DNC Future + Begich Surge + Obama Near Landslide

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Obama Flickr SLIDESHOW SOURCE

538 looks at comparative on-the-ground effectiveneness in 12 states. SOURCE

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Here's an excellent reason to strip Lieberman of his committee chairmanship. He never did anything. SOURCE

Treasury will probably be Barack's first Cabinet appointment. I think it is essential that this be a no-brainer with no risk of escalating into a divisive confirmation battle. We can all remember the failed Clinton efforts. I strongly favor the appointment of Paul Volcker for a period of two years max. Volcker, at 81, is able to take on the task and has already steered the country through another financial crisis. He commands respect. He is a non-Greenspan. He can press the also-rans into service if it makes sense. And his appointment would free Barack from the onus of having to hitch his wagon to a star that might fall. SOURCE

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Obama looking Cabinet-like PHOTO and text SOURCE

DNC Future + Begich Surge + Obama Near Landslide

Today we see some things falling into place. Nearly all the unresolved electoral issues have fallen Barack's way and there is even a chance that the next Alaska Senator will be a Democrat.

The whole issue of the future of an Obama Movement, however, is a work in progress. As noted below, we don't know how or even if the 50 state strategy will survive and if the organizational apparatus of that strategy will remain intact. On the other hand, last night the Obama Blog announced that the myBarackObama element that has been the focal online gathering place for millions will continue.

The shape of myBarackObama.com will be revealed in the days and weeks to come.

The Presidential style of is also becoming evident. Sure-handed and aware would be the correct adjectives. The press conference had just the degree of lightness and gravitas needed to suggest being on-the-case but somewhat lithe in terms of the interplay with the media.

The apology to Nancy Reagan for a passing allusion to seances was an interesting instance of second-mile behavior, pre-empting a He dissed her response from the currently somewhat-dumbfounded right.

Finally, Ariana Huffington has usefully gathered the relevant sources to tell us that Barack exceeded the predictions of the pundits and experts. He did not reach the 400 EV benchmark that I had set, but he was close enough to make me smile.

Is 50 State Strategy In Peril? SOURCE

Will organizer.s be let go at month's end? Will Dean's legacy be besmirched? Does Rahm Emmanuel dislike the strategy? At Firedoglake, the alarm has been sounded.

A rumor at this point (or rather, someone unwilling to go on record) but what I'm hearing is that the DNC organizers who implement the 50 state strategy are about to be let go. Apparently they will be laid off at the end of the month, and the new DNC chair will decide whether he or she wants to continue the 50 state policy.

Begich May Still Beat Stevens SOURCE

538 is on the case.

The reasoning behind this is simple: some early ballots have been processed, and among those ballots Begich substantially leads Stevens. A tally of Alaska's 40 house districts as taken from Alaska's Division of Elections webpage suggests that Begich has won about 61% of the early ballots counted so far, as compared with 48% of ballots cast on Election Day itself.

How Seismic Was The Shift from 2004-2008? Pretty seismic. SOURCE

Ariana Huffington surveys the changes in the electorate that accounted for Barack's near-landslide margins.

Obama won among both women (56/43) and men (49/48). Whites favored McCain (55/43), but blacks gave Obama 95 percent of their vote, and Hispanics went for Obama 66/31.

Obama carried voters 18-29 (66/32), 30-44 (52/46), and 45-64 (50/49). The only group McCain carried was voters 65 and older (53/45). This oldest group accounted for only 16 percent of the electorate.

Obama won among all education levels carrying 63 percent among voters without a high school degree, 52 percent among high school grads, 51 percent among those with some college, 50 percent among college grads, and 58 percent among those with postgraduate degrees.

Obama also won in almost every size city. He carried big cities 70/28 (home to 11 percent of voters), small cities 59/39 (home to 19 percent of voters), and the suburbs 50/48 (home to 49 percent of voters). McCain won in small towns and rural areas 53/45 (home to 21 percent of voters)

Lastly, Jewish voters favored Obama 78 percent to 21 percent -- so much for the Lieberman bounce or the Khalidi smears!

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