1.It was the parallel universe of Newt Gingrich, and of Michael Barone and John Hinderaker and George Will, that struck a nonethereal object and crumbled. The world according to Nate Silver and The New York Times turns out to be the real one: fifty-for-fifty, assuming Florida falls into Obama's column.
2. Regarding the marriage amendment here in Minnesota: when it comes to making you feel fine, it's hard to top the sensation of great waves of Schadenfreude rolling through your nervous system. Republicans put same-sex marriage on the ballot to get their people to the polls. Democrats came out, voted it down, and, while they were at it, turned the Republicans out of the legislature for good measure. Almost a fairy tale.
3. On the other proposed amendment, which would have required photo ID at the polls, Governor Dayton and the (former) DFL minority in the legislature deserve buckets of praise. Republicans passed it when it polled well, but despite the bill's popularity not a single DFLer supported it, and Dayton issued a veto. Republicans then put it on the statewide ballot as a constitutional amendment, where it would be safe from the veto pen. Dayton (and others, such as former Republican governor Arne Carlson) argued tirelessly against it, support waned, and yesterday the voters rejected it by a substantial margin. Wouldn't it be pleasant if life were always like that?
4. It was a good night for Democrats and pot smokers, both recreational and medicinal. I fully realize that this formulation sets up a joke concerning the degree to which these demographic groups overlap. Don't look at me! I only drink.
5. I spent most of the night clicking between CNN and MSNBC and thus missed the theater of the absurd on Fox News when the numbers crunchers called Ohio, and the election, for Obama, thereby causing Karl Rove, the on-air commentator, to flip out. "No, no, no, there are still a lot of Republican votes in Hamilton County!" So the blonde anchor takes a long walk down some winding corridors to discuss the matter with the guys who have a grip. Calm down, Karl. Everyone knows your math is not The Math and, anyway, your guy is also losing Virginia, Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa. It's over. Face the front.
6. According to Steve Schmidt, the on-air Republican at MSNBC, Romney was headed for 60 percent of the white vote, which has not been achieved since George H. W. Bush did it in 1988. Back then, that was good for more than 400 electoral votes; last night, it didn't get Romney within hailing distance of 270. The country is turning brown and the R's reaction is to double down on old white guys. "Show me your ID!" "Self-deport!" It's as if their desire to win elections is overwhelmed by an innate nastiness that the lizard mind cannot suppress.
