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Friday roundup: transition edition

11.15.08 | Political reporters all over the nation are experiencing election postpartum depression. If you're reading this blog, you might suffer from it, too. It works like this: After months of mounting intrigue and 24/7 media coverage, voters go to the po...

Barack Obama may tap Hillary Clinton to be his Secretary of State

11.15.08 | A secret meeting between <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a> and <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/hillary-rodham-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a> yesterday has set rumors swirling that the President-elect might tap his former rival to be his Secretary of State. The pair <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5izQosMtCfjNjE1uAP6fQV2BZ_qWwD94EOPO00">met Thursday afternoon</a> at Obama's office in downtown Chicago, Ti...

An insider's story: Why Barack Obama was not Swift Boated

11.15.08 | Now that the campaign is over, the back-stories are being told.Here’s one about the Swift Boat that didn’t happen, related by Republican adman Larry McCarthy at a California Chamber of Commerce post-election gathering this week at Torrey Pines in ...

William Ayers defends himself and his relationship with Barack Obama on 'Good Morning America'

11.15.08 | [UPDATE BELOW]For months, William Ayers was one of the most talked-about men in America. Ayers, who was a radical antiwar protester in the 1960s and who now teaches at the University of Illinois-Chicago, was ridiculed as a "washed-up terrorist" by...

John McCain calls himself a crybaby

11.15.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/14/crybaby.jpg"><img title="John McCain" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/14/crybaby.jpg" border="0" height="360" alt="John McCain" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="blank">John McCain</a> hit the campaign trail in Georgia on Thursday.No, this is isn't Groundhog Day. McCain was stumping for somebody else. He was in Cobb, Ga. to rally support for Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss, who is locked a tough runoff battle with D...

Barack Obama won labor support. Now labor seeks his support

11.14.08 | <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"blank"">Barack Obama might not be president-elect without the tens of millions that organized labor spent on his behalf.Now, a union-backed organization is hoping to hold O...

Elton John is enlisted as an unlikely ally for pro-Proposition 8 fundraising efforts

11.14.08 | <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prop813-2008nov13,0,7324959.story" target="_"blank"">Protests and vandalism mounted by advocates of same-sex marriage are being used by promoters of Proposition 8 as a fundraising tool.Jeff Flint, m...

'Most dangerous VP we've had' Cheney welcomes Biden, who said that

11.14.08 | It was the political summit of two professional politicians, the departing vice president, who may be the most powerful No. 2 in American presidential history, and the incoming vice president, who has publicly said some pretty mean stuff about his...

Obama quits Senate after 46 months--21 of them seeking another job

11.14.08 | Well, <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama's</a> Senate career didn't last long -- about 46 months.<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/13/jacksonfamily.jpg"><img title="The other Jackson family Jesse and Jesse Jr who might inherit Barack Obama's Senate seat" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/13/jacksonfamily.jpg" border="0" height="211" alt="The other Jackson family Jesse and Jesse Jr who might inherit Barack Obama's Senate seat" width="300" /></a> But long enough to mount a 21-month campaign to move on to bigger digs. The Democratic president-elect announced today he'll resign his Illinois seat in the U.S. Senate on Sun...

Michael Steele bids to be first African American chair of RNC

11.14.08 | The fallout starts from the political demolition the Republicans experienced in last week's presidential balloting:Michael Steele, former Maryland lieutenant governor and unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate, announced this evening his candidacy to ...

Sarah Palin, 2 standing O's from Republican governors

11.14.08 | They like her. They really like her.<a href="http://http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/sarah-palin-gov.html#more" target="_blank">As The Ticket forecast yesterday</a>, Alaska Gov. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin" target="_blank">Sarah Palin</a> spoke to the Republican Governors Assn. in Miami today and its invited donors. Despite a sometimes rambling delivery, the national newcomer who electrifi...

