Update on the Virgina Senate Race

Webb's lead has widened to almost 12,000 votes. Still a tiny percentage, but much better than 2,000.

Still crossing fingers...but wow. I mean, Allen had his race in his pocket a few months ago--he was going to use this as a launching pad for the Presidency. And then...MacacawitzGate.

It gets even better...

...AP just confirmed that Donald Rumsfeld is stepping down.

Man, it's like Christmas Day!

(no subject)

I called my mother last night to hash over the election results. She was thrilled to hear that Webb was (if just barely) ahead. I told her about Santorum, but she didn't know who he was. I said he was the junior senator from Pennsylvania--she asked if that was Heinz's old seat. (I didn't know.) I detailed his long list of homophobic offenses, including the comparison to bestiality, and then told her that a sex columnist named Dan Savage had objected to Santorum's words, and had decided to address the situation using his unique influence. Then I had to explain to her what Savage's new definition of santorum was. I actually uttered the phrase, saying "I can't believe I'm saying this to my own mother." She was horrified but found it nonetheless hilarious. I said that every time Dan Savage utters the name, he always uses that exact phrase, and he's been flogging this meme for the past few years now. And now all his readers are writing back to him, saying "Someone mentioned santorum in their Harvard graduation speech, I heard santorum used in a band song," etc. I told her if you're around younger people and someone says the name santorum and they all snicker, now you know why!

I've done my filial duty.

How cute!

From Tom Shales's review of last night's coverage:

Host Jon Stewart questioned Rather about the results and their significance but expressed disappointment when Rather said calmly that Sen. Clinton won reelection by "a healthy margin." Stewart told Rather they wanted him to be more Ratherly, more homespun. After balking, Rather good-naturedly lampooned himself and said of Clinton, "She ran away with it like a hobo with a sweet potato pie." The crowd cheered.