I Haven't Felt This Calm & Confident Since Bubba Cleaned Dole's Clock in 1996

[stopbush]

President Obama will be re-elected. No doubt about it. Five days out from the election and I have that same feeling of an inevitable Democratic win as I did back in 1996 when there was no question that Clinton/Gore were going to trounce Dole/Kemp. And trounce them they did, winning 379 EVs in the process.

Now, I don't see President Obama winning 379 EVs. I see him winning 300-330 EVs. But I still feel a blow-out coming.

I've been voting D since 1972, and there have been very few elections where I wasn't biting my nails right down to the wire. 1996 was one of those few years where my nails remained perfectly manicured.

There have also been elections where I refused to believe the polls and thought my candidate had a chance. Mondale & Dukakis fit into that category.

This time, I'm not biting my nails and I'm not questioning the polls.

We're winning. The clock has run out on Rmoney. The public HAS made their decision, and it's for President Obama.

[frazzled]

1. Well, I sure hope your feelings are right

Cause I'm a nervous wreck. I lurch between the kind of confidence you describe and cold-sweat fear of a nightmare scenario that's as bad as 2000. I don't know if I can take it if that happens again.

[mnhtnbb]

2. I worry about Florida. They are so f*cked up with registrations, machines, and shenanigans...

but I see Obama getting to 270 without Florida.

[reflection]

13. I'm glad we have a realistic path without FL.

It's kept me from worrying about it. If we absolutely had to have it, I'd be a mess for the reasons you describe.

[buckyblue]

7. Me. too.

I daren't express it here, as I will get the "your concern is duly noted, just joined troll" type responses.

But me too. I feel deep down that our electorate is highly polarized, and it is just a handful of undecideds who will choose our

President.


And the victory for either side will be razor thin. I have had a headache for two days, and will have one until I know who won.

Days from now.

[sufrommich]

3. I agree. I have no doubt that Obama will have a

second term.

[Gin]

4. After the first debate, i felt anxious about the pres.......after the second one..when he showed he

Was back and fighting.....i felt an odd sense of calm.....still feel that way...

[yellowcanine]

5. I am not THAT confident but I am cautiously optimistic.

2000 and 2004 sort of ruined it for me as far as being real confident of anything anymore. At one point on election night in both 2000 and 2004 I really thought we had it won. Dang. Dang. Dang.

[BigDemVoter]

6. Me too. . .

I feel calm & confident, and I have voted in PLENTY of LOSING elections, but that will NOT happen this time. Romney is going down the toilet!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. I Knew The Duke And Mondale Had No Chance. Ditto For Carter (80)

Most elections aren't that hard to pick if you rely on math and not your heart.

[Maximumnegro]

14. Bingo.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

17. Yeah. I Never Bought The "Reagan Snatched Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat" Myth

A myth that is largely a product of Gallup's flawed polling that year.

[SubgeniusHasSlack]

9. Landslide so large that republickcons' planned election fraud will be inadequate

to steal the election from The People.

This will be a stinging repudiation of the radical teabagiban and will implode the republickcon party with only a small remnant of moderate, bipartisans that will survive their party's romnocalypse.

FORWARD!

[flamingdem]

10. I'm getting optimistic

[yodermon]

11. sorry, had that feeling in 2004, especially during the day on election day.

won't get fooled again

[DemocratSinceBirth]

15. That's Because Raw Exit Polls Were Released

But most aggregators like Professor Wang nailed the results.

[Maximumnegro]

16. yeah but the math was against kerry

handwringers refuse to look at the math and the campaign as a whole everything is a battered wife syndrome of flinching and thinking every day is 2000 and 2004. It's the same kind of denial that drives the wingnuts in the opposite direction.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. Can I have some of that? I need it because my nerves are SHOT! SHOT, I say!

[Douglas Carpenter]

18. even the much venerated Nate Silver gives Romney a greater than one in five chance - that is still a

good chance. Even the much venerated Nate Silver is calculating that Romney will get at least 237 electoral votes and 48.6% of the popular vote - that is still well within striking distance.

I think Obama will most probably win too. But in 1996 there was no plausible path to victory for Robert Dole - he was not within striking distance. Although the data unquestionably favors Obama at this time - there remains nonetheless a plausible route to victory for Romney and he certainly does remain in striking distance - even if the data at this time clearly favors Obama.