Unveiled: The sad tale of Marty Eisenstadt

11.14.08 | Once upon a time there was a boy named Martin. He was a sickly child growing up in rural Austria in a family so poor that it couldn't afford its own last name.<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/13/eisenstadtcathedral.jpg"><img title="Eisenstadt Cathedral which would not admit Martin Eisenstadt" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/13/eisenstadtcathedral.jpg" border="0" height="290" alt="Eisenstadt Cathedral which would not admit Martin Eisenstadt" width="290" /></a>So, Martin's father, Vince, and his mother, coincidentally named Vince, took the name of...

Calif. Speaker's solution for state deficit: U.S. taxpayers chip in billions

11.14.08 | Not that many people outside of California care, but according to Gov. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/arnold-schwarzenegger" target="_blank">Arnold Schwarzenegger</a>, the state faces a nearly $25 billion budget deficit. As the rich man that he is, the former movie star favors everybody else helping out by making his st...

Barack Obama taps ex-Fannie Mae lobby boss to review the State Department

11.14.08 | Way back in the 2008 presidential race, <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_"blank"">John McCain’s campaign manager, Rick Davis, got lots of unwanted attention for his ties to the failed home mortgage lender, F...

Barack Obama's labor secretary won't be George Miller, Miller says

11.14.08 | There will be smart speculation about <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"blank"">Barack Obama's picks for Cabinet posts, and there will be wrong speculation. In the case of George Miller, the speculation may...

Transition alert: Obama's change agenda on-hold til DNC debts are paid

11.13.08 | The Ticket reported, jokingly, the other day about the latest <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> fundraising appeal.He's the fellow who raised way more than $605 million and, would you believe it, won the presidential election campaign to bring real change to Washingto...

GOP govs meet and seek to, uh, not talk about Sarah Palin

11.13.08 | For the last five or six decades, the Republican Party always seems to do better on the presidential level when it offers the country a chief executive -- governors mainly, but also generals, VPs, maybe someday business types.Think Eisenhower (gen...

It's confirmed: Rahm Emanuel is reaching out to Republicans

11.13.08 | Soon-to-be-ex-Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois-- who even by Washington standards has stood out as a hard-edged, partisan in-fighter -- is making good on his pledge to take a different tack as he gears up for his new job as <a href="http://topics.lat...

Nine years later the N.Y. Times still awaits its Bush interview

11.13.08 | During the presidential primary campaign season of 1999-2000, the New York Times publisher, Arthur Sulzberger (the junior one), got up at a large banquet in New York City and took the opportunity of the public Q&A to demand to know when then-Texas...

Might an Obama cabinet keep Bush appointee Robert Gates?

11.13.08 | Robert Gates staying on as the secretary of Defense in a <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> Democratic administration?The buzz about it being a possibility has been building, especially once some Obama advisors praised the quiet, tough <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/george-w-bush" target="_blank">Bush appointee</a>. Now, word of Gate...

Kamala Harris, an early Barack Obama backer, begins her ascent

11.13.08 | San Francisco Dist. Atty. Kamala Harris, one of <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"blank"">Barack Obama's earliest California backers, announced today that she is running for California attorney general in 2...

Googling Google: More than ever, it's become a political player

11.12.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/11/googlelogo.jpg"><img title="The logo of Google now becoming much more of a political player and spender in Washington and Sacramento" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/11/googlelogo.jpg" border="0" height="195" alt="The logo of Google now becoming much more of a political player and spender in Washington and Sacramento" width="490" /></a> Google is becoming much more than the search engine that transformed the online information world.It's become a political player, spending increasing sums on lobbying and campaign donations in Washington and Sacramento. It's also becoming a targe...

