Besides Barack Obama and Mitt Romney being nervous today on election day...there's another man I'm sure has his heart running a mile a minute, and at this moment may be typing away on his computer with sweaty palms. So who is it?
It's Nate Silver.
Many us on the left are comforted by his numbers, his math and his science. We TRUST his numbers due to his history in statistics and calling the election in 2008. During the last hours/days/weeks of this campaign season I know I'm not the only one that visited his website 20-30 times a day waiting for his next update. During the worst of Obama's campaign(after 1st debate), Nate Silver numbers acted as our soothing blankie. They helped settle down our panic and his numbers helped us sleep at night.
This meme couldn't be any more perfect:
Many on the right though, seem to not believe in math and science. (surprise, surprised) So instead of coming up with reasons in proving Nate Silver wrong, or having another statistician counter Nate's numbers... their only defense is resulting to mindless verbal attacks such as calling him a "nerd", or "he's an ideologue" or a calling him a "joke". Many are hoping his numbers are wrong and people are forming websites and facebook groups to rub it in his face if his numbers are wrong.
So the whole world will be looking at Nate Silver. His credibility is on the line. There is a lot riding on his shoulders right now. He now has Obama with a 90.9% chance of winning the election. With a high percentage like that, I assume he trusts himself and his math so he isn't really "sweating" it at all, could he?