Election 2008 - today we make history!

[Mike]

Non-partisan

With this election, we'll either have the oldest person elected or the first African-American elected.

Here is some past firsts.

• Washington was the only American president to be unanimously elected.

• George Washington was the only president who did not represent a political party.

• John Adams was the first president to reside in the White House, moving in November 1800 while the paint was still wet.

• When Adams and his family moved to Washington to live in the White House, they got lost in the woods north of the city for several hours.

• John Quincy Adams regularly swam nude in the Potomac River.

• Harrison delivered the longest inaugural address, and was the first president to die in office, about 32 days after elected. On March 4, he gave a 105 minute speech and did not wear an overcoat or hat. He developed pneumonia and died in the White House exactly one month after giving his speech, on April 4.

• Tyler was the president with the most children—he had 15.

• Polk was the first president to have his inauguration reported by telegraph.

• Franklin Pierce gave his 3,319-word inaugural address from memory, without the aid of notes.

• Buchanan was the only president that never married.

• Abraham Lincoln was the first president to wear a beard and the tallest president at 6’ 4".

• Ulysses S. Grant established Yellowstone as the nation's first national park on March 1, 1872.

• Grover Cleveland personally answered the White House phone.

• FDR was the first president whose mother was eligible to vote for him.

• Harry S. Truman was the first president to travel underwater in a submarine.

• Eisenhower was the only president to serve in both World War I & World War II.

• JFK was the youngest American elected president and the youngest to die in office.

• Johnson was the first American president to name an African American to his cabinet.

• Nixon was the first president to visit all 50 states and the first president to visit China.

• Gerald Ford became vice president and president without being elected to either office.

• Jimmy Carter was the first president born in a hospital.

• At age 69, Ronald Reagan became the oldest person ever elected U.S. president.

• Clinton was the first U.S. Democratic president to win reelection since Franklin D. Roosevelt.

• First son of a president to become president since John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams.

Stay tune for the next Presidential first! 2008!!

[MarcM]

Cool list, Mickey!

I voted.

[Shawna]

let's not forget the other piece of history that may be made today: if McCain is elected, he will bring with him the first (official) female VP.

[Uncle Joe]

Thanks a lot Shawna. I've been trying not to think about that possibility.

[Steel2Velvet]

Every Brazilian I have talked to today has been extremely curious about the U.S. election. The most common question seems to be, "Are these the best four leaders in America?" I just clear my throat and say, "Um ... you betcha!"

[edna]

All the shoud be should be more than curious about the US election...

[The Seeker]

I'm very curious but of course all the interesting things are going to happen in the middle of the night here

[cyberjudge]

• First son of a president to become president since John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams.

Stay tune for the next Presidential first! 2008!!

I note you didn't list "W" by name. Was this just an omission on your part?

And you didn't list anything for W's dad, the 1st George Bush, so here's two: the first sitting VP to be elected President since 1836 (Martin Van Buren); not to mention the first President to have the election results finalized by a decision in the US Supreme Court.

[Farin]

they're doing 6-9 hours (depends on channel) live broadcasts during the night on most major channels here...

[Lea]

I hate to say it but in all my years of voting, the outcome of this election has me very worried.

[Lucky]

I'm curious, after all the problems in the recent past, how early they'll be calling the races. I hate it when they do that.

EDIT: Oh Good Lord. It's 4:30pm in California, and Fox has already projected WV for McCain. I'm sorry, that just isn't right (the projections, not the McCain). I feel that can influence the voting in the west.

Edited November 5, 2008 by Guest

[J Hill]

Every Brazilian I have talked to today has been extremely curious about the U.S. election. The most common question seems to be, "Are these the best four leaders in America?" I just clear my throat and say, "Um ... you betcha!"

I guess it depends on how you define leader, lot's of different ideas about that and there are lot's of different sorts of leaders. And a leader, after all, is kind of a collective fashion choice for societies. The first impression we want to make. An idealized figurehead to represent the better-selves we wish we could be.

