Americans all have the right to vote, even if they vote wrong. Though I was confident in a Republican victory in 2008, it was not to be.

November 4, 2008 -- After getting home, I turned on the election coverage. When the first data started coming in, whoo-hoo, McCain's in the lead! Then as liberal New England states started getting called, Obama crept ahead. As the sun started setting on the Midwest, McCain fought back, only to fall short. Karl Rove says he still has a chance, though, but he has to win x out of y swing states, which would be difficult in a regular election.

He and Brit Hume walk over to the giant green screen where Rove consults his notes and starts pointing things out on the green screen. Of course, he can't see what is projected behind him because it is done in the computer, so he's just gesturing at a 'green screen.' He points out that McCain has to win Ohio or else the election is pretty much over... as he says this, I'm thinking, "Why is Ohio blue? It's blue on the map. Does he know that? Why is it blue? Is it is glitch? WHY IS IT BLUE?"

Then Brit Hume puts his hand to his ear, nods, and interrupts Rove: "Karl, I've just been informed that Fox News has called that Obama has won Ohio." Rove looks visibly crestfallen. I get up, take my McCain yard signs out of the window, and sit back down.

At almost 11:00, CNN projects that Obama is the 44th President of the United States. I shut off my television.

November 5, 2008 -- Throughout the day, I was questioned by Republicans and Democrats alike. The only answer I could give was "The country always gets what it wants... not always what is best." More succinctly, "Shit happens." I don't know that truer words have been spoken.

Of course, I was harangued by the occasional Obama supporter throughout the day. At one point, someone mockingly asked me, "So who is the President?" "George W. Bush!" I snapped, leaving them dumbfounded into silence. Another who has been quite the viral Obama supporter pointed his victory out to me, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Here's how the rest of the conversation went, paraphrased for convenience:

Baron: "Yeah, Obama did win last night."
Obama Supporter: "See? I told you so all along."
Baron: "You were right. So, uhh, what city is Barack from again?"
Obama Supporter: "Hmm, umm, I don't really..."
Baron: "That's okay. I can't remember his wife's name, though."
Obama: "Oh, she's... well, it beings with an "M"
Baron: "...and I know they have kids, but how many?"
Obama: "Two! They have two kids."
Baron: "Yes, I'm sure they and their mother, Michelle, will miss Chicago."

Dumbass.

Look, there are intelligent Democrats out there just like there are intelligent Republicans, but let me assure you that this election was not won like the 1992 or 2000 election. Essentially in those instances, politics was removed from society and it was just the informed, educated, and uppity politicos that chose the President.

In this election, Obama did exactly what a Democrat needs to do to win against the Republican machine: inject himself into everyone's lives. He went mainstream. As much as I may sound like a bad McCain ad, he went from being a politician to being a pop culture icon. Which leads me back to my discussion with the Obama supporter:

He won because every idiot with a vote chose him.

I've got to put it blatantly, and frankly I'm sorry if you think this is some bitter partisan rant. This is as objective post-election coverage as you're going to get on the blogosphere.

Obviously this lady didn't know the first thing about Obama outside of the fact that he's "cool" and black, much less any policy positions. This is exactly what Obama needed to do, and he did it. Your or my educated vote is worth just as much as the socialite that gets an Obama button and decides that way. Your or my educated vote is worth just as much as every other American's.

Obama captured about 68% of the youth vote compared to John McCain's 30%. Have you ever wondered how things like Hollister clothing or rap music get popular, then fade off really quickly? It is primarily because easily molded youth are the epitome of herd creatures. Of course, when their favorite music artist writes a song about Obama, it makes it cool to support him. Thus, a trend is born.

I am painting a picture of utter ignorance now, though this was not the deciding factor in the election.

It's the economy, stupid.

Remember way back when this whole election thing started up, just before the 2006 Congressional elections? What was the big issue back then? Do you remember? It was immigration. In fact, one Republican, Tom Tancredo, even tried to run on a platform of securing the border and fixing immigration. While this has always been a personal motive of his, it was a hot-button issue at the time and (falsely) convinced him he had a chance.