The Ticket reports on the ticket situation for Inauguration--very tight

11.12.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/11/inaugugcapitol05ap.jpg"><img title="A couple of people gathered on the Capitol steps for Inauguguration Day 2005" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/11/inaugugcapitol05ap.jpg" border="0" height="379" alt="A couple of people gathered on the Capitol steps for Inauguguration Day 2005" width="490" /></a> Who's gonna know more about Inauguration Day tickets than a blog called The Ticket?After the longest presidential election process in history and the historic election of the nation's first African-American president, demand for tickets to events...

John McCain: No 2012 White House run :-))

11.12.08 | The morning after last week's presidential election Republican Sen. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_blank">John McCain</a> and his wife <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/cindy-mccain" target="_blank">Cindy</a> drove by themselves in Phoenix to get a morning coffee."Not the newspaper," McCain told Jay Leno tonight. "I knew what it was going to say." (See a ...

Another numbers crunch for Barack Obama and John McCain

11.12.08 | One week after election day, the votes in the presidential race continue to dribble in (democracy remains a messy process).CNN, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/" target="_"blank"">on its Website, conscientiously keeps u...

John Edwards - yes, that John - starts his PR rehab tonight

11.12.08 | <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-edwards" target="_blank">John Edwards</a> -- remember him? -- tiptoes back into the public spotlight tonight.Well, not actually a spotlight. His appearance and remarks at Indiana University are closed to all cameras and media. We'll see how long it takes someone to Twitter fr...

With Obama's election settled, California's pols jockey for 2010

11.12.08 | And you thought the election races were over for a while?With the next occupant of the White House settled, jockeying has begun for control of the Sacramento statehouse in this powerful state.For now, it seems that GOP Governator <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/arnold-schwarzenegger" target="_blank">Arnold Schwarzene</a>...

Website map offers bird's eye view of L.A. County's vote on Prop. 8

11.12.08 | For many, one of the surprising aspects of California's passage of a controversial ballot measure banning gay marriage -- Proposition 8 -- was that it won narrow approval in Los Angeles County.Some of our hard-working colleagues at The Times have ...

Tom McClintock makes a habit of running in tight races

11.12.08 | He might become known as Landslide Tom.As in Tom McClintock. Six years ago, McClintock lost a nail-biter to Steve Westly in a run for California State controller.Now, a week after polls closed, Republican McClintock is slightly ahead of Democrat C...

I have the T-shirt of President-elect Obama and that other guy

11.12.08 | Now that the election and expensive campaigning are over and <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> raised well in excess of $610 million, he'd like some more money please.$30 more to be exact. At least.This money isn't for him per se. It seems that in addition to his 6/10...

War? Healthcare? Energy? Recession? Let's play poker

11.12.08 | At a time of war and economic troubles, legislation on Internet gambling may not be high on President-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"blank"">Barack Obama’s to-do list.But the issue is about to rear...

Greta argues with O'Reilly over that Carl Cameron 'gossip' on Sarah Palin

11.12.08 | Greta Van Susteren, as a woman who has fought her way through the mostly-male ranks in the legal profession and the mostly-male world of journalism and the mostly-male broadcast world, has made no secret of her concern over the different standards...

Sarah Palin finds Obama pretty 'cool,' never ordered the clothes and can't predict about '12

11.11.08 | Alaska Gov. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin">Sarah Palin</a> thinks president-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a> is a pretty "cool" guy and she can work with him, especially on alternative energy and energy independence issues crucial to her state.<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/11/mccainpalinstephansavoiaap.jpg"><img title="Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his vice presidential running mate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/11/mccainpalinstephansavoiaap.jpg" border="0" height="197" alt="Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his vice presidential running mate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin" width="270" /></a> Obama phoned Palin during the recently-concluded ca...

Proposition 8 stands, despite protests and court challenges

11.11.08 | As advocates of same-sex marriage turn to courts, protests and perhaps a future ballot measure to overturn Proposition 8, the Yes-on-8 campaign manager declared the measure to be “as over as Barack Obama’s election.”Yes-on-8 strategist Frank Schub...

