Obama - 420
McCain - 118
Obama's superior advantage in organization absolutely decimates McCain in states that Bush won by comfortable margins in 2004. Blacks turn out in droves. Young people also turn out like never before (in N.C., Obama is crushing McCain in terms of support for young people. And these kids are actually going to the polls. They are enthused about Obama and they are voting.) I was in line last week. Everyone was sporting Obama signs. I think there was one McCain voter in there, but he was an old white guy who was probably racist. There was so much enthusiasm on the Dem side and so much depression on the Republican side. A lot of people are not going to vote because they feel like McCain has no chance. They just don't want to bother.
South Carolina goes Democrat in the biggest upset of the night. It becomes apparent that it will be a long night for Republicans when Indiana and Kentucky are both "too close to call" (Indiana goes Obama by 4%, Kentucky stays Republican). Obama has huge coattails, Democrats get a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and a gain of almost 30 seats in Congress. States like Colorado, Virginia, are blowouts. McCain is embarrassed in his home state, which narrowly goes Obama.
The reason for this historic landslide? A hunger for change, and a belief that Obama is the agent of change. The "socialist" attacks won't stick (most Americans want socialism now anyway).
Most of the blame for the election, however, will go to Sarah Palin, for depressing Republican turnout and sending independents firmly to the Obama camp. It will be said that McCain might have won. Sarah Palin goes down as one of the most disastrous VP picks in history, on par with Thomas Eagleton (probably worse because McGovern never had a chance anyway, and Eagleton wasn't actually psycho).
Earliest time the Republicans gain back Congress is the 2020s. The Presidency, maybe never. The party is quickly collapsing between the libertarians and the fundies. Should the party survive, then a 2032 victory is possible, but still unlikely.
The Bradley effect, meanwhile, will be ridiculed for years to come, and will never be cited by a non-partisan pollster ever again.
Oh yeah, and Pennsylvania? Not even close. Called right as polls close, perhaps even sooner. The margin might be as large as the Casey-Santorum margin. Keystone Phil and especially J.J. get pwned (again). They leave the forum in humiliation.
Meh...close enough for a sarcastic post.
