Alaska Squeaker

This just in from the Anchorage Daily News:

The elections division still has over 10,000 ballots left to count today and thousands more through next week, but the latest numbers show Mark Begich leading Sen. Ted Stevens 125,019 to 125,016.

The new numbers, reflecting nearly 43,000 absentee ballots counted today, are from all over the state. Election night, Ted Stevens led the Democratic Begich by about 3,000 votes.

UPDATE: You can get the latest results here.

Related Topics: Uncategorized
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  • trifecta

    No, No, No, No, No, NO!
    .
    Sorry, channeling my inner Ted here.

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    Okay throughout the Sara Palin debacle I’ve consistently refrained from making any Alaska generalization jokes because I was an original fan of Northern Exposure — But now after this vote count thing I’m thinking that as soon as we tackle the alternative energy thing we ought to trade Alaska for Puerto Rico that way we won’t have to redo the flag or the DNC’s 50 state strategy.

  • trifecta

    Todd’s old party seems to be the spoiler. The AIP candidate is pulling 7% of the votes totaled today. They are to this race as Ralph Nader was to Florida 2000.

  • bobcn1

    Does this mean that God just closed a door?

  • trifecta

    I lived in Alaska for 3 years Dee. I didn’t follow Wasilla city council politics at the time so I missed out. I think she was a second string sports personality on the tv station at the time. I didn’t remember her to be honest.

  • gysgt213

    Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me
    I ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed
    She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb
    In the shape of an “L” on her forehead
    .
    Well the years start coming and they don’t stop coming
    Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running
    Didn’t make sense not to live for fun
    Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    I don’t get it, how do you support secession and then run for an office which will require you to take an oath to protect and defend an idea that you personally loath — and who votes for you. I’m starting to think that Alaska is a little too quirky to let out alone.

  • http://www.ghostnote.com Cookie Puss

    Give it back to Russia.

  • gysgt213

    Dee,
    .
    Because the other guy is pals with terrorist. Also you should really just get in there and try to keep up. Just sayin.

  • gysgt213

    Srah and John. A love story gone wrong. NC-17.

    VAN SUSTEREN: I take it you get off the plane, and did you go right to his home or his apartment or…
    .
    GOV. SARAH PALIN, R-ALASKA, FMR VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Went — no, went to — it was the next morning that we went to his ranch and spoke with him there and spoke with Cindy there and had just a great conversation about how much alike we were, I think, regarding, you know, having to take on our own party, having to make a lot of — take a lot of political risks — both of our careers were full of that — and knowing that that’s what America needed at the time, though, was, we believed, a team of mavericks, literally a team of mavericks, those who had a track record of taking on the good old boy network, taking on those in the party, taking shots all the time from the other party, also — both of us have gone through this — and understanding also that what as governor I’ve been able to accomplish and how that can help the nation, so — so much in common and great conversations, and then, you know, by…
    .
    VAN SUSTEREN: Did he pop the question? Almost sounds like getting — you know, like — I mean, how do you ask someone? I mean, what does he say? Does he turn to you and say, you know, Governor Palin — I mean, what — how does he do this? How does he ask you?
    .
    PALIN: He just looking right in my eyes and saying, Are you ready for this? Would you like to do this? And I said, I would be honored to run with you. Absolutely. And I thanked him for taking the chance on me also.

    http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,450549,00.html

  • sue_n

    As a Texan, it’s nice having another state’s politics to look down on.
    .
    Then I remember that we reelected Big John.
    .
    Sigh.

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    ha ha funny gunny
    .
    If only there was a way to invest in psychiatry-r-us or something. Because these folks are batsh1t crazy and I can envision a serious rise in billable hours over the next 4 years.

  • jarais

    Alaska: Like Venezuela, except it’s farther from the equator and closer to God.

  • sgwhiteinfla

    I dont know if anybody mentioned it but Evan Bayh is a major league wus. That guy should NEVER be considered for President or VP

  • gysgt213

    Watch Evan Bayh and is BS on Rachel. She should have just reach through the screen and punch the wus in the face.

  • pafro

    I was hoping the America hating Alaskan Independence Party.
    Hey, remember when you all refused to investigate whether Sarah and Todd were AIP infiltrators? That was almost worse than your denial that McCain and the terrorist G. Gordon “headshots” Liddy were “pallin’ around”.
    When the next Ruby Ridge/Oklahoma City bombing style creep pops up I hope you all examine how your denial enables these America haters.

  • sgwhiteinfla

    gysgt
    .
    I was a little dissappointed that Rachel didnt go after his whiny azz. Ohhhhhh he might quit the senate or ohhhhhhhhh he might switch to republican. Ohhhhhhhhhhh he needs to apologize.
    .
    That dude made me want to throw up. I swear this is playing right into the “Democrats are spineless” meme.
    .
    Like I said before, if hey don’t strip that sonofabeyatch of his chairmanship I am going to root for him to stab them in the back over and over because they deserve it.
    .
    They have the perfect opportunity to strip his azz right now and that bullsh!t he was saying about taking the chairmanship later is not in the realm of possibliity. If they try to strip him AFTER they allow him to keep the chairmanship now you can kiss that pipe dream good by because the rethugs will scream bloody murder if they try to do something later. They will say that the Democrats are politicizing the committee and they will say the Democrats are stifling Lieberman’s right to free speech and the right to make his own decisions. I really can’t believe that Rachel let him get away from shoveling that obvious pile of bullsh!t at her.
    .
    http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/12/15812/777/90/659953
    .
    Joe gotta go!

