Yale on the Trail

By Margy Slattery

CHICAGO, 2:00 a.m. — Over the course of the presidential campaign, the face president-elect Barack Obama has become something of a graphic-design fetish, gracing posters, T-shirts and buttons, among other paraphernalia.

Tuesday night the senator’s signature visage could be found on nearly every visitor at his Grant Park election rally.

The campaign’s iconic sunrise within an “O” was a common design on shirts, hats, shoes and buttons. “Barack your world,” some shirts said, or “Mama for Obama.” Another depicted the senator as Superman, his shirt parted to reveal not an “S” but an “O.”

Hours before Obama’s victory, it was clear from shirts for sale on the sidewalk that confidence in Obama was high.

“Commander in chief,” one shirt featuring Obama’s face said. Another depicted the front page of the Chicago Tribune announcing news of Obama’s win.

“Listen,” an Obama keychain vendor shouted to potential customers early in the night. “Wake up tomorrow and tell your friends you got the keys to the White House.”

By Victor Zapana

ALEXANDRIA, Va., 10:47 p.m. — In Virginia, a Yalie congressional hopeful has won the largest upset in recent state history.

With 97.4% of districts reporting, Tom Perriello ‘96 LAW’01 has beat six-term Republican incumbent Virgil Goode Jr. for House Representative of the 5th Congressional District, 50.1-49.8. The humanities major won in an astonishing upset; only three months ago, polls had Goode beating Perriello by two-to-one.

Perriello, with the help of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, broke records for fundraising in the area.

As of 10:43 p.m., Fox News declared that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama won Virginia.

By Andrew Mangino

LINCOLN, Neb., 10:47 p.m. — Scott Kleeb GRD ‘06, the Yale scholar turned rancher turned politician, has been defeated by former Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns in his bid to succeed Chuck Hagel in the United States Senate, according to network projections.

At the Kleeb headquarters here, the news hardly generated a buzz, as Lisa Hannah, Kleeb’s chair in Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District put it, “I’m kind of not surprised.”

Initial polls had placed Kleeb upwards of 20 points behind his opponent.

Martha Davies, a volunteer from Lincoln, said she has always known after observing Kleeb’s career at the Yale Graduate School, where he earned his master’s and doctorate in history, that he was right for the job and will still go on in a future election to win.  But she’s not counting out tonight’s election, either.

“I’m still hopeful,” she said. “Numbers do funny things, and i wont believe it until the last vote in nerbaska is counted.”

Neither candidate has emerged to speak as the western districts of Nebraska — which tend to lean Republican — have largely not yet been reported.

The mood, meanwhile, was upbeat five blocks away at Johanns’ headquarters at the Embassy Suites hotel.  Even before the projections of the former governor’s win, his campaign appeared confident.  In an e-mail to the News early Tuesday morning, a campaign spokeswoman called Tuesday night’s event a “victory party.”

By Victor Zapana

ALEXANDRIA, Va., 10:16 p.m. — Obama has done it!  As of 10:11 p.m., he has passed McCain 49.7 percent to 49.3 percent, according to the Virginia Board of Elections. Although the TV stations may not call it yet, Obama may have stolen the Old Dominion from the Republicans.

By the Yale Daily News

NEW HAVEN, 10:19 p.m. — Connecticut voters have decided against holding a convention to revise the state Constitution.  With 45 precincts reporting, a ballot initiative asking to hold a convention failed 61 percent to 39 percent, according to The Associated Press.

By the Yale Daily News

NEW HAVEN, 10:16 p.m. — Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary and Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns has defeated Scott Kleeb GRD ‘06 in the race to succeed Chuck Hagel in the United States Senate.

By Zeke Miller

NORWALK, 9:00 p.m. – Returns are beginning to come in for Connecticut’s contested 4th congressional district. The New York Times is showing challenger Jim Himes leading Republican Rep. Chris Shays with 63.7% over Shays’ 35.4%. But with just 23% of precincts reporting a lot can change.

Here at Shays headquarters, they are predicting a much tighter race. According to their figures, with 24% of precincts reporting, Shays was leading with 52% of the vote.

9:20 p.m. — We have some more information about those Shays polling numbers. According to Sean Phillips, the campaign’s communications director, they are tallying numbers reporter by volunteers in each precinct. At latest count, the Shays campaign says it is winning with 52.2 percent of the vote over Himes’ 47.7 percent with 46 percent of precincts reporting.

9:49 p.m. — The mood at the Shays’ returns watching party is turning blue. Internal campaign figures are showing the incumbent Congressman trailing Democrat Jim Himes. With 85 percent of precincts reporting, Shays’ campaign is showing itself behind with 47.6% of the vote to Himes’ 52.3%. Supporters are crossing their figures as the last of the results begin to filter in.

By Zeke Miller

NORWALK, 8:35 p.m. – With 10 percent of precincts reporting, the ballot measure on whether or not to have a Constitutional Convention is failing, gathering only 40% of votes. We’ll be following this throughout the night.

By Ray Carlson, Zeke Miller and Wendy Wang

NORWALK, 8:20 p.m. – Polls across the state have just closed and both candidates vying to represent Connecticut’s 4th district are transitioning from campaigning to watching returns.

