Maximum History

What if McCain wins?

I often kid my kids that they have been living through too much history with the Clinton impeachment (remember the House vote while Baghdad was being bombed?), the Florida recount and 9/11?

But where would a McCain victory rank relative to that trifecta? 

For maximum history, if McCain wins the Electoral College while losing the popular vote by a few million, the Gates of Chaos will open wide.  I do not look forward to this outcome, but it certainly would be interesting.

If McCain wins both the popular vote and the Electoral College, I will personally be honored, since that makes me the Queen of May.

An epic Obama landslide followed by a Dem attempt to recreate the New Deal will keep historians and pundits chattering.

Comments

[kim]

It wouldn't take a miracle for McCain to win, only that the polls be mistaken, and what's the chance that they aren't?
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[ljm]

A McCain win? I was just getting excited about 4 years of skyrocketing energy bills and maritime musings.

[kim]

Captain Saraubrey has just now begun to fight.
==============================

[Miracle Max]

All the rants about socialism have softened up the public for . . . socialism.

Thanks!

[Thomas Collins]

"Gates of Chaos?" TM, I'm going to say the same thing to you that I said to a friend this morning who, as we were walking to our cars after having voted, said he hoped there wouldn't be a repeat of 2000 because it would be bad for the country. I said that we had overcome the mighty Brits with a ragtag Revolutionary force that barely had enough food at times, a horrible debt situation after the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the German and Japanese military machines, 9/11, and on and on and on. I told him we have a strong, vibrant democracy and that a close election with months of bickering (and perhaps Congress needing to choose between two sets of electors in one or more states) will turn out just fine for the country. I mentioned that perhaps he and I and many others live such soft lives that we have to imagine events in the normal course of give and take as "crises" and "chaos." Although I often tweak my left-leaning friends for their therapy state utterances, I think all across the political spectrum we classify the regular hustle and bustle of life as "chaos" and "crises." Crisis? Chaos? How about Rick Rescorla on 9/11 for an individual facing true crisis and chaos?

[Jack is Back!]

Bill Ayers just cast the deciding vote - 4 times so far. If we turn left (and I mean far left not a Bill Clinton "gays in the military" type left turn) there will be severe political disruption. This is not Venezuela or Cuba - even the Dems have those blue dogs that will spit fire and be disruptive. I still think McCain has a chance since Kerry was up 5% prior to election day and the exit polls called it for him. The turnout is what matters and it could be for both McCain (concerned citizens) or Obama (newly registered, youth, pallor). Who knows?

[Sarah Joseph Ballard]

I dunno, Queen Thomas of May has a certain lyrical quality which I find appealing.

[vinman]

From the red state hotbed of 2004 vote controversy - Warren County, Ohio -- turnout this morning was *high*.

[Lori]

I felt like I was in a receiving line at funeral while I was waiting to vote today. Not a lot of joy among that group. I overheard an Obama supporter saying that he really wasn't going to do what he said he would do ("fundamentally transform the U.S."). They are in complete denial about who he is.

[jerryofva]

Funny, no Democrat who claims Kerry won in Ohio in 2004 seems to have had any problem with losing by a couple of million votes and walking into the White House.

[OrgleFan]

@kim
It wouldn't take a miracle for McCain to win, only that the polls be mistaken, and what's the chance that they aren't?

This year we discovered several large underlying problems in the financial system. It's not out of the question that things are in total disarray for the press and the media. Methinks all that is lacking is a single crystallizing event.

[BumperStickerist]

If McCain wins?

Make that 13,000 and 1 things to be happy about.

-

[24AheadDotCom]

Next to the other things that a BHO win would mean, the New Deal is nothing. Too bad few others were interested in highlighting some of those and instead concentrated on ghostwriters and such.

[PeterUK]

Maximum History,or as it was known Armageddon.

[Daddy]

To answer your question TM, if McCain pulls this out it would be "dogs and cats living together", and the rest of that speech by Vinkman, (Bill Murray), from the movie Ghostbusters.

[glasater]

Well, I don't think it is Armageddon quite yet--but it's getting too close for comfort.

[MayBee]

Max Pain.