It's always good to try and see yourself as others see you, so it's interesting to hear how the U.S. Presidency is percieved so strongly abroad. Forgotten, maybe sometimes is that the U.S. President (and Vice President for that matter) is really something of a tool for a much larger party machine. And that the U.S. President does not have the individual powers held by leaders in some other parts of the world. But I'm sure much of the world is tired of the same old presidential clothes we've been wearing for 8 years now, so are we.

So here's to a brand new look! And to whatever it may say to the world about us. Just remember, America is still America, whoever the President may be. And if the suit don't fit, we'll get a new one in four years. Because often the new boss is a lot like the old boss and you must always be most careful with your wishing, but go ahead and wish anyway.

[The Seeker]

I dunno if ABC news are being weird or if I'm just not getting this, but they just coloured SC red and predicted McCain as the winner even though Obama's leading by 15 points so far...

edit: ah, never mind. They're smarter than me.

Edited November 5, 2008 by Guest

[TheLizard]

I spent the last few days doing some serious volunteering for the Obama campaign. We may not take Indiana, but South Bend, my area, is blue. I feel like I've done my part, and it's worked, now it's up to the rest of America. I'll be staying up all night if it takes that long to call, I feel like I'm a part of this election. Things seem positive for Senator Obama, and I couldn't be more excited about what that means for my country.

And Mickey, we've had some serious head butting over the course of this campaign, but it's all over after tonight, and I'd like to put that all behind us.

[Batman]

I think it's important for everyone to vote for president, but I'm kind of bothered by how people are saying everyone should vote on the state ballot measures. A lot of people don't take the time to really think about the measures, and end up voting for whatever one has more commercials on TV or whatever one has more positive catchphrases and buzz-words associated with it. For instance, last year there was a ballot measure in Oregon that if passed would increase taxes on cigarettes and put that money towards children's health care. So from an outsider's perspective, this one seems like a no-brainer, and one would expect that since tobacco companies are so despised in America, nearly everyone would support an initiative that lowered their profits slightly and increased children's health care. But the tobacco companies launched a huge campaign that basically convinced all of Oregon that it was a terrible idea, because it "amended the Oregon consistution." I heard SO MANY people (smokers and non-smokers alike) who would say "yeah, I'm voting no on 50 (or whatever it was, can't remember anymore). I don't believe in bills that amend the state constitution," and I would ask them if they looked at the rest of the measures on the ballot, most of which amended the Oregon constitution. What's so sacred about the Oregon constitution anyways? Even the US constitution has amendments. It was really quite ridiculous. And in the end, the vote was something like 80% no, and the cigarette company CEO's all bought another boat and the sick children all died I guess.

In conclusion, don't vote on a ballot measure without at least reading the voters pamphlet.

[Shawna]

I feel like I'm a part of this election.

you most definitely are.

[Lucky]

Tim, I couldn't possibly respect you any more than I do right now.

You know, I have voted in every presidential election since I turned 18. I've never felt as invested in any election prior to this as I feel tonight. This one may be (is?) the single most important election of my lifetime, no matter which way the results go.

[cyberjudge]

I dunno if ABC news are being weird or if I'm just not getting this, but they just coloured SC red and predicted McCain as the winner even though Obama's leading by 15 points so far...

edit: ah, never mind. They're smarter than me.

There is a method to their madness. They look at the results in particular districts as a barometer for the whole state. For example if Obama's support in South Carolina is in Charleston, and he would need to carry 75% of Charleston to balance McCain's support in rural areas, and if Obama only has 60% support in Charleston, Obama can easily be ahead in early returns, but expected to lose the state.

[Crazy Don]

and Fox has already projected WV for McCain.

That is just so wrong!

[Levis]

He WON!!!

[Levis]

He won he won he won he won he won! :happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana:

[J Hill]

It's almost a new day in America.

Great concession speech by Sen. McCain, best talk of his whole campaign.

He seemed relieved.

[Batman]

GOBAMA!

[_Laurie_]

[Lea]