Political Ponderings - In Real Time!

I'm taking up my old "study" habit of blogging my thoughts in "real time." I'm not sure why I love "quotation marks" so much, but whatever. Ya'll get to deal with it.

7:45 - 15 minutes until exit polls and the early voting tally is released, meaning 15 minutes until I have to start entering the information into the giant spreadsheet. I'm currently sitting in The Candidates room of the state GOP victory party, being bathed in a sea of awkward and orange. The more I listen to the conversations around me, the more I realize I can never, I repeat, NEVER be a Republican in a state like this. It pains me to hear some of the - forgive the judgmental and insensitive terms - stupid, ignorant, and close-minded things that are being said. I understand that the people who are drawn to volunteering on campaigns are those that tend to be extreme, just like those that are drawn to vote in the primaries are the same way (hence the seeming bias to extremes in our electoral system). I guess I had hoped that campaign staffers would at the very least tramp out this kind of offensive vulgarity as opposed to not just allowing it, but encourage it by laughing along.

7:51 - I'm finally come to terms with the fact that I will NOT HAVE TO MAKE ANY MORE CALLS!! This excites me greatly. While I understand the purpose of making calls and know that it is effective, doing so for 12 hours a day can be a little draining.

7:53 - 3 minutes until results. And one of the campaign guys who had asked me out previously came up and talked to me. Awkward.

7:58 - Just realized I'm facing the wrong way at the table. Crap.

8:02 - It's getting really uncomfortable. Thinking I probably need to swing my chair around so I can see results too.

8:04 - Attempting to turn chair around. Unfortunately person in suit has hands on the back and is leaning on it *releasing awkward uncomfortable sounds* Also, the polls aren't updating, dammit!

8:06 - First poll in. It shows The Opponent leading with 0.00% of the precincts reporting. I'm not even sure how that happens.

8:09 - Also...people smell.

8:10 - Things aren't looking good for Romney. Can't say I'm surprised. If the election had taken place this time two weeks ago it might have been a different story. Unfortunately it allowed Obama's supporters to regroup and for him to make a favorable impression on the 12 undecideds left in the country. Oh well, c'est la vie. Unseating an incumbent is difficult and always a long shot. Definitely not the end of the world.

8:29 - Uploading soooooo slowly. Apparently the only parts of The State reporting are in The Big One and One-one-with-the-Rope-Swing counties, so it's not shocking he's ahead. However, the College Exit poll had The Opponent winning by 3%. That is not encouraging. Though I'm fairly certain that would be considered in the margin of error, so not something to start completely freaking out about.

8:35 - I'm a little sad. CNN has the Rep I wanted to win in Mass. 6th District falling behind. I think it would be awesome to have an openly gay Republican in Congress.

8:37  - So. Bored. And It's looking to be a close one, which means I'll be here all night. I'm going to shoot myself. I'm not in a position to mingle or talk with these people, so I'll just sit here awkwardly. Pretending I'm not here. I feel like I'm quite good at that, actually. Years and years of practicing the "eff-off" look. It's a skill, I tell you!

8:46 - Apparently my "eff-off" doesn't work as well as I thought. I'm guessing it's the computer and the look of concentration I have on my face. I've now had three separate people come by to look at figures for the race over my shoulder.

8:50 - Make that 5. Apparently word is spreading. I'm the cool kid now. Which sucks. Because I didn't even get any of the food before it ran out, so how does this work in my favor?

8:56 - I just realized I haven't eaten since 9:30 this morning. ...I wonder if Jimmy Johns delivers to the Hilton...

8:59 - Also, if we have to do a recount in this race, I am NOT working tomorrow. I have a massage that I need to attend. And I must say,  for being politically involved, these people seem a little slow when it comes to the results. Maybe I'm just weird because I get three different email updates whenever a state is called in the general and I know how to monitor election results and I do not like to wait for them. I like to find out as soon as possible.Yeah, we'll go with me being the freak in this.

9:13 - From the cheers on the TV and the groans in the room, I'm assuming that Obama just sewed up the election. People are suddenly very lackluster here. Between that news and the sad figures coming out of the 4th District, I think people are a little disheartened.

9:27 - Our race continues to not look all that good. While we're gaining on him slightly, it's not enough to close the gap. I'm just hoping when The Conservative county comes in it helps us out. However, my candidate in Massachusetts is looking like he might pull it out! He's only 3500 behind right now - about 1%!

9:38 - I lied. He's down by 2% now. Will nothing to right for me today?! Mia seems to be consistently behind by 4-5,000 as well. That being said, one of the girls I know from the County Republicans brought me a plate of nachos, so typing is easier now that I'm not shaking as much.

10:13 - I've now officially been the computer of choice for 3 separate members of the campaign. I also had a lovely conversation by a lady who worked in DC with the CIA for six years. She was pretty legit.

10:41 - Still not looking good. I'm honestly beginning to fear the worst, that there won't be a recount at all, but that he'll win outright. I'm not even sure what that would mean as I haven't allowed myself to think that that was a possibility.

10:54 - The using of my computer is getting a little ridiculous now. People are just coming over and looking at it and touching it, like it's been provided there for them. I'm sorry, it hasn't. I don't know why they haven't, why the campaign didn't think to have some kind of projector or computer where the results would be displayed.

10:56 - Listening to Romney's concession speech. Really, Republicans? Romney says he hopes Obama will be divinely led as President and you refuse to clap?! Do you really hate Obama that much? If so, that's a serious problem. Have a problem with his politics, but you need to respect him as a person and as your president who was elected by citizens, just like you. Especially when your candidate is bowing out in such a gracious way.

11:13 - A bunch of votes came in at once. Unless something drastic happens in the last 90 precincts, it's looking like it will most likely go into a recount.

11:30 - My eyes are about to burn out of my head. I think we're one of the few races still waiting, though they may not have called the county mayoral race yet, though I'm 90% certain the D will win. Which I approve of.

11:37 - One of my friends just wrote this as her Facebook status: "How are your results not in yet Florida? NY got it in and they just had a hurricane! Get your shit together." I feel like it's obvious why she and I are friends.

11:50 - D WINS!!! Well, at least there's one vote I cast in a winning direction :)

11:52 - Pretty sure my eyes are as red as my lips/blazer/jacket right now. Also, I can't help but wonder where Mia is. She was only down here at the very beginning, at 8, and I haven't seen her since then. Interesting choice.

11:56 - My battery is going to die on my computer in a half hour. If I'm still here when that happens I'm going to die with it.

12:06 - Final tally. The Opponent won by roughly 2,800 votes. I'm not sure what to do. I'm just stunned.

12:18 - News conference time. Gather up and hear the concession speech...

12:55 - Currently sitting at home, pondering the last few months of my life. Crazy.