The deal with ohio is that there are somewhere around 200K provisional ballots, and if the numbers stay like they are, or obviously if they get close, the provisionals will have to be reviewed and then, if allowed, counted. Bush is behind in the other states that would give him an alternate path to victory, so it may come down to Ohio, and only Ohio, deciding the election.

He didn't seem too upset. He basically said that he agreed the Dems needed a good ass whooping to rethink things.

That being said, looking at the numbers in Ohio, I don't see how Kerry makes up anything, there are a few counties with not too many precints reporting where Bus his waxing him.

The popular vote is real close but early returns in California show it is alot closer than many expected. I think Bush will take the popular vote.

Bush has to take Ohio AND New Mexico (both currently leaning his way) to win.

Exactly, I couldn't remember how many provisionals they said were handed out or if they were included in current totals or not...

I'm a Bush suppoprter, but my worst case scenario is, no matter who wins, a long drawn out court battle. No matter who wins, I hope the other bows out and says the best man won - for the country's sake.

Bush should take Nevada. I do no think he will lose there.I aslo think he will take New Mexico. However, it looks like Ohio will decide the election. Last count I heard there was 800,000 uncounted for in Ohio with Bush holding +180,000.

*cackles* you put the words "best man" and "wins" in the same sentence......



*CACKLES*


Sorry, but the very idea that either of these two nether-regions of a diseased yak is the best man for anything is hilarious.


I apologize for this interruption of our national corruption, we now return you to your regular 4 year frustration....

well currently bush is down in nevada and up in new mexico.

there's also the provisional ballots in ohio too...

Fox news just called Ohio for Bush!

If Ohio's number stay similar to they are now through the night and Bush's percent hold true through all the precincts, even with 200K provisional ballots Kerry would need around 130-150K of those, or over 65% to have a chance. There are still precincts open where Bush has a good lead, that overall almost cancel any gains Kerry will make through the night.

Kerry gets Oregon.

CNN has it 246-195 for Bush. 97 votes left.

EVERYTHING is relative, Render. :D

He is down by 5,000 in Nevada, the slimest of margins. If Fox News is right, this thing is all but over.

would you expect anything different? if it gets called by anyone else than maybe.

No, he doesn't. He takes Ohio and Alaska, he gets to 269. That's a tie, that's decided by the House. The Republicans hold the house.

Fox News just called Ohio.

Provisional ballots and court cases aside, this election is now over.

again, when someone else calls ohio then it's over.

I have a feeling the Dems will not let Ohio go so easily.

Funny, because Fox News has actually been pretty cautious is calling states until the last hour or so. Now they've decided to scoop everyone and essentially give Bush the election.

I can't believe that Fox was the first to call Ohio because they were the last to call Florida. CBS has been the network that has called everything early and I doubt they'd call Ohio anytime tonight since Rather is an obviously anti-Bush.

Yeah, FoxNews was the only station that was sticking to the agreement of letting the AP call the states until now. Because this is the big one. If it's true and the lawyers in fact have run out of free cigarettes to give to returning voters in Cleveland....then Bush has basically won!

My guess is Kerry gains 15-20K in Ohio by the time the normal counting is done tonight.

dola

Ksyrup beat me to it.

MSNBC is saying both parties are saying it's going to be razor thin close

They won't, but even if they have 200,000 provisional ballots undecided, they'd have to assume Kerry would take 135,000+ of those. Possible, sure, but it's not likely.

It looks like Bush is going to get Ohio, New Mexico and Alaska.

Still haven't got 100% of Ohio in, but it's looking like it's going to be difficult to get this.

Alaska is Bush's no problem.


Remember that the provisionals are from where all the lines are, in the heavy dem areas (cleveland) as far as I know. He's pulling near 2/3 in the county...

90% of Cuyahoga in, Bush still up by 100K

Over says Brokaw

CNN roundtable pretty much giving it to Bush at this point...

NBC just gave Ohio. It's OVA!!!

so say it stays at 100k (even tho it has been going down)

with 200k he only needs 50.000001% of the provisionals to take the state.



Ohio has been given to Bush by MSNBC so it's time to go to sleep but with the numbers continually dropping who knows...

Done and done

CNN calls AK for Bush.

Bush gets Alaska... Kerry needs a sweep. And that split vote in Maine or something. Come on Bush/Edwards ticket.

FOX NEWS:

BUSH 269
KERRY 211

God is Great God Is Great.

Dola: Bush Edwards ? Dear God what would the campaign slogan be.

Somewhere Hillary Clinton is smiling.

We have 20 year old daughters?

Congrats to Bush. He's not the guy I backed, but I offer him the same prayer I would offer Kerry.

"After a time of great division, may you have the wisdom and greatness of spirit to bring our nation together and to preside honestly, ably, and to the best of your ability."

Here is the problem Chubby. . .

There might be 200k provisional ballots, but that doesn't mean they all get counted. They have to all be looked at and looked over. What's more, is the margain is about 120,000 with 89% in. If that doesn't close, that means Kerry needs 60+% of them to get the win.

It's bleak. No other way to look at it.

Now Let's get on to healing a nation divided.

No chance. In addition to Bush winning, the Reps have taken a number of Senate seats and would have control over both the House (who would pick President) and Senate (who would pick VP). If it's a tie, it's still over.

Bush has now taken the lead in Iowa, with 89% of the precincts reporting...

That worked so well 4 years ago...

SI

It's a darn shame. We could have started healing a divided world as well.

Does this mean George won't be baseball Commish?

*chuckles*:rolleyes:

France, Germany, and Russia just breathed a sigh of relief. ("Whew, looks like we don't have to get off our asses after all!")

Trust me, they are very content with the result. They get to keep bashing America and they get to leave America to do the dirty work of fighting the bad guys by ourselves.

Boy if New Mexico stays as it is right now and Bush wins it. Gov. Richardson should get a pie in the face. He came on Fox earlier and all but guaranteed that NM would go to Kerry. Oops.

We're fighting Bin Laden? Thats right, we quit that for a war people could see.

Its funny, but if Bush stayed on task, there would have been no doubt that he cruises this election. Whever told him Iraq was a good idea deserves to be fired.

I know what you are saying, but if we spent 3 years searching the mountains of Afghanistan for Bin Laden (who could very well be in Bangladesh for all we know) and we let Saddam Hussein keep the status quo, I can promise you Kerry would have had an argument for that too.

I'm sure you can agree that Kerry has to be disagreeable with any choice Bush made.

It's deja vu all over again...Kery campaign disputes Ohio call.

Now, I just saw the Ohio Elections Supervisor say that his best estimate is that there are 150K provisionals. Combined with what's left of the regular votes, I'm fine with waiting until 100% report, but I don't see Kerry coming up with what they need to overcome the lead.