Bush-basher Obama meets McCain-backer Bush, all cordially

11.11.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/10/obamabushwhhse1110eric_draper.jpg"><img title="President George W. Bush escorts president-elect Barack Obama for his first visit to the White House's historic Oval Office 11-10-08 White House photo by Eric Draper" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/10/obamabushwhhse1110eric_draper.jpg" border="0" height="288" alt="President George W. Bush escorts president-elect Barack Obama for his first visit to the White House's historic Oval Office 11-10-08 White House photo by Eric Draper" width="490" /></a> And then they both went in here and sat down on the beautiful rug that the new puppy will take care of pretty quickly. <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/10/bushobamaovalofficeericdraper.jpg"><img title="President George W. Bush meets with President-elect Barack Obama in the Oval Office 11-10-08--Eric Draper White House photographer" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/10/bushobamaovalofficeericdraper.jpg" border="0" height="437" alt="President George W. Bush meets with President-elect Barack Obama in the Oval Office 11-10-08--Eric Draper White House photographer" width="490" /></a> It's a ritual as old as the white house that the British burned down in the War of 1812 in retaliation for the American sackin...

For Barack Obama backers, kudos from the grave

11.11.08 | In the paid death notice for Hester Holbrook Abrams deep in Sunday's New York Times, the basic biographical information offered no hint that the 66-year-old woman was overtly political.<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/10/obama_2.jpg"></a><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/10/obama_3.jpg"><img title="Democrat Barack Obama on election night" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/10/obama_3.jpg" border="0" height="303" alt="Democrat Barack Obama on election night" width="280" /></a>A devoted mother, yes -- in the 1970s, when this was not yet r...

Ted Stevens leads his Senate race but final results won't be clear for weeks

11.11.08 | The news from Alaska:<a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/ted-stevens" target="_"blank"">Ted Stevens, the felonious Republican senator from Alaska who refuses to give up his seat or acknowledge that he was convicted, continues to lea...

What really worries Bill Kristol about Barack Obama

11.11.08 | How can we resist noting this?Conservative commentator Bill Kristol, in reflecting upon <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"blank"">Barack Obama's political chops, truly has gone to the dogs.Kristol crunches ...

John Burton, formerly of Washington, Sacramento, seeks new job

11.11.08 | John Burton, the former California Senate leader and congressman, has established a committee to raise money for his run for California Democratic Party chairman.Burton filed the papers creating Burton for Democratic P<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/10/john_burton_on_telephone.jpg"><img title="John_burton_on_telephone" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/10/john_burton_on_telephone.jpg" border="0" height="240" alt="John_burton_on_telephone" width="260" /></a>arty Chair with the Internal ...

Clinton acolyte Terry McAuliffe eyes an elective office of his own in Virginia

11.11.08 | With no Clinton White House in the immediate offering, what's a fellow like Terry McAuliffe to do?<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/10/terry.jpg"><img title="Longtime Democratic activist Terry McAuliffe may seek the governorship of Virginia" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/10/terry.jpg" border="0" height="358" alt="Longtime Democratic activist Terry McAuliffe may seek the governorship of Virginia" width="280" /></a> The longtime friend and ally to <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/bill-clinton" target="_"blank"">Bill and <a href="http://topics.l...

Historic Times Obama front-page, posters, printing plates on sale online now

11.10.08 | Good news this morning for far-away Ticket readers who want a copy of the newspaper's historic front page from the post-election <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> victory edition of Nov. 5. (Click on the Read more line below to see the now-famous page.) Perhaps you fo...

With new exec orders, Obama plans U-turns on Bush policies

11.10.08 | As soon as <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> takes the oath of office on Jan. 20, he's going to begin issuing executive orders to show that the "change we need" (to quote a campaign slogan) has arrived. So says John Podesta, head of the Obama transition team, during a...

