What To Watch For On Election Night

Jeff Greenfield Provides An Hour-By-Hour Guide To The Key Election Results

(CBS)  On Tuesday night, you are going to settling in to see what's happening with the election results. But do you what are you looking for? Here's CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield to tell you what he's watching for hour-by-hour.

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7 P.M. ET
Polls close in the first six states. We're pretty sure that South Carolina and Kentucky will go to McCain and Vermont to Obama, but three of the states bear close watching. Obama has been leading in Virginia and he's even in Indiana -- both states have gone Republican since 1964. If McCain wins both, he's still in the game. If either of them goes for Obama, his campaign is on life support.

Read more about the campaign in the battleground states: Indiana | Virginia

7:30 P.M. ET
There's more potential drama here. Ohio was always destined to be a key battleground just as it was in 2004. This is a state McCain must win. North Carolina has seen a massive infusion of Obama's money and volunteers, so a McCain victory is a hint of real late movement toward the Republican.

Read more about the campaign in the battleground states: North Carolina | Ohio

8 P.M. ET
A floodtide of polls close at 8 -- fifteen states and the District of Columbia. We know where most of those states will go -- at least we think we do. But there are three to keep an eye on:

Florida is another one of those contests McCain must win; it's where Obama's money advantage has been overwhelming. Missouri, a state that mirrors national results usually, became more Republican in 2000 and 2004. This year, it's a dead heat.

And Pennsylvania -- Democratic for the last five elections -- is the 'blue" state McCain has to win to make his road to the White House plausible. Keep this one in mind, if McCain cannot win Pennsylvania, he almost certainly cannot win the election.

Read more about the campaign in the battleground states: Florida | Missouri | Pennsylvania

9 P.M. ET
Fifteen more states close at 9 -- we've assigned most of them, by the map, to where we think they're going to wind up. If you're looking for what may be the story of the night, though, go West. Obama has been leading in Colorado and New Mexico; both went for Bush last time. But remember, the real drama of this may be taking place to the East, where votes in the early closing states are still being counted. By 9 o'clock, we should know if we've got a clear-cut winner, or if we'll be up into the morning.

Read more about the campaign in the battleground states: Colorado | New Mexico

10 P.M. ET
At 10, four states close. I'll be watching Nevada, usually an easy win for Republicans. It's another state where Obama has thrown a lot of money and manpower, and has worked the rural areas very hard.

Read more about the campaign in the battleground states: Nevada

11 P.M. ET
Take this to the bank - I promise 11 p.m. will bring 77 electoral votes from California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii into Obama's pocket. You need to remember this throughout the evening. Because if Obama has won Pennsylvania, Iowa, New Mexico and Colorado by 11 o'clock, he will be declared the winner of the presidency as soon as votes from California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii are tabulated for him.

Ways To Win: Calculate your own path to the presidency with our Electoral Vote prediction map.

Of course, there's always a chance that this will come down to a handful of votes in a state or two, and we'll have days or weeks of court challenges and recounts... Well, good luck. I will have fled to an out-island in the Bahamas, but I'll be back in time for the inauguration.

[jake_iv]

Thank you so much for telling me what I think and feel. Unfortunately I remember Truman vs Dewey and Kennedy vs Nixon. Americans are truly unique people in the world today - we are fiercely protective and independent; the most productive workers in the world; and most of us expect to leave a legacy to our children of more than we started with. 90% of us would rather have an opportunity than a free ride. I think I''ll wait for the votes to be counted to delare a winner. Only 200 of the 1100 registered voters in my precinct have voted at this time. Lets let the rest of our citizens who are working get to the polls before we delare any winners.

[newsthought1]

America is fed up with all the scandals from Republican crooks, liars, perverts, lawbreakers, and used-car salesmen hucksters that have trashed this country over the last eight years:

Bill Frist
Randy "Duke" Cunningham
Jack Abramoff
Tom DeLay
Mark Foley
Larry Craig
Ted Haggard
Bob Ney
Trent Lott
Ted Stevens
Alberto Gonzales
Donald Rumsfled
Karl Rove
Scooter Libby
*** Cheney
George Bush

Lying about reasons for going to war with Iraq (Uranium,
false claims about Iraq''s supposed weapons of mass destruction.)
Torture in Abu Ghraib.
The treasonous exposure of a CIA agent by White House officials.(Plamegate)
Letting Osama Bin Laden escape from Tora Bora
Halliburton%u2019s overcharging and outright fraud for services in Iraq
Lack of body armor for troops
Enron
Katrina
Illegal wiretapping
Political influence peddling
S.e.x scandals
Troopergate
Travel fraud
Election tampering
Ballooning federal debt
Economy in a tailspin

And these are just for starters%u2026

Enough is enough, America is ready for change!

[notfooled]

Watch for this election to be stolen like the Bush/Cheney crime syndicate stole the election in 2000.

