Election 2008: The Eve of Election Day

Pearce: This is it... the eve of Election 2008.  This has been the longest campaign season in history and is sure to prove historic tomorrow night.  Everybody pop a sit in front of your TVs and watch it unfold... we've never seen anything like it.  This will be the last posting before the results are in.  I'll be spending election night in Salisbury, North Carolina celebrating the re-election of NC Senator Elizabeth Dole!!

Washington Post: Barack Obama and the Democrats hold a commanding position two days before Tuesday's election, with the senator from Illinois leading in states whose electoral votes total nearly 300 and with his party counting on significantly expanded majorities in the House and Senate.  More...

AP: Barack Obama and John McCain uncorked massive get-out-the-vote operations in more than a dozen battleground states Sunday, millions of telephone calls, mailings and door-knockings in a frenzied, fitting climax to a record-shattering $1 billion campaign. Together, they'll spend about $8 per presidential vote.  More...

Chuck Todd: Is there a more relevant battleground state than the Tarheel state? Not only is the presidential close, but the senate and governor's races are also nailbiters.  More...

Dome: Early voting has closed in North Carolina, and preliminary numbers show that more than 40 percent of the state's registered voters have already cast ballots, more than 2.5 million people, more than 70 percent of all the votes cast in 2004.  More...

Dome: The case for McCain to win North Carolina

Dome: Analysts rank the presidential race in North Carolina.

The Fix: Dole's "Godless" ad, Hagan's response and Dole's response to Hagan's response.  More...

Dome: Dole ad took YouTube by storm.  More... 

Dome: Analysts rank the North Carolina senate race.

Dome: Analysts rank the North Carolina governor's race.

Washington Post: Pundit predictions for Election 2008.

RCP: The latest electoral map.  Virginia and Ohio move from "lean Obama" to "toss up."

NYPost: How to watch the election.

Pearce:  This video is one of the coolest things I've seen this campaign season.  It's the perfect thing to take us into Election 2008.  Please, vote however you like.

Dole Releases Follow-up Ad

Pearce: Senator Elizabeth Dole has released a new ad responding to Hagan's outrage at her recent ad targeting Hagan for attending a fundraiser at the home of, and taking money from, Godless Americans PAC founder, Woody Kaplan.

 

Dole Releases Two New, Hardhitting Ads

 

 

A Special Report from NC & Dole's New Ad

Pearce: In a special report for PG, Brittany Matheson, a Duke student from North Carolina, gives her first-hand perspective of the Senate race.  Here's what she has to say from the middle of the campaign battlefield...

"A few months ago, only a small number of people were even aware that a Senate race was taking place in North Carolina. Now it is a topic of great debate and discussion. From personal appearances in local parades and her son’s talks on Duke’s campus to the countless bumper stickers and t-shirts that seem to be sprouting up everywhere, Kay Hagan has made her name and face known to the voters of North Carolina. Around the early voting locations, I see an average of two Hagan signs for every one of Dole’s. On campus, I have yet to see an Elizabeth Dole shirt, but Kay Hagan shirts, bumper stickers, and buttons are sported by campaigners and students.

With the current economic situation, the general mindset seems to be centered on the need for change. People outside of polling places are urging voters to cast an entirely Democratic ballot, preying off the general discontent. The “fix-all solution” that many are advocating, they believe, starts with a change in our nation’s leadership.

Another issue in this election is the fact out-of-state students at Duke have switched their voter registration to North Carolina due to its surprising potential to be a swing state in the Presidential Election. With a limited knowledge of NC politics, or what Senator Dole has accomplished in office, these voters may tend towards the Democratic challenger simply for the sake of change. Senator Dole has also been hurt by a huge number of negative television ads focusing on her supposed ineffectiveness in the Senate. Finally, from my perspective, Kay Hagan has been more visible and willing to interact with the people, while Senator Dole has spent more of her campaign time in invitation only, fundraising events.

With time before Election Day running short, Senator Dole needs to change the tone of the race. With any luck, she can foster momentum that was not originally thought necessary but which is now crucial for her to win reelection." 

Pearce:  Senator Elizabeth Dole released another new ad today in which she speaks directly to her constituents about what she believes in.  This is another positive ad meant to remind North Carolina voters who Elizabeth Dole really is, the "favorite daughter" they anxiously sent to the U.S. Senate in 2002.  View the ad below.

 

Dole releases new ads targeting Hagan

Pearce:  Elizabeth Dole's campaign has released two new ads targeting her oponent Kay Hagan for refusing to take a position and dodging questions about the most important issues of our time.  See the new ads below.  Also, check out the video bar on the left side of the page for all the latest ads from Dole.

 

 

The Latest on Campaign 2008

Politico: Dem strategists see landslide

Three weeks of historic economic upheaval have done more than just tilt a handful of once reliably Republican states in Barack Obama’s direction. Democratic strategists are now optimistic that the ongoing crisis could lead to a landslide Obama victory.

Politico: Dems could hit 60 Senate seats

The possibility that Democrats will build a muscular, 60-seat Senate majority is looking increasing plausible, with new polls showing a powerful surge for the party’s candidates in Minnesota, Kentucky and other states.

Human Events: McCain and Dole sign letter in 2006 demanding action on Fanny & Freddie

Sen. John McCain's 2006 demand for regulatory action on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could have prevented current financial crisis.

Pearce: Senator Dole goes on the offensive with two new television ads

Dole Camp: Senator Elizabeth Dole’s campaign began airing two new television advertisements this morning across the state.  The 30 and 60 second ads continue to set the record straight after Kay Hagan and her liberal friends ran almost seven million dollars worth of negative ads distorting the facts and falsely attacking Dole’s record.

See the ads below.

 

 

Weekly Extras

Election 2008:

RCP: Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory now leading in the race for North Carolina Governor

RCP: Electoral map favoring Obama

Cook: GOP's Senate Stock Falls

Reuters: McCain-Obama tie possible in Presidential race

AP: Racial misgivings could cost Barack Obama the White House

Pearce: Elizabeth Dole recently released a new ad going after Kay Hagan's record in the North Carolina legislature.  See the ad below.