Election Coverage, Part 1: I've Got the Blues

In Washington, D.C., where I spent the last four days, and got to tour the Capitol (Monday) and the White House (this morning!), they have been hard at work on the inauguration, and everyone is really, really tired and ready for this election (and the inauguration) to be OVER. Amen. I just hope my candidate wins.

9:22 p.m. ET: The "big news" just announced on MSNBC minutes ago is that Ohio has gone for Obama, yet I am not holding my breath. Actually, I am holding my breath. This election, as of right now, is too early -- or too close (depending on whom you are listening to) -- to call, and looking at that constantly changing electoral map, with Florida and Virginia still uncalled, I am very, very nervous.

9:32 p.m. MSNBC just called New Mexico, another formerly "red" state for Obama.

From earlier today, from my brother-in-law, who works in downtown Chicago, near Grant Park, which is overflowing with Obama supporters: "Madness in Chicago... They shut down [my building] at 3. If [Obama] doesn't win, our city (as many others) will go up in flames."

9:37 p.m. West Virginia goes into the Red Zone, following Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and the usual Southern suspects.

9:47 p.m. Florida, Florida, Florida. Man, I miss Russert. Saw his "Florida, Florida, Florida" white board while at the Newseum this weekend. The spouse, who is (surprise) holding the remote, has flipped over to NBC. Note: The graphics on MSNBC are much better.

9:54 p.m. Illinois is projected to go to Obama. (Breathe in, breathe out.) Okay, not a huge suprise. Oh, and here's Texas: And Texas has gone for Senator McCain. Really, is anyone surprised? I am so not going to make it 'til Midnight or whenever the hell this thing is called (probably 3 a.m. or later/earlier).

Btw, what the hell does "characterizations" mean? David Gregory keeps talking about "coverage and characterizations." Is Frank whatshisname going to come on and do impressions or something? (For the record, his John Madden is quite funny.)

9:57 p.m. Commercial break on MSNBC. The spouse has now flipped over to CNN. Yawn. I don't know about you, but these pundits are putting me to sleep (though Anderson Cooper is cuter than David Gregory).

10:00 p.m. Back to MSNBC and the big news is: Iowa has gone to Obama and Utah has gone to McCain. So now the electoral count is at 207 for Obama, 129 McCain. And Florida is still too close to call, though Obama has a slight lead. Ditto North Carolina and Virginia. (And if I find out that one of my VA friends did not vote, I will be very, very cross. You know who you are.) In other states... Indiana is now too close to call, as is Arizona (McCain's home state!), and Colorado.

10:06 p.m. I am no longer really listening to Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann. It's like some political circle jerk. And now to The Biltmore in Arizona. Not exactly the same kind of energy or crowd as over in Grant Park. "If only the economy hadn't tanked," one member of the McCain campaign is reported to have said. Yeah, if only George W. Bush hadn't committed us to a futile war in Iraq... The list goes on and on. (Do NOT get me started. And the first commenter to write in about everything being the fault of Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic Congress will get verbally bitch slapped. Give me an effing break. Hey, I'm not a Pelosi fan, but the Dems have had the thinnest of majorities and only been, technically, in power for barely two years. So stop your frickin' whining.)

In other big news, at least in my state/district, Congressman Chris Shays has lost (apparently big time) his re-election bid, meaning that there will now be NO REPUBLICANS from New England, at least in the House. Wow.

10:14 p.m. Chucky T. (aka Chuck Todd) is at the map, again. If you are a geography fan, you cannot beat election night. Who knew wtf all these little counties in Indiana and Florida and Virginia were called? And why is it every time the cameras pan to McCain Headquarters there is some male Country singer singing, with a big black cowboy hat and a guitar.

10:16 p.m. And Maine is projected to go for Obama. And rumor has it that Oprah (Oprah!) is mulling around (or whatever Oprah does) in the Grant Park crowd, which we are being reminded is VERY DIVERSE (i.e., not just black people, or if you want to be poltically correct, African-American). It has been confirmed: Oprah is in the house.

Reporting live from bed...

To be continued...