Ticket blogger Andrew Malcolm on Obama's rally and McCain's slips

11.09.08 | Here's a switch: This is an article written for The Times print edition today by one of The Ticket bloggers. So we're re-publishing it here online. (The other <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/ticket-don.html" target="_blank">blogger's article is available here</a>.)When those 200,000 or however-many <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obamians</a> ...

Ticket blogger Don Frederick on Clinton, Obama, McCain turning points

11.09.08 | Here's a switch: This is an article written for The Times print edition today by The Ticket blogger. So we're re-publishing it here online. (The other <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/ticket-blog.html" target="_blank">blogger's article is available here.)</a>Regardless of what I did for a living, I would have been fo...

Same-sex marriage ban: There's still 2.7 million ballots to count

11.09.08 | Holy smokes, here it is nearly five days after Tuesday's California voting on Prop. 8 to ban same-sex marriage and there are still three times as many ballots uncounted as there are people in the entire state of Montana.Not that Montana is voting ...

Lock and load: AP video says Americans buying up guns since Obama's vicitory

11.09.08 | This was news to us.According to this Associated Press video, there's been a big run on guns in the last couple of months and especially since the election of <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> Tuesday.The stated fear is that he will somehow go along with a large congr...

Barack Obama Radio Address -- Full text and audio

11.09.08 | This is the complete transcript of President-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama's</a> radio address on behalf of the Democratic Party, November 8, 2008.On Tuesday, Americans stood in lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never se...

Ticket Notice: Sunday shows -- Emanuel, Cantor, Reid

11.09.08 | ABC This Week: George Will, Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Cynthia Tucker, Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria and former White House adviser David Gergen.<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/07/emanuelrahmhishseoff.jpg"><img title="Illinois Democrat Representative Rahm Emanuel former Bill Clinton aide now White House chief of staff for Barack Obama" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/07/emanuelrahmhishseoff.jpg" border="0" height="330" alt="Illinois Democrat Representative Rahm Emanuel former Bill Clinton aide now White House chief of staff for Barack Obama" width="250" /></a>CBS Face the Nation: Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, New York Times' David Brooks and Politico's Jo...

Historic Barack Obama front pages by the scores here

11.09.08 | <center><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/07/obamafrontpageb.jpg"><img title="Barack Obama election front page" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/07/obamafrontpageb.jpg" border="0" height="478" alt="Barack Obama election front page" width="400" /></a> </center>As <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/obama-wins-2.html" target="_blank">The Ticket reported here the other day</a>, the historic election this week of Barack Obama to the presidency has caused a run on t<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/07/obamafrontpage2.jpg"><img title="Barack Obama election front page" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/07/obamafrontpage2.jpg" border="0" height="440" alt="Barack Obama election front page" width="260" /></a>he nation's newspapers, as thousands upon thousands seek souvenir copies of the next day's editions.Lines at The Tim...

Did Cliff Huxtable prepare us for Barack Obama?

11.09.08 | Cliff Huxtable thinks his sensible portrayal of Bill Cosby as a hardworking father who cares about his black family, educatin<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/07/billcosbyap.jpg"><img title="Bill Cosby who played Cliff Huxtable on the longrunning Cosby Show on NBC about a black family" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/07/billcosbyap.jpg" border="0" height="317" alt="Bill Cosby who played Cliff Huxtable on the longrunning Cosby Show on NBC about a black family" width="240" /></a>g and caring for his children, probably played a role in preparing American society for this week's election of its first ...

A lone Republican leader defends Sarah Palin while McCain's mum

11.08.08 | Yes, it's shocking, we know here at The Ticket. But there is at least one prominent Republican sticking up for Alaska Gov. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin" target="_blank">Sarah Palin</a>. Go figure. Her presidential running mate sure isn't.The 44-year-old working mom singlehandedly energized the pa...

Election over, Jeremiah Wright is talking again, now on media and Obama

11.08.08 | Here's a name from the not-so-dim past: The retired Rev. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/rev-jeremiah-wright" target="_blank">Jeremiah Wright</a>, whose incendiary video sermons caused such <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/jeremiah-wright.html">a furor last winter/spring</a> when his parishoner of 20 years, <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a>, said he'd missed the bad ones and could no more disown h...

