I have to admit to being riveted by the US elections. It is a real cliffhanger.
At the time of this post, Bush has 246 electoral votes to Kerry’s 206. Either candidate needs 270 for victory.
The media are saying that Ohio shapes as a crucial state. As I write this post, the picture in Ohio is as follows:
9553 of 11477 precincts – 83 percent
Bush 2,359,046 – 51 percent
Kerry 2,221,578 – 48 percent
Bush 2,359,046 – 51 percent
Kerry 2,221,578 – 48 percent
7:40AM: The folks at The Command Post think that Bush may just get in.
7:45AM: Fox are projecting that Bush has won Ohio, and is only 4 electoral votes from victory. He is on track to win Alaska (3 votes), and New Mexico (5 votes). Methinks a Bush victory – but it could still go either way. I think it will come down to Ohio, where it is still too close to call, despite Fox’s projection.
8:00AM: Fox project that Bush is 1 vote from victory! Which means he may win if he gets New Mexico, where the current situation is:
1248 of 1566 precincts – 80 percent
Bush 230,151 – 52 percent
Kerry 210,837 – 47 percent
Bush 230,151 – 52 percent
Kerry 210,837 – 47 percent
8:30AM: It seems that it will all hinge on Ohio (much like Florida in 2000). Current situation there is:
10436 of 11477 precincts – 91 percent
Bush 2,548,508 – 51 percent
Kerry 2,441,599 – 49 percent
Kerry 2,441,599 – 49 percent
9:00AM: Officials here in Israel “watched the results closely, with most withholding reactions until definitive results were forthcoming.”
9:20AM: Bush still up in Ohio:
11050 of 11477 precincts – 96 percent
Bush 2,693,963 – 51 percent
Kerry 2,567,618 – 49 percent
Bush 2,693,963 – 51 percent
Kerry 2,567,618 – 49 percent
But here’s perhaps a sign of things to come:
Campaign attorneys are poised for challenges to the provisional ballots. Kerry spokeswoman Jen Palmieri earlier told Fox News the campaign had 3,200 lawyers and paralegals on standby in Ohio.
9:30AM: Alan of The Command Post writes:
The Ohio Secy. of State is on CNN TV saying that NO provisional ballots can be counted in Ohio until the ELEVENTH day after the election, according to Ohio’s process, as they allow 10 days for military ballots to come in from overseas. There could be anywhere from under 200,000 to 250,000 such ballots.One way or the other, there won’t be a certified count in Ohio for 11 days, should this election be in doubt
With 97% precincts reported, Bush is up by approximately 125,000 votes in Ohio.
9:45AM: Look who else is following proceedings:
Arafat felt well enough to follow the U.S. election, according to Rashid.“Of course President Arafat does, because it has a huge impact on everybody,” Rashid said. “There is no politician in the world who is not watching this election.”
10:00AM: Bush’s lead has extended to approximately 137,000.
10:10AM: Make that approximately 139,000.
10:30AM: Bushs’s lead in Ohio increases slightly – to approximately 144,000.
10:50AM: Israel radio reports that the Tel Aviv stock exchange opened with positive trade after news of a possible Bush victory.
11:00AM: Bushs’s lead in Ohio increases to approx 147,000.
11:25AM: Bush is reportedly going to declare victory, while Kerry won’t concede.
11:45AM: Maariv reports that approximately 40,000 US citizens in Israel took part in elections. I wonder how many of them are from Ohio.
