Mark Your Oval

National Politics, State Politics28 Comments

Have you checked out those circuitous lines among the 30 or so states offering early voting? Folks waiting hours to vote, reading newspapers, shouldering portable phones, punching Blackberries. Has me wondering about what the lines would be like Election Day had those states not permitted advanced ballots.

Also has me wondering what the lines will be like at the close of polling at 8 p.m. in the state’s largest city. If you’re in line at 8 they cannot tell you to come back another day. Thousands of voters will be filling in ovals on paper ballots for the first time. Hey, will they have enough ballots to go around for the 40,000-plus city voters expected to cast a ballot?

I’m selfish. I want polls to close right at 8 with no issues, numbers coming in quickly so I can bring you results for Shays-Himes and Russo-Musto. And then my option is to find a victory party. I’d rather hang out with the winners. Of course that may not happen because I’m not leaving my desk until we have a pretty good idea.

So, listen up OIB correspondents. If you’re covering a voting precinct for results give me a call, 203-938-2229, or post the numbers for your old pal.

If you missed the weekend commentary, we’re having a little contest here. The poster that comes closest to the percentage total for Barack-McCain in Bridgeport and Shays-Himes and Russo-Musto overall gets dinner with Mo and me. I’ll also throw in a copy of my new book, due out later this month, Bow Tie Banker, a biography of David Carson, retired chief executive of People’s Bank that chronicles how Carson saved the state’s largest bank from closing during the economic tsunami that hit New England in 1991. (How’s that for a shameless self-promotion of my book?) Contest is open right up to the polls close Tuesday night. And if you want to amend your number because you’re aware of some last-minute shenanigans, impropriety or new polling data, go right ahead. At OIB we keep our contests loosey-goosey.

I called the Liberty Rock the other day and was advised no rooms were left Election Day because Yahooy and Anna had reserved all of them. They’re apparently having their own victory party when returns come in. Hide the whisky bottles.

The OIB sucker-shot rule is now in gear, which is why you’ll not read some of the ridiculous press releases I’ve received the last few days. But that should not prevent you from posting off-the-wall stuff for, or against, candidates.

For last-minute polling updates nationally and in battleground states check out www.rasmussenreports.com.

One day left until November Neurosis. Bring it on, baby!

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28 comments

  1. VOTER APATHY will not be an issue this year. Prepare for a surge of Democracy to appear at a polling place near you and keep your eyeballs glued to OIB to read the results (wink & a grin)…

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  2. #1

    The reason the Liberty Rock has no rooms available on election day is because they are in the process of delousing all of their accommodations. Apparently, Anna had a family reunion there over the weekend. It will take five days to rid the Liberty Rock of the remnants of that festive occasion.

    #2

    I just hope the geniuses that run our polling places have prepared for the expected response on this election day.

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  3. Quick predictions:

    In Bpt.
    Obama wins – 75% – 25%
    Himes wins – 70% – 30%
    Russo wins – 52% – 48%

    Overall –

    Obama landslide (350+ electoral votes)
    Himes 53% – Shays 47%

    As for MCAT, I have no idea but I really hope she wins and I think she might.

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  4. Thanks John! I think I need an IV filled with mocha latte. I spent yesterday and this morning at various places shaking hands. The feeling I get is most people know whom they want, locally and nationally. This late in the game, I think more harm than good comes from phone calls, especially robo calls. People now are less tolerant when a barrier with a pamphlet comes between them and their coffee and groceries. But what I have heard over and over is “Thanks, I already voted,” (even better, I voted for you) and don’t you worry, I will absolutely be at the polls. I am not politically posturing when I say most unaffiliated voters in my area are so disgusted with the way things are, they are either going straight D or voting all incumbents out. I am not saying that is good or bad, what I am saying is it took a national crisis to get this many people interested and involved in the election process. This should not be the exception but the rule. I have tried to be very clear on what I stand for and have not once told anybody anything that I didn’t truly believe in.

    What I found on that front is that only a handful of people are one-issue voters. Some people gave me a pass on an issue where we had disagreements, but agreed with me on Property taxes, the economy, and education. People who pay lip service to common ground and consensus building eventually pay for it when their true intentions are shown. If you lose the people’s trust, or if you try to fool them with misleading facts or outright lies, you not only lose them in that election, but from then on.

    Win or lose this has been the experience of a lifetime. I will always remember the sweet lady I spoke with who said to me at the end of our conversation, “Hang on let me call my husband. Did I tell you my problem?” I said no, she replied, “I have Alzheimer’s and you’re such a nice person I hope I remember to vote for you. It was really a sweet, poignant and humorous moment. Poverty, foreclosure, job loss, people with no health care are everywhere and we all have to fight together to address these issues. It all comes down to the economy and that issue will take everyone working together.

    If I lose, I will still wake up to live to fight another day. I will still be there for the people who turned to me for help and I think that’s what really matters. OK last shameless plug, www .mountforstaterep.com. Thanks to Lennie and all the OIB posters that have been so supportive. Remember Vote like your life depended on it.

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  6. ok … dinner with Lennie and Mo.

    In Bpt:
    Obama wins – 68% – 32%

    Over all:

    Shays wins – 54% – 46%
    Russo wins – 56% – 44%

    Plus Grogins in a landslide.

