Hello all, and welcome to a long night of wishing, hoping and waiting for the results of the 2008 Presidential Election. As the night progresses, I will be updating this blog with new thoughts, insights and tidbits on the gradual outcome of the electoral votes.

For a live updated map of the results of the electoral votes, head to MSN.com

10:17 PM

Obama won. Unfortunately I predicted correctly. I voted despite peers telling me I was wasting my time since Illinois was going to Obama anyways, but at least I exercised my right to have a voice.

I’m happy African-Americans can celebrate in the election of the first African-American president of the United States. It’s about time the racial divide was broken. I do not, however, believe Barack Obama was the best choice for the job.

Congrats to those who voted for Obama.

Condolences to those who voted for McCain. At least we can complain when things turn sour as we predict they will under Obama.

10:00 PM

Did Obama play football back in the day? He is intercepting states right and left, which went red last election: Iowa and Virginia, in addition to New Mexico and Ohio are now added to Obama’s total of votes (now at 220).

McCain is doing great with winning big area states, but they don’t carry much weight vote-wise, which is what McCain needs desperately right now.

And Florida isn’t looking so hot right now for McCain, and thus his chances of winning, let alone qualifying to win. McCain is approximately 200,000 votes behind Obama with 80% of the votes already counted according to ABC.com. If Florida goes, so does McCain’s chances of winning the election.

9:30 PM

Where oh where did West Virginia votes go?

RealClearPolitics.com makes it unclear! It contrasts with MSN.com as well as CNN.com who have McCain as the winner. Don’t color states before the results are in – you’ll give both sides a heart attack (and McCain couldn’t sustain that).

8:55 PM

Ohio (20) and New Mexico (5) go to Obama, which you can bet is making McCain sweat since those states helped Bush win in 2004. Florida will be McCain’s only life raft if he can hold on, since he won Texas – a huge help bringing in a whopping 34 electoral votes. Obama is now 70 votes away from qualifying to win and McCain is 146 votes away.

8:30 PM

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a hologram?

CNN has gone holographic! Reporter Jessica Yellin appears as a hologram on CNN. Check out this video at CNN.com in case you missed it.

8:00 PM

No worries, McCain supporters. The results so far mirror the 2004 election according to CNN.com. We all know who ended up winning that one so BREATHE!

7:30 PM

Obama takes a big lead with 103 votes with expected wins in Illinois and the majority of New England versus McCain’s 34, who picks up Oklahoma and Tennessee: no surprise there. The next big state is Texas, with 32 votes. If McCain can’t pull off a win in this vote-heavy state, he’s going to be in some deep water. He’s predicted to win it, but the polls show Obama currently in the lead.

For those of you already in need of a break from the counting, check out this Web site:

PalinAsPresident.us. Click on everything and make sure you turn up the volume. I may be conservative but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a sense of humor!

7:03 PM

The states to watch now are Florida (27 electoral votes), North Carolina (15), Virginia (13) and Missouri (11). Every vote counts!

McCain wins South Carolina (8) for a total of 16 electoral votes versus Obama’s 3.

Visit PoliticalMaps.org to see the predictions for the states.

6:30 PM

McCain starts off with the lead by winning Kentucky (8 electoral votes) while Obama takes Vermont (3 electoral votes).

5:55 PM

Before the first votes are announced, I would like to make a prediction as to the winner of the presidential election: Barack Obama. Yes, I’m a staunch conservative Republican, but I’m also realistic. Now that’s not to say I don’t think John McCain has a chance. I wouldn’t have voted if I thought I was wasting my time. In my mind, Obama has more public appeal and less experience overall while McCain has the experience with less public appeal (I must commend the Obama camp for tying McCain to “another 4 years of Bush” because I believe the strategy worked). But until the last vote is counted, McCain / Palin for the White House!