After a drought of state polls during the conventions, they started coming out again in time for today’s updates. Only one state changed categories though. Alaska, Sarah Palin’s home state, which had recently moved into swing state territory, moves back from “Lean McCain” to “Weak McCain”. The new Alaska poll was taken after the announcement of her VP selection, but before her acceptance speech. Over the next week or so we should start seeing if there is any other movement due to the after effects of the two conventions.
New Summary:
McCain Best Case – McCain 281, Obama 257
Obama Best Case – Obama 381, McCain 157
If everybody gets their leans (and Obama gets DC) – Obama 306, McCain 232
I still haven’t found the “official” results posted anywhere, but one blogger listened through the whole roll call vote on C-Span and took notes (why didn’t I do that!) and so from that source, the final results on the Republican side:
John McCain – 2343 delegates
Ron Paul – 15 delegates
Mitt Romney – 2 delegates.
There were 2380 delegates, which means 20 delegates did not vote or were otherwise not recorded.
Arizona just put him over the top in the roll call.
At the moment it is 1223 delegates McCain to 5 delegates for “others”. I think those others were mostly Ron Paul, but I didn’t follow closely enough to catch them when they went by. I’ll look for the final official results for the Republicans once they are fully official.
I’ve been checking periodically, although I hadn’t in a few days. On Tuesday the DNC released the actual final voting results for the roll call that was cut off when Obama was nominated by acclimation.
DENVER – On Wednesday, August 27th, in a dramatic move during the calling of the Roll Call of States, Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) called for a motion to nominate Barack Obama by acclamation. The Democratic National Convention approved it enthusiastically, and on Thursday, in front of a crowd of 85,000 at INVESCO Field at Mile High in Denver and 38 million Americans watching at home, Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination.
Today, the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) Office of the Secretary released the official results of the state tally sheets that were collected during voting on Wednesday.
Barack Obama: 3188.5
Hillary Clinton: 1010.5
Not noted on the official site, but with Florida and Michigan fully seated, as they eventually were, the total number of delegates was 4415. So 216 delegates did not vote or otherwise were not recorded.
There is no die-hard Republican out there still wondering about McCain’s choice here. They will all be sold after this. The only question they will be asking right now is why she is the bottom of the ticket instead of the top.
Of course, this may change once the initial euphoria wears off and we see her in unscripted settings. Or if more issues about her past or her more radical views come out.
But maybe not…
Now, will it flip many undecideds? I don’t know. But it seems more likely today than it did yesterday.
Palin is good. Damn good. The Democrats (and I) have made a mistake and have been underestimating her. She may be light on experience, but she’s got fire and energy and is a good spokesperson for her causes. She speaks better than McCain does for sure.
I still need to see her in interviews and debates. But she gives a damn good speech.
There are many of her views that I can’t stomach at all. But at the same time, during some of this she is making good points on things which I agree with. And she does it well. And makes you take her seriously.
If the Republicans lose this election, I fully expect that unless in the mean time she screws something major up, she has the potential to become a major player on the Republican side of the fence. If they lose this round, I would not be surprised in the slightest to see her make a run in the Republican primaries in 2012. And maybe even be their candidate.
In any case, she is knocking this out of the park.