Now, in the last month (even two months) of the Presidential election, can you honestly tell me if immigration came up once in a serious manner? I heard it in passing on Fox once and never on CNN. But seriously, in the last two months of election coverage, did you heard the word "Iraq" more than you can count on your fingers? Probably not.

No, this election was hustled by a 52-foot semi barreling out of control with the words "Economy Down" across the side. America got some extreme tunnel vision when the economy started teetering.

Now I'm no economist, but I honestly feel that if Americans need to be told that we're in a recession/depression, then we're not. The only places that the average Joe’s economy is being pinched are some stocks or 401(k)s and things like that. On the larger scale, the only major problems are at the tippy top of the economy where giant companies reside (re: Lehman Bros).

This could translate into bigger problems, especially if these major creditors seize up and it starts to choke off struggling small businesses that are the lifeblood of the economy. Some suggest this could be happening already what with the job losses escalating.

Regardless... Yesterday one of my friends was voicing his opinion on how he thinks single-issue voters, specifically pro-life voters, are casting an uneducated vote. Realize that he's pro-life just like I am, but I can see his point. You have to consider the wider candidate when voting for any single issue: For example, the economy.

The MSM has got the American people so wound up about this impending doom (TIME's recent cover, check it out), a large majority of people think that their personal finances are going to come crashing down around them, even though they are only suspended by thin lines holding back the debt. People think, "If this is going down, Obama will help me out."

Summary: When you want to save business, elect Republicans. When you want to save individuals, elect Democrats. The present problems are currently boiling over only in the business sector, and Obama is going to do slaughter to them. I forsake the days ahead.

As I said above, Democrats are traditionally the ones called in to save the people from the economy, but what is Obama's specific record on the economy? Has he ever actually done anything? Can he point to something he did? A vote here and a vote there don't count, all that is is an opinion rendered.

John McCain was out-campaigned through Obama's injecting himself into pop culture, but the real reason he lost was because Obama inadvertently used the weapon he has been preaching against from day one: Politics of fear. Instead of using a terrorist crisis as basis for radical measures (9/11 → Patriot Act), he successfully positioned himself around this financial crisis as the savoir, winning him the election on people's fears.

Thankfully, there still is hope. The Democrats did not gain nearly as many seats in the House and Senate as they did in 2006, though the predictions were that they would make those same large gains. They only maintain a low majority, allowing Republicans the ability to filibuster (which I look down on) and possibly fight off bills like they did to the bailout bill.

Even so, Nancy Pelosi of the House and Harry Reid of the Senate are extreme liberals, out of the closet and ready to fight. Though this was Obama during the primaries, he mellowed out considerably during the general election. I predict that we're only going to see a traditional Democratic presidency these next four years, something on the lines of a Hillary Clinton/ Ted Kennedy, for he still has a reelection bid to win. Should that happen, though, I fear what he will do.

Hidin' Biden

Remember this quote?

"Mark my words: It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator President of the United States of America. Watch. We're going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy."

It was not twenty-four hours before a generated crisis tested this president-elect. Let's see... Kennedy was tested with the Cuban missile crisis, where Russia put missiles near the United States. On November 5th, Russia announced plans to put missiles aimed towards our allies on the Russia-Poland border to balance the power where we are adding a missile-defense shield. How's that for self-fulfilling prophecies?

I'm gonna sound like a latte liberal when I say this, but I'm going to blame this whole thing on George Bush. Though he did the best he could do with the hand dealt to him a little after a year in office, he left the political landscape inhospitable for Republicans in the near future. He really ought to be excommunicated from the GOP. I still like him as a president, but I resent what he has sentenced us to through his own ignorance.

You really have to congratulate McCain on keeping it even with Obama until the end, even surpassing him once or twice in the polls. He had an advantage against generic Republican from the outset because he is a maverick (blech, I will never say that or "bitter" again) and quasi-moderate. Still, the "R" after his name sentenced him to a loss from the outset.

I have a feeling, though, that in a month or two when this economy thing is solved and relegated to the latter pages of the New York Times with immigration and the war, Americans will wake up as if after a great night of sex, roll over, notice the bed is empty, and think... What have we done?

-Ze Baron

Friends, please read this.