[Sarah Joseph Ballard]

Hi glasater,

Did you see the PI article calling for Kings and Snohomish voters to get their ballots in? They seem a little nervous about being able to steal another election.

[Sue]

I'm as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

[Pofarmer]

I overheard an Obama supporter saying that he really wasn't going to do what he said he would do ("fundamentally transform the U.S."). They are in complete denial about who he is.

Well, that's just it. Folks are so used to Pols lying they think they lie about everything. Reagan had a quote about "When a politician promises to raise your taxes you'd better beleive it." I think that also goes for when a politician promises to massively expand govt. Unfortunately, there must be an awful lot of folks who can't be bothered to become educated or informed.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

A trip down memory lane on this Day in History:

1979 - Iranian militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking some 90 people hostage, 63 of them Americans.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

A trip down memory lane on this Day in History:

1995 - Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, 73, was assassinated by a Jewish extremist following a peace rally in Tel Aviv.

[davod]

"skyrocketing energy bills" You are optimistic. More likely, no energy.

[MayBee]

New predictions called for:
If Obama wins, how long can he and the Dems blame Bush for the problems in the country.

Bonus question: How long can Jennifer Granholm continue to blame Michigan's problems on Republicans?

[Pofarmer]

More Republican monitors kicked out in NH.

NH?

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Power lost in 4 polling places in the L.A. area, generators being brought in.

The sun is shining now, but we had one heck of a rain storm a couple of hours ago, unusual for So. Cal. this early in our rainy season.

[hrtshpdbox]

"If Obama wins, how long can he and the Dems blame Bush for the problems in the country."

Forever and a day, of course.

[Pofarmer]

Power lost in 4 polling places in the L.A. area, generators being brought in.

Good demonstration of the socialist travails to come. Is this Baghdad?

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Gingrich: Annoy the media--Go vote!

[clarice]

Ahem. It's Queen Clarice of Romania if you please.

[Jane votes Joe The Plumber]

Geez I was just wrapping my mind around a horrific loss, and you come up with this TM.

I can't tell you how much I need a vacation.

[peter]

Saraubrey ???

[sylvia]

Doesn't anyone care anymore about the wide use here of Sequoia and Smartmatic voting systems, formerly based in Venezuela? The fact that the company was recently sold to its own American management does not make me feel much better.

[Sue]

Jane,

::sticking tongue out at you:: A cruise maybe?

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

This is the first time I've seen Bill Kristol standing and not sitting behind a desk. Who knew? He is a midget.

[Jane votes Joe The Plumber]

Okay Sue, I'm in.

Hey now that I have a permanent (unpaid) radio gig as a political talking head, can I write off my cruise? Does anyone know?

[Verner]

OK, here's my election report--for what it's worth.

Memphis: My 76 year old mom and some of her friends ( both Whites and Blacks in the group--so take that media elite!) were waving signs at a busy intersection for McCain Palin. A lovely Obama supporter threw a half filled can of coke at a young boy from a moving car, and hit him. Not seriously hurt, but it could have killed him if it had hit his head.

Nashville burb: Very light voting at my very repub precinct as I drove by--but we've had early voting for over two weeks, and most people take advantage. Not unusual--there should be a rush after work.

LSU campus: My daughter reports that the campus is awash with McCain Palin stickers. Hardly a long haired, flea bitten unwashed Obama supporter visable among the student body. And hey--even some of her profs are repubs! Gotta tell you folks--consider LSU for your kids. Great football, and a good education as an added bonus! (yes, that's a joke)

Well, that's it. The general consensus at Walmart this morning was Thank God it's almost over. I don't think I could stand another day.

[matt]

that's under the file "creative accounting" Jane.....Obama is going to induce all sorts of interesting new ways to beat the tax man.....

[Verner]

Why the hell not Jane. Think of some job like "political analyst" and check with your accountant. Screw the IRS for every dime you can. It is your patriotic duty.

[Enlightened]

Well, Tim Robbins had some trouble voting today - his name wasn't on the roll, and so he blamed the poll worker for trying to intimidate him...you just can't make this stuff up.