At the Norwalk Inn & Conference Center, where Republican incumbent Rep. Chris Shays is hosting his returns watching party, people are slowly filing in. People are slightly on-edge as they watch national returns come in on TV screen. No one is quite sure what will happen.

At the vacuous “Brewhouse” restaurant on the other side of town, the crowds have yet to arrive.  A podium is already set up for Democratic challenger Jim Himes, in front of antique waitress trays with logos of various alcohol companies.

One thing is certain, it is going to be close here. We’ll keep you updated throughout the night.

By Isaac Arnsdorf

CHICAGO, 7:39 p.m. — There’s enough paraphernalia and street peddlers for a ballgame. As the crowds stream toward Grant Park, they have a wide selection of Obama shirts, buttons and keychains. And though the first polls have barely closed, the merchandisers have already picked the winner.

It is Chicago after all, and a Connie’s truck is unloading deep dish pizza by the stack. A few hundred thousand people gotta eat!

The ages for the general public are at least an hour from opening, but people are already massing north of the ticketed event. Police have said they may have to restrict access depending on the numbers.

Even the skyline wants in on the fun. Arrayed around Grant Park, one skyscraper’s lights spell “USA,” and the spires of the Sears Tower are red, white and blue.

7:32 p.m. — Blitzer announced Obama with an early big lead in Florida. Crowd goes wild!

8:01 p.m. — Blitzer calls CT for Obama. No surprises, but the crowd goes wild.

8:15 p.m. — They’re playing CNN on the jumbotron here, and the crowd is playing this game where they try to drown out CNN’s reporter every time they put her on.

Obama’s podium is flanked with plexi-glass to protect him. Security is very tight here — stricter than airports.

9:01 p.m. — Obama is more than half-way there, but nothing really unexpected yet.

9:29 p.m. — The people keep swarming in, like a tidal wave every time they open a gate. There are 75,000 who have tickets, and hundreds of thousands more in the north end of the park watching a telecast.

By Paul Needham

PHOENIX, 3:05 p.m. — The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa was inspired by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, but you wouldn’t know it today.

Reporters have strewn themselves all over the posh resort, so much so that its geometric patterns are largely hidden. I counted more than three dozen satellite trucks and there are hundreds of cameras positioned everywhere imaginable.

We were told to park several miles away, at the North Phoenix Baptist Church, but few — if any — reporters did so. Instead, every parking space at the Biltmore is filled and some cars are parked on lawns. (I haven’t seen anyone parked on the golf course yet.)

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By Isaac Arnsdorf

CHICAGO, 5:36 p.m. – Even in Obama’s state, in Obama’s city, in Obama’s neighborhood, in Obama’s polling precinct, not every vote is Obama’s.

Tiffany Grimes said, as an African-American native of Chicago’s South Side, she’s inspired that a black man could come so close to the presidency.

“It means a lot to my race to see how far we’ve come,” she said.

But that wasn’t enough to make her vote for him.

While her friends and family are all rooting for Obama, Grimes said she and her husband ultimately decided his platform just didn’t consist with their beliefs.

She said so quietly, not wanting to be overheard ’round these parts.

By Martine Powers

CHICAGO, 5:00 p.m. – 17-year-olds Logan Spears and Miguel Pazoz from West Virginia visited Barack Obama’s former barbershop to have his name shaved into the backs of their heads. Then, they ate in Valois’, Obama’s favorite diner during his years in Hyde Park. Next, they plan on tracking down sold-out tickets to tonight’s Obama rally in Grant Park.

By Zeke Miller

NEW HAVEN, 4:45 p.m. – With a little over 3 hours left, voters across the state are turning out in droves. By 3:30 this afternoon, over 50% of registered voters cast their ballots, and even more are expected to do so in the traditionally heavy evening voting hours.

“All over the state, registrars and our teams on the ground are saying they have never seen this kind of turnout — ever,” Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz ‘83 said in a statement. “Lines are long in some polling places, but the lines are moving, the poll workers and our new optical scan machines are handling the crowds well.”

Polls are open across the state until 8 p.m. – but don’t worry, as long as you are in line to vote at 8 p.m. on the dot, you may still cast a ballot.

By Martine Powers

CHICAGO, 4:40 p.m. – According to 61-year-old Roilynn Brown, today is Obama day.

“Obama day! Obama day!” Brown chants to passersby on 53rd street in South Side neighborhood Hyde Park while handing out copies of the Hyde Park/Bronzeville community newspaper. “Here, take your newsletter.”

Brown stands outside of a Dunkin Donuts, opening the glass door for women entering or exiting the donut shop and encouraging people to vote. For Obama.

“We’re definitely confident,” Brown said. “All we have to encourage us is faith and hope, and that’s what this whole campaign is about. We hope that tomorrow is going to be better than today.”

At least in Hyde Park, everybody who is anybody is voting for Obama, Brown said. The Illinois senator shares their background and their sense of community, he said.

“Obama day!” Brown shouts to three men as they amble down the street. The guys are black and they look about 20 years old; they wear oversized jeans and the hoods of their sweaters are pulled over their heads, even though it is 70 degrees outside.

“McCain day!” one of the pack yells back at Brown. He pauses for a second, then laughs and yells out, “Psych!”

“Boy, don’t even play like that,” one of his friends retorts. “You’ll get your ass shot if you say that out here.”