostates like george bush and tom delay who abandoned their principles.
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no no no no no. sorry, but george bush was the most conservative (and worst) president since hoover. he is far MORE conservative than the nation. he had a free reign under extraordinary circumstances (9/11) to do whatever he wanted and had entire control of the federal government. and now everyone sees the mess that was left behind.
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when republicans decide to tone down the culture wars, move into the 21st century by embracing well-accepted science, understand that the middle class needs more than a few crumbs for the ELITES to continue to prosper, stops trying to undo the new deal which the voters have reaffirmed over and over again, and embraces a diverse, multi-cultural world, they will not deserve the respect or votes of the american people.
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G-d bless America. may obama live to serve out his terms(s) in good health. may he help bridge the divides that have made this a red-blue nation up until now. may he continue to understand and expand on the reality that it is not every man for himself- we are all in this together.
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dr. king's dream is a big step closer to realization.
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USA! USA! USA!

Senator Clinton was the second biggest winner this cycle. She handled an incredibly painful loss with grace and somehow got better and better AFTER the primaries.
She seems perfect to take over Ted Kennedy's mantle as champion of the Senate.
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Andy -Al was quoting Senator Wellstone last night. "I think the future also will not belong to those who are cynical or those who stand on the sidelines. The future belongs to those who show up and fight"

ivb, it certainly couldn't matter less now but why do you think Willard would have helped McCain on the economy? It seems his reputation far exceeds his demonstrated knowledge.
He is the face of profits created by lay-offs.

I definitely agree Hillary was the second biggest winner. And Paul, I also think Hillary is the natural successor to Ted.

I do like Pelosi and Reid but they are not the most effective leaders. People like Hillary and Jim Webb are much more appealing "mouthpieces" for Dems in Congress.

The truth about Palin will come out from McCain aides in the next few days.

I'm hoping we'll see a revamping of leadership in the Congress to reflect this rather stunning mandate.
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Not just the votes, but the visible joy. Horns honking, high fives. I even heard cow bells last night.

I certainly agree with Southernbell with regards to the Pelosi & Reid vs. Hillary & Webb comment.
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I also believe Swampland needs a new web banner. Something a little more "Presidential". *BIG SMILE*

The truth about Palin will come out from McCain aides in the next few days.
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Oh joy.
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And the really beautiful thing is that her reality challenged supporters will not only be unfazed, but will get mad at McCain and the party leadership for their scurrilous accuations making it that much harder to put Humpty Dumpty together again.

And howbout them Alaskans.
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"Crooks, schmooks. Just give us the bacon."

Here we go. From a "Worst campaign ever?" piece at some other American news weekly:
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McCain's final mistake was to leave his most politically powerful argument until it was too late. While there were many problems with Joe the Plumber, the argument could have been used much more effectively against Senator Obama: that the Democratic ticket was too left of center, especially on the issue of taxes. Toward the end of the campaign, McCain picked up some steam in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania. But the argument came much too late and at a point when many Americans had become so cynical, and turned off, by the Republican campaign that McCain could not restore his strength.
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For the next three months they're gonna hammer the center-right myth, in the face of this broad and deep repudiation of Republican governance and policy.

Since my long comment will be stuck in moderation for the foreseeable future, let me just say how proud I am that Dr. King's dream of man being judged by the content of his character and not the color of his skin has taken a big step towards being realized.

Now if we could just get civil rights for gays and lesbians...

I defy that writer to provide any evidence that Obama's policy on taxes, of raising rates by three percentage points on the brackets beginning at 250K is left of the American center.

KT, I look forward to reading it.

Whatever "model" works for Hillary, I have no doubt she will be a major voice in Dem politics, probably second only to Obama. She not only stumped for Obama but worked HARD for other Dems, putting in countless hours for her collegues.

Jay, I agree with you. It's ridiculous to call Obama's tax plan "leftist". Words like "conservative" "liberal" "right" and "left" all have new meanings after eight years of Republican rule.

Since my long comment will be stuck in moderation for the foreseeable future, let me just say how proud I am that Dr. King's dream of man being judged by the content of his character and not the color of his skin has taken a big step towards being realized.

Now if we could just get civil rights for homo$exuals... (will that pass the moderator-bot?)

Southern Bell:
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I wonder how all those folks who were defending Sarah's spending spree on clothes felt when she showed up to vote for the first woman on the Republican ticket - in her jeans.

Jayack - have been seeing the "we're a center-right country" story flogged on the cables all day. In truth Obama's a pragmatist, and may very well disappoint some on the left who weren't paying attention to how he said he wanted to govern, but there's no sign he will tack to the right now that he's elected.