William “Cold Cash” Jefferson can stop worrying about congressional business and concentrate on explaining his freezer contents. Republican Anh “Joseph” Cao will replace Jefferson, representing the Louisiana district that includes most of New Orleans.

Heard this just now on Hannity, checked Fox News and jumped over to the NYT.

WASHINGTON — Hillary Rodham Clinton has decided to give up her Senate seat and accept the position of secretary of state, making her the public face around the world for the administration of the man who beat her for the Democratic presidential nomination, two confidants said Friday.

Hmmmm…

More later.

I know, you’ve already seen this just about everywhere. Still, on the off chance that you missed it elsewhere, you need to see this video.

It’s just after 11pm Eastern and ABC has called the election for Barack Obama. I’m heading off to bed. I am sad for the country’s future.

In a few hours I’ll get up and do my best to help reclaim it.

Good night.

Florida’s polls open in just about 30 minutes. Elsewhere in the country they are already open, and early voting has already broken records. We know that TOM will be spinning for their Chosen One. We also know that exit polls are not reliable indicators of what actually went on in the voting booth.

Very close to 7am I will walk the length of a football field to my polling location. If you’re like me, the election won’t be the only task on your calendar today. But I hope it is the most important one. Let me make this clear:

• If it is raining where you live — Vote!
• If the lines are long and you have to wait — Vote!
• If you have to walk to your polling place, walk and –Vote!
• If you have a friend who hasn’t voted yet, call them and — Vote!
• If you’re fed up with the commercials, the mailers, and the calls — Vote!
• If you have to skip lunch — Vote!
• If you believe the polls are right — Vote!
• If you believe the polls are a pile of excrement — Vote!
• If you’ve never been registered to vote until this year — Vote!
• If you’ve voted in every election since Truman beat Dewey — Vote!
• If you are less than thrilled with the choices you have — Vote!
• If you are jazzed about the candidate your voting for — Vote!
• If your car is in the shop, call a friend, call a cab, call a local campaign office, then –Vote!
• If you think that your (spouse, neighbor, co-worker, friend) is going to just cancel out your vote — Vote!
• If you just got the 24-Season 6 box set and have planned a marathon viewing session, hit pause and — Vote!
• If you are fighting a bad hair day — Vote!
• If the latest assignment from your boss makes as much sense Barack Obama’s tax math — Vote!
• If your 401K won’t pay for your retirement party, let alone your retirement — Vote!
• If there’s a cougar standing between you and your polling place — Vote!
• If your WoW guild has a big raid planned — Vote!
• If you’ve never heard of WoW — Vote!
• If the dog just left you a present on your new carpet — Vote!
• If you’re a plumber — Vote!
• If you’re not a plumber — Vote!
• If you’ve ever heard of Liquid Plumber™ — Vote!
• If today is your birthday — Vote!
• If your birthday is sometime in the next 365 days — Vote!
• If the only thing you have to do today is contemplate how many angels can fit on the head of a pin — Vote!
• If today is your anniversary — Vote!
• If today is your wedding day, who gets married on a Tuesday? But — Vote!
• If you think your vote doesn’t count — Vote!
• If you want the right to bitch on Wednesday — Vote!
• If long, meaningless blog posts annoy you — Vote!

You probably get it by now. If you haven’t already voted there is nothing more important for you to do today. VOTE!

It’s a simple question. If you are asked to participate in an exit poll would you answer honestly, answer but lie, or decline to answer?

The actual poll is in the sidebar.

We’re in the bell lap in this marathon that has gone on way too long already. As an aside, I believe that one of the reasons we are choosing between the two candidates we have is due to the length of the campaign this election cycle. I think it is very likely that a shorter campaign could have given us two completely different presidential candidates.

But, we get to vote for what we have, not what we could have had.

I am part of the large majority of Americans who, in spite of all the hype and headlines, has not taken advantage of early voting. As I mentioned the other day, I like going to my local polling place on election day. There is something almost “ceremonial” about casting a ballot, and despite any real or perceived inconvenience it is something that I truly look forward to doing.

If the lines aren’t too long first thing tomorrow morning the process shouldn’t take very long at all. I am not one of the undecided voters and I won’t be making up my mind with the pencil in my hand.

President/Vice President — John McCain/Sarah Palin. I have laid out my reasons for supporting John McCain already. It is, to be honest, almost as much a vote against Barack Obama as it is for McCain. Almost. I am convinced that the policies of Barack “The One™” Hussein Obama would be detrimental to our country; Even those that could benefit me personally in the short term.

That alone would not be enough to convince me to vote for John McCain. While I am sure that I will not agree 100% with a President McCain, I will agree with him and his direction for our nation most of the time.

U.S. House (Fl-D12) — Adam Putnam. I have really grown to appreciate his psotions and his leadership. He was one of the leading voices in the house to take an “all of the above” approach to energy policy.

Here’s hoping for the best tomorrow. I’ll be doing my part. That’s all I have left that I can do.

While the quote, “A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.” is most likely fictitious, that doesn’t mean it’s false.

Case in point:

That is just sad.

Every working boy and girl
All around the working world
Gonna do the tax you rock
All around the tax you clock
Joe the Plumber asked The One™
“How much ‘fore I gotta run?”
‘O’ said, “Quarter Mil’s a lock,
‘Til I do the tax you rock”

Tax you lower now
Tax you lower now
How low can you go

First it was two-fifty K
That hardly lasted a day
Why don’t we just call it two,
But you know that we’re not through
Gonna drop the cap some more
‘Til it’s resting on the floor
All around the tax you clock
Hey, let’s do the tax you rock

la la la etc

Redistribution is our goal
Acquire power, sell our soul
Now it’s one fifty, so says Joe
A hundred twenty’s not too low
We will tax you til your sick
If we find a rate that sticks
Take what you have worked hard for
And just give it to the “poor”

Let’s move that tax you bar
Make you a tax you star
How low can you go

In 1980 I was a month away from turning 25 and Ronald Reagan was a week away from chasing Jimmy Carter from the White House.

In 2008 I am a month away from turning 53 and if you believe the polls and TOM we are a week away from returning Jimmy Carter II to the White House.

In both years The Phillies were the World Champions!

So, in 2036 I’ll be (hopefully) a month away from turning 81 and Bristol Palin-Johnston will be a week away from returning to the White House.

Will I have to wait this long for the Phillies to win the World Series again?

It’s good to have something to look forward to.

I have not participated in early voting. I like going to the polling place on election day and filling out my ballot. There is something special about voting that I enjoy, the idea that I contributed to the system that helps make our country the greatest on earth.

And while I’ve done my small part in trying to articulate why voting for McCain-Palin is the right thing to do, and that casting a vote for Obama-Bidden is a huge mistake, I realize that the only vote that I have complete control over is mine. What matters now isn’t the polls, isn’t the endless ads, and it isn’t the non-stop talking heads. What matters now is my vote.

Like everyone else, I get one vote; one opportunity to use my voice to say how I think our country should be governed. I don’t get an extra vote because I am such an influential member of the new media and all around good guy. My ballot isn’t counted less because I don’t have the money to pay the internet and electric bills. I get one long sheet of paper that gives me the right and the opportunity to have my choices count.

It’s a right I cherish.