The Hoover Manoeuvre

BBC has Obama's first press conference in full. Along with the transition government website, already there is a change in attitude towards the press. No more Gollum/Cheney secrecy. Roll on Jan 20 2009.

Vote

Vote. Where? See here.

Every which way but moose

The Hive reckons that the media were too hard on Palin, referring to that bastion early-adopter technology, CNN. These are the guys who brought you the hologram, right? Sarah Palin got what she deserved; scrutiny, followed by mutiny. Four years hence is too soon to bear the thought of Sarah's second coming.

Putting the poll in pollution

Only one more poll to go and it's the only one that counts. If only the MSM had spent as many column inches on the "battle of ideas" as they have on bloody polls, we'd all be a lot wiser. Alas, the polls are more important than the principles.

Just the other week, during Helen Clark and John Key's debate (for airtime) with John Campbell, was a great example of this. Just as either Key or Clark got in their stride, JC would interrupt to remind people to vote on TV3's poll on who was the better debater.

Outside the MSM, things have been a bit better. Alt TV has been one of the better sources of information, as opposed to the cootchy-koo spoon-fed pabulum from primetime. Rough as guts and no bloody polls. Good onya.

Soothsayer 2008

Here's my guess for tomorrow, courtesy of the Virtual Election Calculator (Click image for largification).

Down in flames

Is Winston Peters the McCain of net etiquette? Direct mail with websites made with the recipients' names in the address has sent out around the country. Not content with pissing off the Electoral Commission, the police and the SFO, Peters is so desperate for attention, he is risking the wrath of the Privacy Commissioner too.

Will Winston Peters be the first ever NZer to be sued to death?

End of an error

Is New Zealand ready a male prime minister? We haven't had one this century yet. It's been over eleven years since the last minority gender leader, and many voters have no recollection of a time before the matriarchies.

Prior to the feminist ascension, I was quite looking forward to a matriarchy for a change. While I wasn't quite expecting the historical precedents of Amazonian princesses and temple courtesans doing it for the goddess, I was hoping for at least some balance to the Muldoon-Lange-Bolger trifecta of phonies (Muldoon pretended he knew what he was doing, Lange pretended to know what he was reading, and Bolger pretended to be good at mimicking foreign accents).

Unfortunately, we didn't get a Bodiecea. We got Supernanny Shipley and Maximum Discipline Nanny Helen Clark instead. We sought warrior queens and ended up living with our Mums. So I think NZ is ready for a go with a male prime minister, if for no other reason thank to get the drunk-on-power nanny off to rehab.

Midnight Penguin

Opus has gone.

Thanks Berkeley Breathed for everything, especially this immortal quote:
"I'd be a Libertarian, if they weren't all a bunch of tax-dodging professional whiners."

Guy Fawkes webcam

Shouldn't really be letting on, seeing how the site is overloading already, but the MetService has its weather webcam focussed for the Wellington City Council's Guy Fawkes display. Fireworks on in 15 minutes.

McCain concedes

Just watching McCain's concession speech now. He begins by paying his respects to President-elect Barack Obama. Loud boos ensue and McCain damps them down with a hand. Not a minute in, TVNZ chop back to Paul Henry. Commentary takes precedent over McCain's speech, which is cut short during an important moment. If McCain can't get those rednecks under control, it bodes ill for the future of the Republican party.

Captain's log 1519.05.11.08

Palm Beach to Miami Dade in Florida is solid Obama, outstripping McCain by 10 - 25 points. Miami Dade and Broward reporting 19 percent of the vote counted with huge leads for Obama. New Hampshire's Senatorial race has counted 20 percent, with Shaheen leading Sununu by 10 points.

CNN's Vote Prediction drumroll and graphic, as well as the pop-up box ping that goes off like Vista are both really starting to get on my tit. Almost glad to return to Brian Paul Henry in the studio.

Captain's Log 1436.05.11.08

Republican Senators falling like flies. Virginia a sea of blue.Will the Dems get to 60 percent of the board? Probably. They reckon Pennsylvania has gone for Obama, according to CNN. NY Times says 0% of the vote has been counted. Is it an exit poll, projection or actual count? Who knows, but the vibe is GOP has hit its ground zero.

Captain's Log 1331.05.11.08

McCain is showing early leads in the swing states of Florida, Virginia and Indiana. All are around 51 - 55 percent in McCain's favour, but this will swing back to Obama. Why? A closer look at Florida, for example, shows the large Democrat bases around Palm Beach have not finished counting yet. Early days still.

President Obama

For the record, I'm calling it with over 300 Electoral College Votes to the Young American and 54 percent of the popular vote.

Donde esta la chopper?