It's over at TMZ.com

[acestothestat]

We need to build a bridge to the evolved humans.
Gates of chaos? Socialism isn't chaos.

New Deal; poverty wages and promises of education at Obama's University with his pals as professors.

Romana is just too vool.

[sylvia]

"President Ahmadinejad of Iran suffered a humiliating and politically damaging setback today when his interior minister, Ali Kordan, was impeached for dishonesty after he confessed to holding a bogus law degree from Oxford University."

Too bad that guy didn't call Bill Ayers first to help him out. Maybe so goes Obama later?? (LUN)

[Soylent Red]

Tim Robbins in distress is perhaps the best news of the day so far.

Good luck voting...meat.

[Porchlight]

Gotta tell you folks--consider LSU for your kids.

I definitely am, Verner. My husband grew up in Baton Rouge, and his young cousin is graduating from LSU next spring (pre-med). She is the sweetest, smartest young woman I know.

[Lesley]

Gorgeous day in Nebraska, fall color at its height. My twenty-one year-old son and I went together to the Presbyterian church down the street to cast our ballots. Bittersweet. I am very worried about what this election means for our nation.

To think that my father fought his way through the Pacific, to be one of the first Marines to land at Nagasaki, and that my grandfather volunteered to be an Army chaplain and prayed with men who fought and died from North Africa through Italy... I grieve for their sacrifice, I grieve for my country, and I grieve for my children and grandchildren.

Bu I'll continue to fight the good fight.

Hier stehe ich.

[DrJ]

... Ich kann nicht anders. usw.

[Jor]

TM -- there is a otn of money to be made on intrade -- do the conservative thing and invest in the market.

[hit and run]

Jonah Goldberg:

Criminey! [Jonah Goldberg ]
I went out for a brief lunch with missus and I come back to discover things are going south? What the...? From what I'm hearing, Florida's an uphill climb right now and New Hampshire's a lost cause. Trying to nail things down.
11/02 02:34 PM <http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ODdiNTNlOGIyNTg4NTMwOGFjMmNkODFjZjJiMGEyY2M=>

YIKES!!!!

That's 2004, folks.

What time is it now?

The onslaught is coming. From the media, from the pundits.

Gird your loins.

[centralcal]

Tim Robbins. Hhmmm maybe an omen. Definitely a bad omen - for Barry.

[centralcal]

jeez, Hit, you scared me for a sec.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

McCain is doing a ralley in Grand Junction, CO? Kinda late isn't it?

[Enlightened]

How dare someone forget to add Tim Robbins to his polling place rolls.....He's so upset he took it out on the poll worker and the cops ended up having to come.

Man would I dearly LOVE to see him spontaneously combust if Bambi loses today.

Well, I can't get to the polls until after work...

I brought some clean undies just in case the "Hopey-Ness Doctrines" require immediate "Changey-Ness Actions".....

I Hope I can keep Changing them in the future. I'd be kinda pissed if I have to start wearing the same panties Bambi does.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Speaking of Tim Robbins, Fox Strategy Room reporting that Obama does not want Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandan, P.Diddy, or Ben Affleck at his Chicago celebration tonight.

[Pofarmer]

Obama's giving a rally in Indianapolis too.

[Extraneus]

Just heard audio of one of the uniformed Black Panther thugs in Philly talking to a FNC reporter on Rush. Apparently the one with the nightstick was escorted away from the polling place by the police.

They're definitely trying to steal PA. How far have we fallen that our ruling class purposely avoids securing the vote?

[Pofarmer]

I'm sure glad that I'm not in Grant Park tonight if Obama loses.

[Verner]

Porch, my daughter has been very happy there--just as I was almost 30 years ago. I was at LSU when Reagan beat Carter.

[Geezer]

Will the Civilian Military Brigades be manned by a draft? just Tinkin.

[clarice]

Yes, at about this hour in 2000 and then in 2004 we learned that the winners were Gore and then kerry.

And how right those reports were.

[clarice]

I'm with Malestorm --I don't see Nutter or Rendell both of whom supported Hillary doing much to help Obama who doesn't seem a forgiving sort of guy.