Forget Iran, jobs, taxes. What about Obama's first dog, er, First Dog?

11.08.08 | President-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> met with part of his transition team Friday to talk about the nation's evolving economic troubles.But the compelling issue on at least one reporter's mind was, what about the Obama family's promised dog?The about-to-be...

President-elect Obama's first gaffe: a slap at Nancy Reagan

11.08.08 | In a hasty and wise bit of damage control, President-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> quickly telephoned former First Lady Nancy Reagan this afternoon to apologize for "a careless and offhanded remark" he made about her this morning during his first post-electi...

Barack Obama's economic advisory board has been very good to him

11.08.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/07/obamaecon.jpg"><img title="Obamaecon" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/07/obamaecon.jpg" border="0" height="189" alt="Obamaecon" width="240" /></a> President-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"blank"">Barack Obama’s Transition Economic Advisory Board includes several people who were helpful to the economics of Obama’s presidential campaign.In fac...

After McCain's decisive defeat, Republicans assess how they lost

11.08.08 |
With Tuesday's crushing presidential results already in the history books, conscientious Republican Party technicians immediately plunge right to work exploring what went wrong in the long, losing GOP campaign.

Amazing campaign video: 21 months, 1,000 pictures, 4 minutes

11.08.08 | The entire 21-month 2007-'08 presidential campaign in four minutes. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_blank">John McCain.</a> <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a>. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/hillary-rodham-clinton" target="_blank">Hillary Clinton</a>. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin" target="_blank">Sarah Palin.</a> <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/joe-biden" target="_blank">Joe Who's-it.</a> <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/mitt-romney" target="_blank">Mitt Romney</a>. Hillary. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/rudolph-w-giuliani" target="_blank">Rudy Giuliani</a>. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/bill-clinton" target="_blank">Bill.</a> <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/fred-thompson" target="_blank">Fred Thompson</a>. Hillary. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-edwards" target="_blank">John Edwards.</a> Hillary. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/mike-huckabee" target="_blank">Mike Huckabee</a>. Buc...

Here are Rahm Emanuel's top priorities as White House chief of staff

11.08.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/06/obamarahmchasrexarbogastap.jpg"><img title="Democrat president-elect Barack Obama confers with his new White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/06/obamarahmchasrexarbogastap.jpg" border="0" height="339" alt="Democrat president-elect Barack Obama confers with his new White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel" width="490" /></a> Here are the very first few things <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/rahm-emanuel" target="_blank">Rahm Emanuel</a>, president-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama's</a> White House chief of staff-designate, is going to do. And they're gonna disappoint the DailyKos crowd:First, be fast out of the gate. Be well-organized.Be moderate.Ru...

Later: Live blog of Barack Obama's first press conference as president-elect

11.08.08 | In about half an hour, we will be live blogging <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">Barack Obama's</a> first press conference as president-elect.He is expected to talk mostly about the economy. Tune in around 11:20 a.m. PST.-- Kate LinthicumIf you're hopelessly interested in politics as...

James Dobson's Focus on the Family praises Prop. 8 and passes the collection plate

11.08.08 | Focus on the Family, the evangelical organization based in Colorado that led the fight to ban same-sex marriage in California, sees no need to hide its light -- and pass the collection plate again.The conservative organization's founder, James Dob...

Complete transcript of Pres.-elect Barack Obama's first news conference

11.08.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/07/obamafirstnewsconfstanhondaafpgty.jpeg"><img title="In Chicago president-elect Barack Obama hlolds his first news conference since the election after meeting with his economic advisors" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/07/obamafirstnewsconfstanhondaafpgty.jpeg" border="0" height="292" alt="In Chicago president-elect Barack Obama hlolds his first news conference since the election after meeting with his economic advisors" width="490" /></a> Complete Remarks of President-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> in Chicago at his first news conference since the election, following a meeting with his economic advisory board for the transition. (UPDATE: The Ticket's live-blogging during the news <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/barack-obama-pr.html" target="_blank">conference i</a>...