Watch for electronic voting machines to be hacked by the Thuglicans as that''s the only way they stand a chance.

And watch for another "terrorist attack" like 911, again sponsored by the Bush/Cheney crime syndicate so they can hold onto power. Bush may even declare martial law and imprison folks.

[credibility2]

As an Independent, I didn''t vote for Bush either time and I never wanted to leave my country. I''ve always been proud of my country and realize that with all of its faults and problems, it is still the greatest nation on earth. I''m also not bitter about my country, nor do I cling to my religion; I don''t own a gun. Hope isn''t anything that just the Dems can lay claim to or own. Repubs also have hope. There''s good and bad on both sides; neither one has a patent on this, either. Let''s not forget this, ever.

[demwatcher]

"Posted by seathelight at 03:15 PM : Nov 03, 2008"

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present seathelight, a true candidate for Obama''s Civilian National Security Force; pre-indoctrinated, rabid, and of obviously low intelligence. An ideal person for the dictator''s personal army.

[twentysixpt2]

To the people who are threatening to leave the US if Obama gets elected: well, now you know how those of who were against Bush from the beginning (like myself) felt.

If you really do feel that way then good, please DO leave our great country, because we only have room for people who want to stay and be united and help our country get better because it sure is in the crappers thanks to Bush et al!!!

Now is no time for division and hate. If you''re spreading that, then yes please, go spread it somewhere else and get out of my country.

Obama / Biden ''08

United we stand, divided we fall. (Wasn''t it YOU guys who were saying you''re either for America and it''s President or you''re against us?? Well sorry but it looks like you''re so hungry you''re eating your own words now... oops... don''t be hyprocritical, if Obama wins he is our President and this is our country and if you really are that much against him, bye bye, we only want "real Americans" here, not divisive hatemongerers! It''s high time you guys left, and take your Bush with you thanks.

[american30]

Obama wins
*95% will get tax cuts - I will get over a thousand dollars.
*seniors will be tax free 50,000 and less
* the war in Iraq will end and no more 30 billion dollars a month
* we will kill Osama bi laden
*we will have a cheap alternative for oil
*the country will go green
*we will stop this republican/ Democrats hatred
*the economy will recover
*No more taking jobs overseas
*everyone will be able to get high paying jobs
*we will not be hated by everyone in the world
*we will eliminate terrorist
*religion will stay out of politics
*in other words USA USA USA


IF YOU BELIEVE ALL THAT I HAVE SOME OCEAN FRONT PROPERTY IN TENNESSEE I CAN SELL YOU!

[abbe91]

Ok! My bags are packed and my plane ticket is purchased. I''''''''''''''''m not sticking around to suffer the consequences of an Obama win, or the riots of an Obama loss. Only difference is if or when I will move back, but either way it will be without my money. USA has gotten just too expense to make money in. From is ok, but not in.
Posted by govwatc


I''''m sooo happy you''''re leaving...any other cons wanna follow him?

(whoops...typo)

Posted by jh6379again at 11:41 PM : Nov 02, 2008

He sounds like a good Palins'' friend.


"The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government", "and I won''t be buried under their d*a*m*n flag."

"I''m an Alaskan, not an American. I''ve got no use for America or her damned institutions."

Jo Vogel, Founder of AIP

Sarah Palin addressed the Alaskan Independence Party Convention a little over 6 months ago, happily telling its attendees that she shared its "vision of upholding the Constitution of our great state", curiously not mentioning the Constitution of the United States. She encouraged AIP to "keep up the good work".

[tommancuso]

Olivia4441, you haven''t been paying attention. If you have listened to and watched Obama for the past two years, you would have deduced not that he is a socialist who will turn democracy on its head, but a thoughtful, honest, hard working and very intelligent candidate. He will surround himself with good people, completely unlike G.W.Bush did and begin to tackle the problems that have been ignored under the Republicans. People were very suspicious of Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, but it turned out pretty well given the depression, crime wave, dust bowl and looming war that the nation faced. What history teaches us is that Republicans during the past 100 years have been very, very good at winning elections. It''s governance they have a problem with. Pay attention.

[erasmus81]

"Of course, there''s always a chance that this will come down to a handful of votes in a state or two, and we''ll have days or weeks of court challenges and recounts..."

If I was an American, and this were to happen, I would get out my GUN and shoot myself in the head!!

I was thinking that, "Oh Boy, after tomorrow, it will be all over!" Fat chance. It will either be "close" and it will be the weeks of recounting, or it will be the "WHINING" for months and years because _______? got in.

[erasmus81]

WHAT TO WATCH FOR?

CORRUPTION LIKE THE BUSH - AL GORE Florida ***! ! !

Posted by ms1-1-1 at 07:09 AM : Nov 03, 2008

That is exactly what I was going to say. CORRUPTION.


