Ha! That just has to be a joke. Surely no one believes an mp3 and a cup of coffee would entertain a person for 12 hours.

Don't worry - this isn't so much kidding as it is just stupid idle talk from jackasses. When Republicans decide to steal an election they just turn up the negative ads until the polls are close, then rig the voting machines. They don't stoop to this kind of crap.

I am less freaked out by this election than others. I really really really want Obama to win. I am not at all passionate about making McCain lose. I disagree with him about the war but either candidate will inherit a largely set course on that so I consider the downside potential to be pretty limited (as is the upside) on that issue.

I keep reminding myself to compare McCain to Bush, and then I feel largely better about the outside possibility of a McCain presidency. I know McCain's voting record has been lockstep in recent years but what kills me about Bush is not his legislative record but his wanton war-starting and abuse of the balance of powers. I have a tolerable level of confidence that McCain would not run around actively setting fire to things as Bush has. I could be wrong, but there is a bipartisan compartment of my heart that is still open to having a decent president from the other side of the aisle and in my lifetime, anyway, McCain comes closest to promising that.

Naturally, I would really like to see the Obamas in the White House, especially since the Democrats will control Congress. Split control is, in a way, the worst of all arrangements. And when faced with the transformative promise of an Obama presidency, McCain's relative tolerability seems beside the point.

casarkos: I am also freaked out by this election too. To the point where I am seriously considering quitting my job to campaign.

Dude. If someone gave me free gift cards I'd happily use them. And then I'd go to the polling booths.

So I say, bring on the coffee and the music.

I'd be happy to see this, if only so I could be bribed with an iTunes card and still vote on campus. Woohoo! I love living in Iowa.

I kind of get freak out by the election too sometimes, then I remember that it is like watching a really high-stakes version of Survivor and I calm down.

I get PBS from Vermont so I've watched some of the conventions, something I've never done in the past. Sometimes I have felt like you guys must be on your own planet, it's so different from here. It's entertaining, though... when it's not outright scary.

Right now I have the Republican convention on TV. Thus far I've seen two men of colour and two women speak -- they do this demographics-polka on purpose, right? Surely people of colour and women aren't this party's strongest constituency?

They are chanting "DRILL BABY DRILL" en masse right now. These people are giving me the willies.

From Mitt Romney:

"We need change alright: change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington!"

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat

Only a liberal would spend the way Bush spent, and now a liberal will spend like a liberal spends to undo everything on which Bush spent so much to achieve so little.

Just to let y'all know, despite Mike Huckabee's statements, my government has never told me what doctor to see, what school to go to, or what kind of car to drive. (?) Lest you all shake in terror of those scary socialist "European ideas" he's warning about.

What the fuck? No way am I using iTunes. I also hate Starbucks with a passion.

McCain just lost my vote.

I got freaked out about the last two elections. After 04 I was so demoralized that I can't muster up the energy to be freak out by another one.

IMO, America is choosing between one of the greatest possible presidents in history, and someone who at least isn't Bush. If the former happens, I'll be overjoyed, and if the latter happens, at least it's not Bush. And Obama will still have another chance or two.

"one of the greatest possible presidents in history" -- Nah, I doubt McCain would be that good.

iTunes/Starbucks '08!

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat

Back in the Reagan years, or perhaps earlier, Republicans got into the habit of "running against Washington", i.e. the Congress, which used to be some 60% Democratic. (This was because conservative Southern Democrats stayed in the party. Reagan's people like Lee Atwater made it a project to convert them all to Republicans, and largely succeeded.) Even when Congress had houses run by the G.O.P. the tactic continued to work. At this point, they're just unable to stop doing something (because it does motivate voters -- who may not actually know which party runs either house).

So, yes, even when the Republicans run Washington, they can "run against Washington". Neat trick that.

Yeah pretty much having an opposition party that doesn't always agree with them is what they call "broken washington politics."

I have to say Palin does benefit from being the only one of the four who's not a Senator. The Senate is one big douchebag.

Substitute black people for young people and you've got a 30 Rock subplot!

I find the Republican speeches frankly insane, and have to keep reminding myself that this isn't satire, it's for realz.