Nov 3, 2004, 6 something AM –

Well, the Democrats are still disputing Ohio, but they will drop it all sometime today. They are depending on uncounted provisional ballots, those votes cast by voters yesterday who, for one reason or another, were not on the rolls when they came to vote.

The President is ahead in the count in Ohio by 130,000 or so. While it is possible that the provisional ballots could make a difference, it is so unlikely that I think they give this up soon.

The Republicans have all but declared victory, and they are right. The President will probably have 280+ electoral ballots and he certainly took 51% of the popular vote. That’s all, folks.

The big winners: The President. Republicans. Conservatives. Karl Rove. MSNBC (for calling Ohio when it did). Hillary Clinton (she can run next time around). Bill Clinton (for getting through his surgery). Bruce Neuman (for correctly reading what was happening last night).

The big losers: Senator Kerry. Senator Edwards. Democrats. Liberals. Exit polling. The youth vote. Bloggers. Those who thought the Internet had changed the way politics does its business. Liberals. The lawyers who will not be given a month or two to pursue this through the courts. Those who are fighting in Iraq. Bruce Neuman, whose candidate lost.

Conventional Wisdom: When your candidate never takes a good lead at some point in the process, get ready to lose. When the election comes down to the wire, bet on the incumbent. Boy, take a rest on that exit polling.

More later.

BN