[cathyf]

I'm sure glad that I'm not in Grant Park tonight if Obama loses.

Yeah, lucky me I've got to go to Chicago tonight. (I have to be at a conference tomorrow morning.) Fortunately I'm sticking to west of the loop (in one train station out the other) and my dad is coming down to meet me. Win or lose it's bound to get ugly -- things were pretty bad after the bulls won their championships, too.

[bgates]

there is a otn of money to be made on intrade
Wow. That's a olt of money. Unfortunately, intrade has the same rules on credit card funding as the O-Mob-a campaign: you have to demonstrate you're not supplying money from inside the United States.

(It's actually not intrade's rule, it's from the Port Security and Oh By the Way Let's Ban Internet Gambling Act of 2006, an attempt by Congress to save the little people from frittering away their money somewhere it couldn't be taxed so we could invest it in safer vehicles like bank stocks and home ownership.)

[clarice]

Be well, cathyf. AT's Rick Moran will be covering the events for PJM live at Grant Park. I find that very scary.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Voters in McCain-Friendly Lancaster, PA County Recieving Calls Dishonestly Stating Their Voting Places Have Been Moved

[Porchlight]

That's great to know, Verner. Boy that must have been fun, in 1980. :)

[Porchlight]

I'm sure glad that I'm not in Grant Park tonight if Obama loses.

Sad as it is to say, I don't know that it will be all that safe in Grant Park tonight even if he wins. Be careful cathyf and anyone else in Chicago tonight.

[jimrhoads aka vnjagvet]

Good old Martin Luther. What a stubborn old deutscher. He didn't care what the Church or civil authorities thought. Sola scriptura, faith not works, and the devil take the hindmost.

[hit and run]

Well Cathy, I think you should try and meet up with Dave Burge (iowahawk) and Tim Blair for the downtown festivities!

[sbw]

Hier stehe ich. Ich kann nicht anders.

Hey, finish Martin Luther's comment: "Gott helfe mir."

[Verner]

Clarice, can you blame Rendell?

Between Rashid Khalidi and the fact that BO is going to wreck the Pa Coal industry--why should he support him? If I were Rendell--I'd pull the lever for McCain when I got into the booth.

[jimrhoads aka vnjagvet]

Sara:

That won't deter the Pennsylvania Dutch. Trust me, they have been there since the early 1700s and they always vote.

That's where all of my forbears come from. That dog won't hunt there.

BTW, and FWIW, Major Garrett reported that Obama went to Indiana today because their internals show him behind by 5. In addition, they have a nationwide phone bank volunteer system set up and they are robocalling Missouri because they are behind there too.

[clarice]

Gee, if Major Garrwett has the nerve to report something unhelpful to The One he must have had wheaties this morning.

[Thomas Collins]

All I can say is if Zero and Johnny Mac are still out rallying while knowing it's over, they must really love campaigning. The more logical explanation is that they are being told by their pollsters that any one battleground state could still make the difference.

[Porchlight]

Major Garrett reported that Obama went to Indiana today because their internals show him behind by 5.

If that is true, I predict he will lose IN by double digits. Of course that wouldn't be a surprise anyway, since Bush won the state by 21 points in 2004.

[Verner]

Porch--LSU WAS Animal House in the late 70s early 80s.

And that's all that I can remember...

Though you could also get a great education if you wanted one. More than a few of my profs were top notch in their fields.

The Ivy League is very over-rated.

[Porchlight]

Is Ace down? Anyone else having trouble getting in?

[jimrhoads aka vnjagvet]

Yeah. Fox is surely hinting at a BHO victory. If they are doing that, you can imagine what CNN is doing.

Sounds like 2004 all over again.

The gossip is interesting to look at now, but will be infinitely more interesting in hindsight. We'll be able to see who had it right.

[Captain Hate]

Speaking of Tim Robbins, Fox Strategy Room reporting that Obama does not want Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandan, P.Diddy, or Ben Affleck at his Chicago celebration tonight.