Though this election is by and far too close to call, with Obama's lead in battleground states closing or being eclipsed, John McCain is already being written off. The world has already crowned Barack Obama their king. Michelle Obama is in the Oval Office measuring for new drapes. Joe Biden is accepting bids on a rail line from the White House to the Naval Observatory (VP residency) so he can stump in 2012 that he still takes the Amtrak to work every day.

This is not to be. Most polls are showing the race within the margin of error, making it almost irresponsible to to call the outcome.

Today, I went to my county Republican HQ for the second time this election season. I picked up a bunch of literature to give to Obama voters in and close to my family, something I've never done before.

I have a favor to ask of you, though, my virtual friends. Let's start a blitz campaign -- change your headshot to the McCain/Palin sign I have in this blog. Everybody. Let's whiteout peoples' friends lists to the point that there are more of these signs than not.

Show your colors!

Ze Baron

"So, you know I have fun with the media and we all know the press is an independant, civic-minded, and non-partisian group... like ACORN."

"ACORN is helping to register groups previously excluded, overlooked, and underserved: second graders, the deceased, Disney characters."

It was great how he grilled Obama about flying to Washington to address the crisis if the economy recovers.

"I can't wish my opponent luck, but I do wish him well." <-- Classic

He made a very strong point when he said he counted himself as a friend and ally in reference to the Catholic's defense of the unborn.

His ending was absolutely marvelous... he pumped the expectations up so high, even artificially, that it made it tough for Obama to follow up, even though everyone knew it was a joke.

I loved McCain's line about Joe the Plumber signing a very lucrative contract with a very wealthy couple to handle the plumbing on all seven of their houses. A man known to Oprah Winfrey as "the one..." being a friend and colleague of Barack's, I just called him "that one." He doesn't mind at all, in fact, he even has a pet name for me, "George Bush." That was the best line of the night... it absolutely brought down the house. It is easily the most quotable line of this October election.

His line about the sneaking suspicion that someone here tonight is pulling for him... "I'm delighted to see you, Hillary!"

"When a reporter asked him if Senator Obama was qualified to be President, Bill Clinton pointed out that, sure, Obama was over 35 and an American citizen."

"Maverick I can do, but Messiah is above my pay grade!"

"I understand that Keith Olbermann has ordered up his very own "Mission Accomplished" banner. And they can hang that in whatever padded room has been reserved for him. Seriously, Chris, if they need any decorating advice on that banner, tell Keith to call me so I can tell him right where to put it."

McCain did exceptionally well. If you ask me, he "won" last night. The only problem I have with his performance is that he looked down at his speech a little too much. That being said, I think McCain's speech was more like a regular stump than Obama's, who seemed to think he was David Letterman.

Obama almost has a sour look on his face when he tells the joke about his middle name. I have neever once put lipstick on a pig,... or a pit bull... or myself. Genius!

After his lead in about deadbeats and lowlifes, I thought he was going to make a joke about Ayers or Wright, but then when he overdid it I knew something like that was coming. It would have been perfect for him to address those two jokers with humor during this speech, kind of sweeping them under the carpet. He missed that easy mark.

I watched this live last night on CSPAN. I really loved Obama's Bloomberg/Bill Clinton joke. The thing is that I think he has problems laughing at himself, re: the Greek pillars comment. He's a really good orator but I don't know why he stumbled along during this speech. It should have been easy!

I also liked his comments about his not being born in a manger... he was actually born on Krypton, sent here by his father to save the planet Earth!

(Politics aside in these four videos.)

GENIUS!

This is basically the only word I could sputter out when people asked me (the chief politico) what I thought about her. I consider myself pretty knowing when it comes to American politics, but I really did not know who the governor of Alaska was, who Sarah Palin was, or that McCain was considering either of them -- let alone the fact that they were one and the same!

I thought this plan was good because it would get the enraged Fem-Nazis who just want to see a woman in the White House to vote for McCain. It would also harbor support from those people who are voting for the black guy to reassure themselves that they are a good person. I would bet this type makes up a fair sized part of the voting mass.

