New Maryland Live Thread

The general Maryland threads have scrolled down so I thought I'd start a new one.

How are you feeling about tonight?

Is anyone going to the Hippodrome or to Cardin's HQ?

Spouse just got back from the last minute phone banking at Key Highway state HQ. The mood there was pretty positive as reported but people were just completely fried.

I had to work this morning but spent as much of the afternoon as I could (after I extracted myself from this d..n blog) phone banking in Northeast Baltimore City. The place was packed. People were out on the streets; there were people standing in line to phone bank. Someone said "O'Malley had better win with all these people here!"

I drove back home and saw a HUGE sign wave at the corner of York Road and Northern Parkway, near Belvedere Square - and if I may say, all of the folks there were black, and it's not a strictly black neighborhood. These folks were incredibly enthusiastic. Wow.

I've also noted the absence of several of our Maryland regulars, so I'm assuming they're out working their backsides off. Kudos to them, big time.

And as I said earlier, many many many thanks to all our union friends whose work has been tireless.  

I've now popped open the wine and am going to collapse into the sofa, but I'm not sure if I can watch anything tonight. I'm probably going to hang out here while spouse watches the teevee.

And you?

•  I was out canvassing this a.m. and p.m.

  did a work commitment in between.

  I really don't have a good feel for things (either way) here in Laurel.

  by billlaurelMD on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:41:48 PM PDT

  •  Thanks for all that work!

    Now we'll just see what happens.

    by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:50:10 PM PDT

•  Thanks...

  Thanks for having an open thread for us Marylanders. ;>

  by TooLittleSleep on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:43:26 PM PDT

•  Can I pick two?

  I was thinking of going to the Hippodrome.  God, that'd be sweet to be there if he wins.  But if he loses, I don't want to burst into tears in front of a room full of people.  So I'm home.  With pizza.  Too fried to cook.

  I'm thinking that alcohol is going to be necessary.  I am going to be drunk either way.

  by stephdray on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:43:51 PM PDT

  •  Whatever you choose to do, many many thanks

    for all you've done.

    by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:47:02 PM PDT

    •  I feel like I didn't do enough

      I tried to go back out and canvass in the evening shift, but my feet hurt, I was cold and wet and it was dark and I have bad depth perception and did not feel safe.  And I am mired in guilt now.

      But I did spend the rest of the afternoon hammering the media about the election fraud stuff, and I posted it everywhere, and some voters wrote to me to say that it had changed their minds and convinced them to vote for our guys.

      Also, google 'Maryland Voters Guide'.  One of those top articles is mine ;)

      by stephdray on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:50:03 PM PDT

      •  I know

        I would have stayed at the BTU but I had to pick up my kids, darnit. So I sent the spouse after work.

        We have done what we could. I know I've never done more for any campaign, ever.

        You did great.

        by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:59:03 PM PDT

•  To everyone a big THANKS

  everyone has worked so hard, it's just been amazing.

  No matter what happens, we all put everything we could into this.

  by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:47:53 PM PDT

  •  thanks to all y'all

    Wish I could've been there but I moved out of Baltimore City the beginning of June. I'd have been out there pounding the pavement with y'all had I stayed.
    I have seriously been wishing today I could've voted in Maryland for O'Malley and Cardin.
    Hopefully I'll get to see all y'all in Chicago next year at YKos!!!

    by rioduran on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:53:43 PM PDT

•  does anyone really have a sense...

  of how things went yet?

  by billlaurelMD on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:53:53 PM PDT

  •  I tried to get a sense

    from the spouse as he left Key Highway HQ around 7:00 but apparently there's no good word. There was noise about all the dirty tricks though.

    Turnout appears to have been pretty good and that could benefit us.

    With all the absentee ballots, though, I think we're in for a very long time of it, honestly.

    by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 04:56:51 PM PDT

•  Howard County feels pretty good (except my feet!)

  Turnout operation in central HoCo (Columbia precincts, mostly) seems to have run smoothly.  Lots of volunteers who called lots of people and knocked on lots of doors.  Today, we were targeting voters who don't vote in every election.  During the evening shift, my walk partner and I did one street where we had about 60% of people answer the door and of those, we had 100% turnout.  (Most of the other streets had fewer people home, alas.)  On the other hand, the opposition had a big advantage in the yard and polling-place sign war.  

  There were scads of people at my polling place this morning, and the lot was almost full when we went by again this evening.  I heard there was good turnout at a lot of the other polling places.  

  I came home after our second walking shift, and will head back out to the HoCo Dems party in a little bit.  Any other Kossacks going to be there?

