Open Thread

It is now one week since Election Day and there are still races out there that have not been called. Check these out and tell us what you think.

"It won't kill the country if we raise taxes a little bit on millionaires. It really won't, I don't think. I don't really understand why Republicans don't take Obama's offer. Really? The Republican Party is going to fall on its sword to defend a bunch of millionaires, half of whom voted Democratic and half of whom live in Hollywood and are hostile?"

The first map is the population density map of the counties of the United States. To put it simply, it shows where the most people live. The darker the color the county is colored, the more people live there. The second map is another county map showing where Mitt Romney won the largest percentage of the vote. Notice a correlation? Go here for interactive versions of these maps, and also maps showing where Obama won the largest percentage.

Scott Farris. author of Almost President, a history of failed presidential candidates, told the Washington Post that Mitt Romney's concession speech didn't reflect the urgency of healing a divided nation: "While he congratulated Obama, he never really validated the result by saying 'the people have spoken' ... Praying for the president is nice, but it is not the same as validating the election. [...] It was a speech that sounded as if he did not emerge from the election with much respect, let alone affection, for the president. He sounded as if he really expected to win and was immensely disappointed in the result -- even more so than usual." Oh well, the feeling is mutual.

I do kinda feel sorry for Mitt Romney, for you see I am a liberal and we liberals feel human emotions like sympathy. But this description from the Washington Post seemed sad, and I don't know why.

Late Wednesday afternoon, as sleet fell in Boston's North End, Romney visited his campaign headquarters for one final staff meeting. He thanked his aides and said goodbye. His Secret Service detail gone -- and with it his code name, Javelin, after a car once made by his father's company -- Romney was spotted driving off in the backseat of his son Tagg's car. His wife, Ann, was riding shotgun.

We are going to know pretty early how the night is going. If we have early calls for Ohio and Pennsylvania around the 8 pm hour, then it is Obama's night. If North Carolina gets called early for Romney, while PA and OH are not, it will be nail biter.

"The [latest NBC/Wall Street Journal Marist] survey found that 9% of the likely voters are up for grabs (meaning they're undecided or just leaning to a candidate), and these folks have more positive feelings toward Obama than Romney. Obama's job approval with them is 48% approve, 41% disapprove. What's more, Obama's fav/unfav with them is 46%/29%, vs. Romney's upside down 22%-49%. Bottom line: Our pollsters see more of an opportunity for Obama among these voters and more of an uphill climb for Romney."

"Folks I want to remind you, this is the end of daylight savings time tonight. It's Mitt Romney's favorite time of the year because he gets to turn the clock back."-- Delaware's own Vice President Joe Biden, quoted by the New York Times, at a rally in Colorado.

Last weekend before the election! Lots of folks I know are out on the final canvas -- off to PA to knock on doors for Obama or here walking for local candidates. What are you doing this weekend to get your favorite candidates elected?