Republicans? The stogy traditional party wants a woman in the White House? Diversity from the GOP? It can't be! Yes, people thought this was a monumental election... a woman and a black guy. Well, Hillary got knocked out and here another woman crops up. 2008 is a year for the record books.

Sarah Palin is the first woman on the GOP's chief ticket. She's also likely the only candidate except Teddy Roosevelt that knows how to field dress a moose. This woman is exceptional. She knows how to disassemble, clean, and reassemble an M16. She's got five kids, one with Down syndrome and one in the military. She comes from Alaska (where ANWR is, sillies!) and she advocates drilling! Granted, it pays to align with McCain's message and current trends, but if it were really as disastrous as the greenies would have us think, Palin wouldn't be advocating destroying her home state.

Speaking of remarkable women... Cindy Hensley McCain owns a beer distributorship and she's in an automobile drift-racing team with one of her sons! The Republican ticket has a war Veteran/Veteran Senator, a beautiful First Lady who owns a beer company and races cars, a gorgeous woman Governor who fishes and hunts with a second-man who is a professional snowmobile racer.

The Democratic ticket has a freshman Senator lawyer with a grumpy, unpatriotic lawyer wife. Anyone up for a quick poll?

Remember how Democrats would attack Bush for 'sending our boys into harm without offspring in the military', to paraphrase? John McCain has one son in the service and one in the Naval Academy while Sarah Palin has one that just left for Iraq. I think that if they think the mission is important enough to risk their own children, well, the Democrats have little room to squirm.

I was watching Newt Gingrich give a small talk on C-SPAN during the RNC. He was talking about a variety of things, but when he got to Sarah Palin he said that a reporter came up to him and said, "What about the experience problem?" Newt replied, "I think Senator Obama has a huge problem to overcome." That captures the essence of it right now -- though Alaska has the population of San Diego, though Wasilla AK has only 8,000 residents, VP Sarah Palin has more executive experience than would-be Prez Obama.

Does that scare you?

This is a big election. Obama's "lead" over John McCain is less than the margin of error in most polls, which means they are essentially tied. Obama's lead is maintained because young people think it's cool to vote for the black guy, if for no other reason. While they're voting uninformed, it's their American right.

Oh, and another thing -- during the DNC Obama was repeatedly touted as the first black Presidential candidate. No, that's wrong. Obama is just as black as he is white. Remember, he's biracial. Using that logic, he's also the X-hundredth white candidate nominated for the White House.

Obama's other big lead comes from his excitement: Yeah, Barack! Whoo-whoo! Fancy catchphrases! Empty words! Let's cheer! Well, I think he can expect that lead to shrink, even to transform into a deficit because of Palin/Biden. Everyone was pumped about Obama's veep. Who was it going to be? It'll be exciting! He's the candidate for change, remember? Well, you could hear the media and idiot-America let out its collective breath when he picked Joe Biden.

John McCain has been painted by Obama as a representative of Old Washington, that is, what he's been meaning to reform. John McCain took office in 1987. He's been a Senator for 21 years! Who could be more fresh than Obama, who is fresh in Washington he doesn't know where the men's room is in the Capitol building?

Not Joe Biden! He took office in 1973! That's right -- 35 years in Washington. He took office when Barack Obama was 12. How can that be a representative of change? Obama popped his own balloon filled with "FRESHNESS & EXCITEMENT!" by picking this thorough Washington insider.

John McCain isn't integrated into the Washington machine -- he doesn't even feel compelled by duty to his party, as noted multiple times during the RNC to my confused state. Why tout his maverick, voting-against-party style in a room filled with Republicans?! Sarah Palin surely is the freshest of all four. I doubt she's even vacationed to Washington!

I checked out a magazine rack today. A quick glance at the 20 or so magazines (not all political) showed Obama on one, McCain on two, and Palin on at least half a dozen. While they weren't all feature stories on the candidates, and while they all weren't necessarily good reflections of them, the key to getting these votes is the spotlight. Sarah has stole it from Obama.

Sarah Palin is supposed to be this conservative god that will be there weighing on McCain's decisions and ready to take office should anything happen to McCain (who's 90+ y/o mother attended the RNC). Bristol, her seventeen year old daughter is five months pregnant by her eighteen year old fiancee. Granted, pre-marital sex and teenage sex are sort of big no-no's in the conservative movement, but these attacks that paint Sarah Palin as irresponsible are terribly wrong. We're electing the mother, not her teenage daughter's poor decisions!