  • Paul-no not that one

    Speaking of close elections I make Franken 6-5 to take Coleman’s seat.

  • gysgt213

    SG, The dems have got to win the award for the worst opposition ever. The republicans should win every year by default. I have always thought that if there was only one republican in the congress he or she if they wanted could defeat the dems with one hand. That’s how totally weak they are.

  • Matt

    Since this is an election overseen by a Palin administration in Alaska, there should be no charges or accusations of tampering. Begich just followed the national trend of getting more Dems to vote early/absentee.

    http://www.political-buzz.com/

  • Paul-no not that one

    IF Lieberman’s fate is held in the senate Democrats hands and IF Shummer, Durbin, and Reid are for taking away Lieberman’s Homeland Security Chair THEN out he goes and BHO has kept his hands clean.
    Members won’t go against the Leader and the Whip.

  • sgwhiteinfla

    gysgt
    .
    That is EXACTLY why I switched my official political affliation from Democrat to independent. Sometimes I have no comeback to my republican friends who talk sh!t about Democrats and that pisses me off to no end. Its like Evan Bayh WANTS the whole of the country to laugh at the Dems. Nothing about his argument for keeping Joe Lieberman made any sense. He might take his ball and go home. Phuck it buy him a ticket. He might switch sides. NEWSFLASH he did that for the last 2 years. We need him to push through progressive legislation. LIEberman actively campaigned for republican senators so the Dems WOULDN’T get to 60. What the phuck would make them think that he is going to help them get to 60 on any key piece of legislation? Bigger than that why not call the Republican pricks bluff and actually make them use a filibuster. That will just make the country turn more and more against them!
    .
    But like I said I also fault Rachel Maddow for giving Bayh the softball treatment. I guess because she is just starting out she doesn’t want to cross anybody that might come back on the show but somehow I don’t think anybody is going to be tuning in to the Rachel Maddow show to hear what the phuck Evan Bayh has to say.

  • gysgt213

    SG, That’s why I got in there and became a independent too. We are a team of independents. Also.

  • Paul-no not that one

    And as for Bayh’s suggestion that Joe would resign his seat let me explain why that would never happen-
    .
    In March 2005, Lieberman’s wife, Hadassah, joined the Hill & Knowlton lobbying firm

  • sgwhiteinfla

    gysgt
    .
    you betcha! lol
    .
    I could actually hear Sarah Palin’s voice while I was reading your comment. Scary

  • sgwhiteinfla

    If anybody is looking for some fresh new palinese just go to the 3:50 mark of this clip
    .

  • fense

    Why can’t a convict get elected? Here in Missouri we elected Mel Carnahan, and he was dead.

  • davemc321

    Team of mavericks? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Or just stupid?

  • trifecta

    Stevens (R) 131,382
    Begich (D) 132,196
    .
    More votes to be counted Friday.

  • kathy

    It’s hard not to think that Stevens forgot about adding enough to his fixed total to overtake the potential lead Begich would have from absentee and early votes.

  • palininatowel

    Please, no more posting of Palin interview transcripts. At least until someone comes up with a translation software. Reading her incoherent gibberish gives me a headache.
    -
    You know what would be really fun? Having Joe the Plumber interview Palin!

  • palininatowel

    As for Evan Bayh, what a monumental disappointment he must be to his father, Birch.

  • judgementz

    Wow Sgw,

    I thought you where a daily kook nut the way you railed on about my views calling me a neocon, wingnut, (insert clever republican slander here). However, you didn’t bother to ask me if I was. You just assumed. I am actually a registered independent. I just happen to have conservative views. I don’t like republicans as much as I have said I don’t like Obama. I am willing to give the guy a chance it is just I don’t like change unless I know what change is going to be. He said a lot of things, and yet has so far alluded to doing the opposite. That in my book is grounds for mistrust. Benjamin Franklin said “Distrust and Caution are the parents of security” and I like that. I will let everyone with their tingly feelings get and this supposed end to racism in this country, and finish all over themselves while I remain skeptical.
    ~
    I would have voted for Obama if he could show me some consistency however, his record was at polar opposites with his campaign promises so we will have to wait and see how that turns out.
    ~
    As to Ted I hope he doesn’t get elected because I don’t want to see more controversy and one party be able to blame the other party of corruption it is so old. Guys in stalls, call girls costing 5 grand a night, just get them all out. I want people with purpose in Washington. The leeches and self-serving need to go republican and democrats. I tell you it does burn me up that Murtha that traitor got elected again. I mean is he ever going to concede how wrong he was for condemning those soldiers and give them a retraction. I also wish that those people he had called rednecks would not have returned that numbskull to Washington.

  • yogi

    Anyone else find it odd how long it takes to count some 500,000 or so votes? I mean I know Alaska is big and the hibernating grizzly bear vote was late coming in because the messenger was groggy, but seriously, its only half a million votes.

  • Hammerlock

    Welp, if this holds, so much for Senator Palin.
    .
    She’ll be officially exiled to the land of meth and snow.

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