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  8. Pat Crossin you are an idiot and you are not from Bridgeport. Do you really think Obama will get 68% of the vote in Bridgeport? You are nuts he might poll well over 80% but not in the 60s, no way. Jim Himes will carry the city by well over 70%. Yes we can; vote vote vote record turnout expected.

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  9. Quick predictions:

    In Bridgeport:
    Obama wins – 80% – 20%
    Himes wins – 70% – 30%

    Overall –

    Obama landslide (350+ electoral votes)
    Himes 52% – Shays 48%

    State House of Representatives:

    124th District: Bridgeport East End
    Charles “Don” Clemons Jr. Landslide Winner

    126th District: Bridgeport North End
    Christopher L. Caruso Landslide Winner

    128th District: Bridgeport North End, East Side
    Andres Ayala Jr. Landslide Winner

    130th District: South End
    Ezequiel Santiago Landslide Winner

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  12. “Bow Tie Banker, a biography of David Carson, retired chief executive of People’s Bank that chronicles how Carson saved the state’s largest bank from closing during the economic tsunami that hit New England in 1991. (How’s that for a shameless self-promotion of my book?)”

    Lennie, I’d bet that you left out the part in which People’s sold their real estate portfolio and why. Did you also forget the role People’s and ACORN played in the subprime mess? Like in “Chased” you only covered one person’s view and failed to interview all others involved. Shameless? If you say so!

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  13. *** My personal picks & hopes of winning, though an uphill battle to say the least in “some” cases. #1. Obama/Biden #2. Shays #3. Johnson #4. Mojica #5. S.Ayala. Questions #1. yes #2. yes, that’s it hopefully in my Dist. Over all, I hope voters have done some type of soul-searching & homework so to speak on the issues & candidates, and not just voting for a particular party. As for the #2 questions, if the laws & bills have been useful & the outcomes positive for the state & its people, then I see no problem in the legislators keeping them. However, if there are items that turned out to be negative & not worth keeping on the books, then they should be either tweeked for improvements or voted out! Finally, the second question is easy, 17 yrs. old going on 18 before or on election day should be able to vote! So remember your vote counts! ***

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  16. These are the mock elections at the schools today.

    School               Obama  McCain
                     Votes   Votes
Winthrop              497      55
Waltersville          264      43
Tisdale               354      27
Skane                 110      55
Roosevelt             280      44
Read                  478      44
Park City Magnet      403      58
Multicultural         350      50
Marin                 528      57
Madison               206      33
Johnson               456      68
Hooker                325      40
High Horizons         350      76
Harding H.S.         1039     123
Hallen                294      16
Hall                  216      28
Edison                224      22
Dunbar                 16       5
Curiale               305      34
Cross                 320      13
Columbus              429      77
Central H.S.          856     207
Bryant                341      46
Blackham              839      69
Black Rock            141      22
Beardsley             144      21
Batalla               681     129
Bassick H.S.          310      27
Barnum                 24       2
Aquaculture	      289      77
Alternative Programs   51      27
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  19. Mojo, I would like to thank you for your continued support throughout this election. Understanding what I am up against, I know that it is not easy to pull for the underdog. To the entire OIB cast, I would like to say thank you for allowing me into your lives, even for such a short period of time. This is by no stretch a concession speech, but it is just this; a thank you. Regardless of how the election turns out, please know that I only want what’s best for Bridgeport. And regardless of who wins, I hope Bridgeport stands to gain from the efforts of that person, along with the rest of the delegation. I have no predictions for tomorrow; only hopes.
    OBAMA
    SHAYS
    RUSSO
    JOHNSON
    (For those of you who didn’t know) your ballot can actually look like that, despite what you’ve been told.
    We’ll just have to see. Until then, may God bless you all, those you love, and even those you don’t.

    Milton Johnson

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  23. www .myspace.com/bptforobama08

    We are getting out the vote for Obama and Himes and Musto with the young people of the city. Being a young person myself I am happy to see the support and everybody is voting. There are over 1400 young people on this page and we made sure everybody 18 and up is registered and we are telling them to vote and everybody is voting from this group take a look for yourself turnout could be 50k in Bridgeport.

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  24. Over all, I hope voters have done some type of soul-searching & homework so to speak on the issues & candidates, and not just voting for a particular party.

    Republicans staked their future on opposing civil rights. Whether Goldwater in ’64, Reagan at the Neshoba County Fair, or McCain selling out on the Confederate flag in SC, the core of their appeal is that they resent the same kinds of people as the great majority happen to resent.

    Milton, you probably don’t have any intention of adopting all that baggage–you just want to be a civil servant and ran under the most convenient party banner.

    But Mojo, that’s why people vote a Democratic party line–because Republicans have been against civil rights for over 40 years, and aren’t showing any signs of slowing down now.

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  25. Election Predictions for 11/4/08:

    Bridgeport — Total vote= 48,000; 73% Voter Turnout

    Obama — 85%

    McCain — 15%

    Shays — 23%

    Himes — 77%

    Russo — 53%

    Musto — 47%

    Johnson — 30%

    Gomes — 70%

    Fourth District — Total Vote=353,000; 92% Voter Turnout

    Obama — 51%

    McCain — 49%

    Shays — 50.7%

    Himes — 49.3%

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