The liberal media loves nothing more than to point out conservative hypocrisies on the topic, sometimes by comparing the comments denouncing 17-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears' pregnancy with the support for Bristol and Sarah Palin. I would hardly consider it hypocritical. Jamie Lynn Spears is a celebrity. Young girls, preteens and teens look up to her. She has a show on a children's channel. She's a role model, whether America and the parents of the kids who watch her show want her to be or not. A girl who is going to have no impact on anyone else's life getting pregnant is a bad thing, sure, but it will not have an effect like Ms. Spears' pregnancy did.

People also like to point out how Sarah Palin fired Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan for refusing to fire a trooper who had a bitter divorce and custody battle with her sister. "That's abuse of power!" screams the liberal media. Oops, I guess they forgot to mention that the trooper Tasered his own stepson and threatened to kill his ex-wife's (and Sarah's) father.

Well, those facts aren't important anyway, are they? Just so long as we can sling mud at the conservatives for Savior Obama.

Someone asked me what would be the best strategy for Barack Obama to get elected. I told them, "He should have changed his name to Brock O'Bama and passed himself off as an Irishman."

Thinking back, it might have been more advantageous for him to just become a Republican.

-Ze Baron

What an election this is turning out to be. Hillary and Obama have both managed to hold on this long, constantly bickering back and forth. The media is counting Hillary out. TIME magazine, to which I subscribe, is counting Hillary out. Ann Coulter, my bemusing conservative compatriot, is counting Hillary out. But I'm not!

Right now it is 1588 to 1462, Obama's lead. She's only 162 delegates behind! From my understanding, there are about 250 superdelegates floating around either neutral or undecided. There's also about 174 delegates from states yet. Now, granted, the Democrats' system where the winner doesn't take all will sustain Hillary but will make it hard for her to beat Obama. On top of that, the superdelegates are awfully greasy. It's hard to get your hands on one and it is even harder to hold on to it, as Ms. Clinton has been noticing as of late.

The good news for Hitlery is that a Rasmussen poll puts her at 56% over Obama's 27% in West Virginia, the next state to vote with 28 delegates. A SurveyUSA poll puts Hillary over Obama 62% to 28% in Kentucky that has 51 delegates for grabs, up after WV. Oregon, the largest prize left, has 52 delegates available with Obama 51% Hillary 39%.

The way that is explained is that Hillary has a big lead in each a medium and large state, while Obama has a small lead over Hillary in the biggest state. Buckle that with the fact that Hillary has two states but a deficit and you've got a hell of a race. That doesn't even make mention of  South Dakota and Montana with admittedly small amounts of vital candidates.

A Gallup poll puts Obama at 48% and Hillary at 46% nationally for the nomination. That hardly discounts this as a blowout race in which Hillary should drop out! I'm shocked at the axe job she's gotten in the media recently. It's not even a sizable lead at all, especially when Gallup cites a ±3 percentage points margin of error! Theoretically it could be Hillary 49% Obama 45%.

Even though I love Rush Limbaugh's idea of Republicans voting for Hillary (for which this post is entitled, which apparently paid off for her in Indiana), and I love the idea of splintering the Democratic party, this race needs to be fought to the convention unless there is a clear leader. I'm really interested to see how it turns out if it is indeed fought to the convention, though.

Last time the Democrats were in such a fuzzle it was 1968, and you see how that election went for them with Richard Nixon winning the presidency. This bodes amazingly well for John McCain, who doesn't have much support from hard-right conservatives and thereby doesn't have a secure holding on the GOP voter bloc, not to mention that it would have been unimaginable for a Republican to have a flying chance in 2008 looking at the race from 2005, 2006, or even most of 2007.

This gives him time to let the public get sick of a Democratic candidate, whichever wins the nomination, by having another Democrat rip him apart, saving McCain time, money, face, and attacks on his own character. He's just happily watching from the sidelines, raising funds and whatnot.