  BTW, the worst thing about spending the last 4 days at the campaign HQ and out knocking on doors wasn't the tired feet - it was Daily Kos withdrawal!!
  

  by SSMir on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 05:03:07 PM PDT

•  Shouldah...

  I should have picked up a couple of bottles of some good Maryland wine (like Bordy) to either celebrate or to drown my sorrows tonight...

  Go, Maryland Democrats!

  by TooLittleSleep on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 05:06:10 PM PDT

•  To those who have joined the battle...

  ...by making yet another call after being hung up on, in hopes of reaching the reachable; to those who have stuffed envelopes and made and hung door hangers; to those who have brooded over the keyboard, formulating letters to the editor written with maximum impact and the required brevity; to those who document the atrocities, and those who spread the word about those atrocities documented; to those who watched the debates and posted impressions and excerpts; to those observing our polls to assure fairness; to all those who have realized what exactly is slipping from our citizen's  grasp, and have dedicated themselves to preserving it for us and the future;to those who have seen when enough is enough, and who know a fight worth fighting when they see it, in some cases to the tune of a 50% INCREASE OVER PREVIOUS OFF YEAR ELECTION PARTICIPATION,
  WE salute YOU!

  by labradog on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 05:21:39 PM PDT

  •  This comment needs to be bronzed n/t

    by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 05:27:32 PM PDT

•  MSNBC

  calls for Cardin.

  by billlaurelMD on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:15:30 PM PDT

  •  On exit polls, obviously...

    ...since they were showing Steele ahead in the precincts that reported.

    State web site still not showing any real results - anyone else find anything online?
    
    

    by SSMir on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:17:12 PM PDT

    •  they're showing R's ahead...

      in all the races.  Must be from rural districts.

      by billlaurelMD on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:24:32 PM PDT

•  MSNBC calls it for Cardin!!!!!!!!

  Woo-hoo!!!!!!!!
  

  by SSMir on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:15:33 PM PDT

•  any word on gov race?

  by scratchinmybutt on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:21:59 PM PDT

  •  acc to the radio, only 1% back yet.

    by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:24:54 PM PDT

•  I just heard on WYPR

  that the turnout in Baltimore City was 'historic,' more than 190,000 which may be more than 60K over 2002.

  The state Dems were saying, I believe, that they needed to get 170,000 voters in the city.

  I'm starting to feel a little less anxious, but we've got a loooonnng way to go on the governor.

  But HELLO SENATOR CARDIN!

  by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:24:03 PM PDT

•  OMalley called for Governor.

  I'm SURE now they're getting rural districts first now, because he was shown down by about 8%.

  by billlaurelMD on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:28:54 PM PDT

  •  Source please??

    I'm shaking now.

    by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:29:37 PM PDT

    •  MSNBC again n/t

      by billlaurelMD on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:33:05 PM PDT

      •  Wow, but I'm going to keep holding my breath

        for a little bit longer.

        No cable, after all.

        by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:34:40 PM PDT

        •  My feeling is it's still too close to call....

          these folks on TV are too anxious to have news on the tube to keep viwers watching.

          The Ehrlich guy/pollwatcher seemed pleased by the results at my precinct....felt Ehrlich lost by less of a margin than he thought he would.

          Ehrlich 38%

          O'Malley 60%

          Other 2%

          Steele 36%
          Cardin 62%
          Zeese 2%

          Keep in mind this is Northern Montgomery County.

          by Sharon in MD on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 07:24:22 PM PDT

      •  UNbelievable!!

        WYPR is also reporting that the major networks are calling not only Cardin but O'Malley.

        Amazing. Man, I sure hope the folks at the Hippodrome are having a great time (and I'm hoping Stephdray got down there after all. => )

        by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:50:00 PM PDT

        •  I have my champagne

          But I won't open the bottle, b/c Ehrlich is refusing to concede, and my stomach is in knots again.

          by stephdray on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 08:24:54 PM PDT

    •  Dick Armey is sounding like he's ...

      at a funeral.

      by billlaurelMD on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:33:31 PM PDT

      •  He is

        his party's.

        by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:33:54 PM PDT

•  Well, it's all over but the lawyering

  and folks, this is Maryland: not only do we have better politicians, we have better lawyers.

  What a night. All that GOTV was so worth it! Historic turnout in Baltimore City. Seems I wasn't the only one sick of seeing the city get beat up.

  Got to go to bed; I've got to wing a lecture in 6 hours.

  Way to go Maryland Kossacks!

  by stitchmd on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 10:50:29 PM PDT

•  Spent the night at the Iron Workers hall

  in Dundalk.  After that headed down to the Hippodrome.

  What a great night.

  by nickshepDEM on Wed Nov 08, 2006 at 06:45:03 AM PDT