Live blogging Barack Obama's first press conference as president-elect

11.08.08 | (UPDATE: A complete transcript of the news conference is available far below <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/obama-transcrip.html" target="_blank">or here.)<img title="Barack Obama gives his first press conference as president-elect" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/07/ddd_2.jpg" border="0" height="180" alt="Barack Obama gives his first press conference as president-elect" width="273" /></a> 12:26 p.m. It's over. Obama’s first press conference lasted only about 20 minutes. Although Obama did acknowledge the direness of the current financial crisis, ...

'South Park's' creator on his tricky Obama beat McCain election episode

11.07.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/06/1212_aboutlastnight1_2.jpg"><img title="A scene from this week's South Park involving Democrat Barack Obama being elected president" class="image-full" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/06/1212_aboutlastnight1_2.jpg" border="0" alt="A scene from this week's South Park involving Democrat Barack Obama being elected president" /></a> "South Park" co-creator Trey Parker was elated when he heard the news Tuesday night that <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> had won the presidency. That's not because he bought into Obama's promises for change, or because he dislikes <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_blank">John McCain</a> -- in fact, Parker say...

Joe Lieberman, McCain backer and ex-Democrat, starts the dance to keep his Senate committee chair, which looks not so good right now

11.07.08 | Well, looks like it's time for <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/joe-lieberman" target="_blank">Joe the Senator</a> to pay the political piper. Joe Lieberman is the Democrat senator from Connecticut who was his party's VP nominee just 8 years ago but got dumped by his state party in 2006 over his Iraq war stand, go...

National map of McCain-Obama presidential voting by county

11.07.08 | Here's a good reason why more loyal Ticket readers should take a little time to wander around elsewhere on LATimes.com. Yes, we know the map was in the newspaper. But most of our readers don't get the LA Times, silly people.So here's a <a href="http://projects.latimes.com/graphics/2008-presidential-election-results-by-county/" target="_blank">wonderful m</a>...

B Obama's win makes 4 huge txt msg spike

11.07.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/06/obamablackberry_4.jpg"><img title="Text messages surged the night that Barack Obama won the presidency" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/06/obamablackberry_4.jpg" border="0" height="161" alt="Text messages surged the night that Barack Obama won the presidency" width="240" /></a> The real winner on Nov. 4 wasn't <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/08/barack-obama-fa.html" target="blank">Barack Obama</a>. It was the cellphone industry. Text messaging spiked on election night, service providers say, with AT&T reporting a 44% surge in traffic. That's the largest increase in text messaging in the company...

Barack Obama works the phone, internationally

11.07.08 | Barack Obama talked with Nicolas Sarkozy today.Truly, the president of France himself, not those imposters who pulled one over on Sarah Palin (listen below, in case you haven't caught up with that memorable moment in Campaign '08).An aide to Obama...

David Geffen told Barack Obama to run for president way back in 2004

11.07.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/06/geffen_2.jpg"><img title="Barack Obama supporter David Geffen" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/06/geffen_2.jpg" border="0" height="371" alt="Barack Obama supporter David Geffen" width="240" /></a> Victory, as John F. Kennedy famously said, has a thousand fathers. Now Hollywood mogul David Geffen is one of those making a paternal claim on <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="blank">Barack Obama's</a> big win, The <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2008/11/geffen-on-obama.html" target="blank">Times' Patrick Goldstein reports</a>.Geffen tells Goldstein that he knew that O...

Matchups for the 2012 presidential election -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

11.07.08 | Yes, that was the subject line on the e-mail. And what can we say, we're hopeless. We eagerly checked it out ... and got our just deserts.Here's what the folks from the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., had sent:<blockquote dir="ltr">Di</blockquote>...

