The Fat Lady may be singing at the Republican party in Medford, but she's still just warming up her pipes here.
Maybe 40 people are left at the Ashland Armory as Democratic revelers take history home with them.
Lots of group hugs and the final "We We're Here" photos are getting snapped as the caterers clean tables.
Most of the media is gone, replaced by a string of stragglers picking through the remnants of the appetizer and dessert tables.
That's got to be proof that the Blue Bash is ready to fade to black.
Cue the 300-pound Diva in pigtails.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The fat lady must have sung
It's quiet and kids are taking the balloons outside to pop them. Incumbent State Rep. Sal Esquivel and some of his supporters are still here, nervously waiting for new numbers -- the latest figures show him trailing challenger Lynn Howe by a few hundred votes.
Local GOP Chairman Bryan Platt is going through the bills and trying to keep his head from totally plugging up from a head cold -- he's been living on cold medicine and adrenaline. He's stayed remarkably upbeat and energetic through it all, probably more upbeat than about 90 percent of the people who were in the room tonight.
The end is sight, at least for this blog -- in fact, the end is here.
Local GOP Chairman Bryan Platt is going through the bills and trying to keep his head from totally plugging up from a head cold -- he's been living on cold medicine and adrenaline. He's stayed remarkably upbeat and energetic through it all, probably more upbeat than about 90 percent of the people who were in the room tonight.
The end is sight, at least for this blog -- in fact, the end is here.
IT'S NOT OVER
The Blue Bash is fading fast.
A crowd of about 500 is down to fewer than 70 as the Dems go out to enjoy their historic day.
Not so fast, Jim Olney!
Olney is locked in a dead heat with C.W. Smith for Smith's seat on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, and the results are trickling in.
Some SNAFU at the Jackson County Courthouse has left results at a standstill.
Olney's less than 200 votes down. He's not going anywhere soon.
"I knew it was going to be a long night," he says.
Vote tallies should be updated soon.
A crowd of about 500 is down to fewer than 70 as the Dems go out to enjoy their historic day.
Not so fast, Jim Olney!
Olney is locked in a dead heat with C.W. Smith for Smith's seat on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, and the results are trickling in.
Some SNAFU at the Jackson County Courthouse has left results at a standstill.
Olney's less than 200 votes down. He's not going anywhere soon.
"I knew it was going to be a long night," he says.
Vote tallies should be updated soon.
Walden's opponent a no-show
No one expected Noah Lemas to defeat Greg Walden in the race for the 2nd District congressional seat, but most thought he would at least make an effort. He didn't, and Walden has 73 percent of the vote at this point.
Lemas may have come to Medford during the campaign, but we've never talked to anyone who actually saw him.
Walden said he first thought his opponent would be a young woman from Christmas Valley, but it turned out she was actually too young to run for Congress. Walden said that he had visited Christmas Valley for the first time only a few weeks before she announce she was going to run against him.
He must have said something to set her off. But, then, in the 2nd District, there's not danger that any candidate will beat the incumbent Republican. It's even tougher if they're from Christmas Valley or if they make no effort whatsoever.
Lemas may have come to Medford during the campaign, but we've never talked to anyone who actually saw him.
Walden said he first thought his opponent would be a young woman from Christmas Valley, but it turned out she was actually too young to run for Congress. Walden said that he had visited Christmas Valley for the first time only a few weeks before she announce she was going to run against him.
He must have said something to set her off. But, then, in the 2nd District, there's not danger that any candidate will beat the incumbent Republican. It's even tougher if they're from Christmas Valley or if they make no effort whatsoever.
OBAMA BRINGS CANDY WILLIAMS HOPE
Candy Williams stood in the back of the Ashland Armory, her hands against her red-white-and-blue sweater and wept as Obama talked about moving America forward.
"This is the first time in a long time I've broken out this sweater," says Williams, of Ashland. "For me, this is the first time in a long time that I feel like I'm proud to be an American."
Yes, she says, Obama seemed to talk right from the Chicago stage to her here in Ashland.
"I think everybody feels that," Williams says. "Just look at the faces of everybody in the crowd.
"This is history," Williams says.
She dabbed away another tear.
"The last one who did anything for me was Kennedy," she says.
But Obama's no Kennedy, Williams says.
"He was really something special," she says.
"This is the first time in a long time I've broken out this sweater," says Williams, of Ashland. "For me, this is the first time in a long time that I feel like I'm proud to be an American."
Yes, she says, Obama seemed to talk right from the Chicago stage to her here in Ashland.
"I think everybody feels that," Williams says. "Just look at the faces of everybody in the crowd.
"This is history," Williams says.
She dabbed away another tear.
"The last one who did anything for me was Kennedy," she says.
But Obama's no Kennedy, Williams says.
"He was really something special," she says.
OBAMA CONTINUED
At the Blue Bash, the Democrats are looking as if they feel Obama speaking directly to them through the big screen.
Very little clapping or talking. They are soaking in Obama's talk of tough work to come. No one's left the house.
He's talking foreign policy and the crowd perks up.
Very little clapping or talking. They are soaking in Obama's talk of tough work to come. No one's left the house.
He's talking foreign policy and the crowd perks up.
Obama speaks, but will anyone hear?
The room is rapidly emptying out, even as Barack Obama gives his acceptance speech.
"I can't even stand to listen to him speak," says one woman on her way out the door.
A lot of small groups chatting, maybe 20 of the 100 or so people in the room listening to Obama.
"I can't even stand to listen to him speak," says one woman on her way out the door.
A lot of small groups chatting, maybe 20 of the 100 or so people in the room listening to Obama.
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