Even if a lot of Republicans don't like John McCain, well, gosh darn it, I like him! I'd rather have a war hero Senator in the White House with a pretty wife than a lawyer with a scandalous hubby or a lawyer with an unpatriotic wife. That, and he's a Republican! Look, God handed this race to the GOP on a silver platter with the divided party, the Republican candidate Democrats can vote for, and an early sealed nomination, even in spite of a very rough-looking political situation that GW left us.

So eat, drink, and be merry... the forecast looks good in November.

-Ze Baron

Ahh, yes, the sweet smell of hypocracy in the morning!

I'm not voting for Barack Obama. He's a dirty negro.

I'm not voting for Hillary Clinton. Her place is in the kitchen.

How does that sound? Doesn't it make me sound so arrogant? That's because that sort of talk is bigoted. Whoever talks like that has another thing coming. Somewhere Hillary Clinton was, I think it was getting off a plane, some man repeatedly yelled, "Iron my shirt!" As much as I hate Hillary, that's despicable.

I think discrimination on anything that a person has no control over -- such as sex or race -- is discrimination in the highest form. What gets me, though, is something of a different matter.

Jesse Jackson endorsed Barack Obama as his candidate of choice. We know Jackson's rash behavior when it comes to racism... what does it say about the endorsement?

The Alabama Democratic Conference recently endorsed Obama, providing him with a key black endorsement. A county commissioner involved was quoted as saying Clinton was most likely to win in November "because of her husband and because of some other things, mainly because she's white." What does that say about the endorsement?

The National Organization for Women (NOW) endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for President. Their Political Action Committee calls it "Make History With Hillary." What does that say about the endorsement?

Isn't it racism or sexism to endorse someone solely on those traits? What makes liking someone based only on those traits any better than disliking someone only on those traits?


The NAACP has confused me this election cycle. The California NAACP endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton for 2008. I can only assume that they slipped up and actually endorsed a candidate that they might agree with. Then again, this isn't the national NAACP.

People have criticized John McCain as being too old. At least AARP doesn't have such an agenda.

-Ze Baron

Well, the numbers are in. South Carolina choose Obama in the Democratic primaries. But who would have guessed otherwise?

It's his race, stupid!
You see, I really don't think it was much of a primary. They forecasted that 52% of the turnout would be black. Obama won with 55% of the votes. I doubt that all of the black voters voted for him, but I'm sure more did than not.

He's black, you know!
I read articles and hear news stories about all sorts of pundits saying that they think that some white voters will vote against Obama because he's black. I'm sure that is going to happen. There'll be voters who vote against Hillary because she's a chick. There'll be voters who will vote against McCain because he's old and Romney because he's Mormon.

He's what?
He's black. As I mentioned before, 52% of the Democratic voters were black. Obama swept this state by a huge margin. Coincidence? Well, maybe, but take a look at things. The media was crucifying any racism or bigotry in the election as evil. They were denouncing the thought that race could play a major part in the primaries -- How dare they vote against Obama over his race!

Well, folks, race did play a part in the primary. White voters likely did vote against Obama over his race. Black voters likely voted for him because of his race. I think that's bigotry.

BIGOTRY?!?
Yes, folks, bigotry. A bigot is defined by Webster's as "a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices." Wouldn't a vote against the white man be bigotry? I think it would.

What does it mean?
It means that race does play a factor, both ways. I think it's terrible that they're voting for or against someone based on the color of their skin. I am not saying that can't play a factor. What if, for instance, Jesse Jackson had been elected in one of his Presidential bids in the '80s? You can bet he had nothing on his mind but race and making a statement when he did that. Might a black candidate be prone to give more funding to groups for black kids than white kids?

But seriously, how many groups do you know of that grant scholarships or federal aid to strictly white kids? How about a NAACP, or "National Association for the Advancement of Caucasian People"? You'll never hear of it.

Really...
Race can play a factor. It just shouldn't be the solo factor when voting.

-Ze Baron

----------------------------
Photo caption:
"Don't worry, I have experience. I'm not a surgeon, but I was married to one for eight years."

Read more on the SC primary here.
Read Webster's definition of "bigot."
Read more about Jesse Jackson.