Ya know, one of the slough of things that bugged me about Slick is that it seemed like a primary reason he wanted to be President was that it made him a celebrity and he could hang out with that ilk (not to mention power being a skank magnet). On the other hand you have insecure Barry that doesn't want to share the spotlight with anybody of star power, no matter how personally loathsome I might find them. What type of person tells individuals that aren't security concerns that he doesn't want them to attend an event that's open to the public?

[PD]

Gee, if Major Garrwett has the nerve to report something unhelpful to The One he must have had wheaties this morning.

I've had that sense about him lately, too.

On the other hand, I recall reading something by him on foxnews.com a few months back where he covered something - pretty objectively, I thought - that wasn't flattering to the O campaign. I think it was the flap over the campaign tossing reporters off the plane, for what looked like partisan reasons (kinda like the similar recent thing). This was a posting that allowed comments and the O-bots absolutely *savaged* him. It was completely unwarranted. Point being: He can depart the O party line.

[jimrhoads aka vnjagvet]

Yeah Thomas. Nixon liked to say "don't watch what we say, watch what we do".

That is good advice in the political sphere.

[Captain Hate]

Porchlight, I just got into Ace; it took a while and I imagine his server is having a rough day.

[Verner]

Cap, Barry has to keep pretending that he's a "Centrist." Now how would it look if the Hollywood vanguard showed up at his victory party? Best keep them in the closet for now.

[Sarah Joseph Ballard]

"Major Garrett reported that Obama went to Indiana today because their internals show him behind by 5."

But, but, but the average result of polls compiled taken professional pollsters show McCain with only a 1.4% lead. How could professionals be so far off?

[Porchlight]

Verner - funny, I have been really wanting to watch Animal House again lately. Maybe tomorrow night, if all goes well.

Thanks, Cap'n, re: Ace. I'll try again later.

[PD]

On the other hand you have insecure Barry that doesn't want to share the spotlight with anybody of star power...

One thing I appreciate about McCain (policy positions aside) is that as far as I can tell it does not bother him one iota that Sarah is the big star at the rallies. He knows the big crowds that come out are coming to see her, not him, and he just smiles winsomely when this is pointed out, and even joins in by emphasizing just how great she is. That's a man confident in himself.

[PD]

oops

[PD]

argh, how to get the ital off

now?

[clarice]

From a friend from Ariz on another board:

Went to vote at lunchtime. Two lines for two precincts. Both lines running a hundred yards out the door. Army town in mostly red rural county in southeast Arizona. Veteran poll worker I spoke to said lines had been well out the door since opening at 6am. Said it was by far the largest turnout she's seen since she started working this polling place in 1992.

[PD]

A small bit of justice: "Professor Resigns After Admitting Theft of McCain Yard Signs"

link

[Appalled]

Long lines in my "blue" neighborhood in Atlanta this morning when my wife voted. Short line at noon, when I went in to vote. Many of my neighbors took advantage of early voting.

[Bill in AZ]

McCain must have been taken by the BHO/MSM nonsense that AZ is in play. I got a call from both John and Rudy so far today. It will make my day when Sarah calls :)

[Extraneus]

Yeah, PD. I liked how he bragged about it on HuffPo using is real name.

[Pofarmer]

That's a man confident in himself.

That's a man with enough self awareness to know that most Republicans don't like him very much and he hit a homerun, and maybe a Grand Slam, with Gov. Sarah Palin.

[Captain Hate]

That's the first time I've ever heard of anything good resulting from the asylum called Huffpoo. We're in some strange times.

[Pofarmer]

Just for fun, I saved RCP's last national poll to compare to the actual results tonight. Could be pretty interesting.

[DrJ]

Hey, finish Martin Luther's comment!

I guess "usw" didn't count (usw == "und so weiter" -- and so on or and so forth).

[Jor]

538 has a post up saying if things go as expected in states that are close at 7 pm -- Obama is guaranteed a victory. That's 4 pm PST. Basically, if the polls aren't wrong in the early states, and McCain doesn't do better than expected in the early states, then hes basically finished using the polling data we have.

Few hours before you suggested to have the Champagne ready TM.

[Publius]

The best part of a Palin/McCain victory would be watching the bulldog while Obama did NOT give a concession speech because he does not have one in him.