"A return to paper
Maryland''s solution is to start using paper ballots in 2010..."
(E-voting Worries Linger as Election Day nears)

At least someone has a brain. I do not understand why, after all these years of corruption, that the people of the United States have not stood up and DEMANDED something be done about it.

This problem should have been fixed years ago. Everyone should be using paper ballots.

[recession2k8]

WHAT TO WATCH FOR ON ELECTION NIGHT:
AFTER MCCAIN CONCEDES WATCH FOR PALIN TO ENDORSE HERSELF AND BEGIN HER PATHETIC ATTEMPT FOR THE PRESIDENCY IN 2012!! (WINK).. LMAO!!
OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!

[olivia4441]

Obama will also turn democracy and capitalism on it%u2019s head, and villainize the affluent and successful in our society, in order to rally the masses behind him.

With evangelical zeal Obama will convince his followers to replace reason with hope and belief %u2026 to blindly follow him %u2026 never challenge him %u2026 and embrace his words as gospel.

In the real, and unforgiving world of economics however, when you immediately gratify everyone by feasting on the goose that lays the golden eggs, the economy looses it%u2019s ability to continue generating growth and wealth.

Obama is promising everyone a piece of the pie, whether they helped bake it, or not %u2026 but, only in a socialistic, or communist state do the non-contributors demand to share equally in the property that belongs to others.

Immediate gratification, and getting something for nothing, is like a drug to the malcontents, but in the big picture, every farmer knows that even if you get hungry, you never eat your seed crop %u2026 unless you want it to be your last meal.

If Obama gets elected, America will turn into a third world country, with massive government welfare programs, unable to generate jobs for it%u2019s citizens, and unable to compete in the global markets. Keep America safe, free and strong %u2026

Elect McCain/Palin on November 4th.

[G H M]

Obama wins
*95% will get tax cuts - I will get over a thousand dollars.
*seniors will be tax free 50,000 and less
* the war in Iraq will end and no more 30 billion dollars a month
* we will kill Osama bi laden
*we will have a cheap alternative for oil
*the country will go green
*we will stop this republican/ Democrats hatred
*the economy will recover
*No more taking jobs overseas
*everyone will be able to get high paying jobs
*we will not be hated by everyone in the world
*we will eliminate terrorist
*religion will stay out of politics
*in other words USA USA USA

[joe68sg1]

Article from Yahoo! Just another example of republiCON distain for our country.

Bush team rushes environment policy changes

Whether it''s getting wolves off the Endangered Species List, allowing power plants to operate near national parks, loosening regulations for factory farm waste or making it easier for mountaintop coal-mining operations, these proposed changes have found little favor with environmental groups.

Even some free-market organizations have joined conservation groups to urge a moratorium on last-minute rules proposed by the Interior Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, among others.

John Kostyack of the National Wildlife Federation, which joined Lehrer''s group to call for a ban on these last-minute rules, said citizens are cut out of the process, allowing changes in U.S. law that the public opposes, such as rolling back protections under the Endangered Species Act.

Industry is likely to benefit if Bush''s rules on the environment become effective, Madia said.

"Whether it''s the electricity industry or the mining industry or the agriculture industry, this is going to remove government restrictions on their activity and in turn they''re going to be allowed to pollute more and that ends up harming the public," Madia said in a telephone interview.

What is unusual is the speedy trip some of these environmental measures are taking through the process.

[imotorist]

What to watch for on election night? McCains Concession Speech!

[ffoulkes-2009]

Yeah, I keep hanging out at these places bringing food and feeding those who crawl out of that crack-house long enough to eat, go steal something, and trade it for more crack. I guess that makes me a horrible person.
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Posted by Ffoulkes

No .... just stupid.

Posted by tapsettle at 03:23 AM : Nov 03, 2008

_____________________________________________________

You are a Democrat? How is it stupid to volunteer to work at a soup kitchen and pay (out of my own pocket and not by being taxed) for food and drink for these people. You have some odd notions about you.

[tapsettle]

Yeah, I keep hanging out at these places bringing food and feeding those who crawl out of that crack-house long enough to eat, go steal something, and trade it for more crack. I guess that makes me a horrible person.
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Posted by Ffoulkes

No .... just stupid.

[ffoulkes-2009]

Would that be the ''''''''crack house'''''''' down the street from the soup kitchen?
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Posted by Ffoulkes

My, you frequent some unsavoury places dont you. Methinks you must be a mingey Bush-loving rotting McSame-toting republican.

Posted by tapsettle at 03:00 AM : Nov 03, 2008

____________________________________________________________

Yeah, I keep hanging out at these places bringing food and feeding those who crawl out of that crack-house long enough to eat, go steal something, and trade it for more crack. I guess that makes me a horrible person.

[tapsettle]

Would that be the ''''crack house'''' down the street from the soup kitchen?
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Posted by Ffoulkes

My, you frequent some unsavoury places dont you. Methinks you must be a mingey Bush-loving rotting McSame-toting republican.