It's Election Time...

I'll be refreshing this all night....

Early on, it doesn't look good for ol' McCain. Barack's supporters are already lining up in Chicago's Grant Park...

7:01 Katie Couric's CBS in her voiceover "As America stands on a path with destiny" (At this moment I screamed, "Shut up, Katie")

7:02 Bob Schieffer. CBS, "President Bush did not campaign with a single Republican candidate. It's like he stayed inside."

7:03 Jeff Greenfield, CBS, "McCain isn't sailing into a wind tonight he's sailing into a gale."

7:12 Pat Buchanan, MSNBC, "This could be a transformational election like Reagan in 1980."

Early on the electoral chyron read McCain 13 Obama 3.

8:00 MSNBC just gave PA, NJ, MD, and MA to Obama

8:02 the electoral chyron now reads Obama 103 to McCain 34. The Super Bowl-like route is on.

8:03 Chris Mathews, MSNBC, "McCain's path has crashed. There is no scenario in which McCain can win without Pennsylvania....

8:31 MSNBC's Chris MAthews on Elizabeth Dole's senate loss "This might be the first politician to lose for not talking enough."

Musings:

How did Katie get that job, really. MSNBC Olbermann and that snarky-ass attitude HAS to go. Hey Brit Hume--better get another cup of coffee, you're going to be up a while longer. David Gregory is really bucking for Russert's seat with those bannker's stripes...On his afternoon show, WFAN's Mike Francesa, always a political junkie, praised Obama has running a brilliant campaign, maybe the best ever. Thanks for cutting through the clutter, Mike.

What I'll miss about the election...

Normally I view politics much the way I view The Kentucky Derby or the Final Four. That is even when I barely know the names of those competing I always have a rooting interest--even though I pick it up in the days or hours before the event.

But this year's election (which actually began in Jan. 2007) was a spectator sport all of it's own. For one, you heard about something election nearly every night. I'll miss that. Here's what else I'll miss:

Obama's overly-pronouncing words such "Taliban" to come across as more erudite. Someone should tell him that it's not pronounced "Tolly-bon" and "Paki-ston"

Tom Brokaw, during the Presidential debate, scolding the candidates to stay on the clock.

The New York Times' sourcing of two stories which was surprisingly thin. Although the Times says otherwise....

I'll miss Fox News coverage if only for the thoughts of one Charles Krauthammer. Steady as a metronome, the guy is as entertaining as a real estate closing.

Coming up tomorrow...blogging election coverage...live.

What I Learned Friday on Saturday

Some tunes hold up over time. Shotgun by Junior Walker and the All-Stars is but one.

I wouldn't want to be in the room with Hillary Clinton on Election night. Remember at the beginning of this election cycle? The nomination was Hillary's to lose. Few seem to remember that.

Sir Topham Hat was knighted. Who knew?

He may be the manager of the year but Rays manager Joe Maddon had an awful 2.5 innings in the Game 5 clincher

Brian Cashman's record on acquiring free agent pitchers is spottier than the leopards in the Bronx Zoo.

Everyone's predicting a Giant ass-whipping tomorrow. Watch the Cowboys.

The NY Rangers are off to their best 13-game start in their long history. Dare I say it? Start printing the Finals tickets

NBC News and Tim Russert's Kid

I know people will disagree with me here: But what kind of journalistic credentials does Luke Russert have to be a correspondent? Don't get me wrong. I feel for the kid losing his father. Really. And if my dad, were say, Steve Kroft, I'd want to follow in his footsteps too. Absolutely. Can't fault young Russert there.

One, however, can fault NBC News. Would it kill them to send the kid for a year to the local NBC affiliate in Harftford? Go cover a car wreck at 2 am...see how he does. At least then he'll have some credibility other than being Tim Russert's kid.

Anyone else see through this obvious ratings ploy? Yes, it's been done 1,000 times in television and other walks of life. One's surname has a lot to do with one's lot in life. I just hope--like a promising rookie pitcher rushed up to the majors--they don't ruin the kid.

Luke..To whom much is given, much is expected. We'll be watching.

A Word From The Messiah...

Anyone watch the Messiah, er, Barack Obama's infomercial last night? While it wasn't as tedious and tortured as Ross Perot's pie charts (Remember those back in 1992?), it was over-the-top and overly dramatic.

A few things struck me as odd right away. That office Obama was sitting in...with the wood paneling in front of the window..was this a makeshift Oval Office? And Obama was sporting a flag pin--something he was against. Is this what we can expect from our leader-to-be? I know. It's all an effort to make Obama appear Presidential. Silly. My question: who bought it last night?

Perhaps the best part about the informercial: He changed his stance on his tax mantra: Remember it was always "if you make less than $250,000 your taxes would not be raised one dime? --That's what we heard all through the campaign. Last night, however, he said those people making less than $200,000 would be taxed. Anyone catch that sleight of hand?

Personally I liked ABCs strategy: They didn't take his money and instead aired the forgettable Pushing Daisies--That'll make for an interesting trivia question as the years unfold. Which makes me wonder why FOX decided to air it? Aren't they for the conversatives or is that just FOX News?

For me, the one cool aspect of the infomercial involved came in the 27th minute...The infomerical was suddenly a live shot of the Messiah addressing the masses in Florida. Maybe that's what passes for genius these days. Sad really.

Tuesday Musings...

A week left before the election and it feels like McCain's chances are slipping away. Perhaps the best thing to come out of the election is that people are on to Keith Olbermann and his biased brand of politics. I've said it before, McCain is reminding me a lot of Bob Dole these days. Both decent people. Sometimes though you don't get to play the big stage...that's life.

I've read in Bob Raissman's NY Daily News column that the ESPN main baseball team of John Miller and Joe Morgan are on the verge of splitting up. Show of hands? Who's going to shed a tear? Morgan is as unlikeable as he was a great ballplayer. Give some up-and-comer a chance, I say. But ESPN, being ESPN, will screw it up somehow. John Miller's as solid as they come but again, let's change it up. I'm sure there are many voices who've paid their dues toiling in the minors can use that chance.

And for those wisenheimers who will ask how Tuesday musing are different from What I Learned Friday. My repy? Don't worry about it.

World Series Monday Night

Is there anything worse than watching another team clinch the World Series? Where is my Yankees? I'm a baseball fan at heart, yes. But this year's champs, the Phils, seem beatable to me. Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton are their number 3 and 4 starters! THIS is the best team? This is the best MLB has to offer?

It's already 2-0 in the second and Tampa Bay pitcher Scott Kazmir is not long for this game. I can't take this team seriiously. I have to watch because there's not going to be baseball until April. I can see why the Phillies would be popular--they've got some characters on this team.

Screw it. Islanders/Rangers are on. This game has produced more drama in two periods than the W.S. has in five games. God I love the NHL. I could watch Monday Night Football but I need a huge, almost ungodly output from TE Bo Scaife to win my fantasy matchup. Edge Rangers.