Rahm Emanuel's hire by Barack Obama sparks predictable -- and surprising -- GOP responses

11.07.08 | Rep. Rahm Emanuel's reputation as a hard-core, hard-charging Democratic partisan preceded him in most of the Republican reaction to his selection as White House chief of staff for <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" ta...

America's political tilt: 'center-right' or altered by Barack Obama's win?

11.07.08 | The great debate, in the wake of the solid Democratic showing at virtually every level in Tuesday's election, is now fully engaged: What is the nation's ideological slant?Jon Meacham of Newsweek fired an <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/164656"...

Jesse Jackson explains those Tuesday-night tears

11.06.08 | Jesse Jackson, who had some of his own unsuccessful presidential campaigns some 20 years ago, was caught on TV last night in the huge crowd in Chicago's Grant Park, listening to President-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>.And weeping.We wrote about the tearful i...

Free at last, loser John McCain walks out for his own coffee

11.06.08 | On his first day of being an historical footnote, Arizona Sen. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_blank">John McCain</a> walked down to his neighborhood Starbuck's for his morning coffee -- all by himself.Having lost the presidential election and <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/mccain-conceeds.html" target="_blank">conceded it generously</a> in front of millions wa...

In one 11-state swath, House Republicans are a vanishing breed

11.06.08 | Aside from John McCain, another defeated Republican garnered a fair share of attention Tuesday night -- Rep. Chris Shays of Connecticut (below), who after fending off several spirited challenges in recent elections finally got knocked off.Since th...

News of Barack Obama's victory brings "relief and joy" around the world

11.06.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/05/obama_paper_2_2.jpg"><img title="Obama_paper_2_2" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/05/obama_paper_2_2.jpg" border="0" height="362" alt="Obama_paper_2_2" width="240" /></a> About a month ago, we pointed out an Economist poll that asked what would happen if the whole world could vote in the U.S. presidential election.The <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/10/what-if-the-who.html" target="blank">conclusion then</a> was that the rest of the world (with the exception of the country of Georgia) pre...

Firtst Ladies transition too; Laura Bush chats with Michelle Obama

11.06.08 | One of the things that amazes people in some other lands is the amazingly peaceful transition between governments in Washington, even when drastically different parties succeed each <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/05/michelleobamanotthedress.jpg"><img title="First Lady-to-be Michelle Obama" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/05/michelleobamanotthedress.jpg" border="0" height="240" alt="First Lady-to-be Michelle Obama" width="340" /></a>other.Yes, right, the <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/bill-clinton" target="_blank">Clinton</a>-<a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/al-gore" target="_blank">Gore</a> folks pried all the "W"'s off ...

What Sarah Palin didn't know, as reported by Fox's Carl Cameron

11.06.08 | Now it can be revealed, Fox News Channel reporter Carl Cameron just told network anchor Shepherd Scott.There WAS tension between between John McCain staff members and Sarah Palin (as other news outlets <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/25/palin.tension/">previously reported</a>), and part of it stemmed ...

Joe Lieberman offers kudos to Barack Obama (a day after singing a different tune)

11.06.08 | Among the avalanche of congratulatory statements crafted by friends and foes of <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a> in the wake of his White House win, many Democrats will cast an especially cold eye on this one. It came via e-mail today from <a href="http://topics.lati...

President Bush: 'It will be a stirring sight' when Barack Obama and family occupy the White House

11.06.08 | At the Republican National Convention eight years ago that officially nominated <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/george-w-bush" target="_"blank"">George W. Bush for president, one of his goals for the party he now headed could no...

Advice to Barack Obama: Look to the GOP to fill some key jobs

11.06.08 | The resumes probably already are streaming <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"blank"">Barack Obama's way. And as he dives into the process of staffing his administration, he'll be getting plenty of public an...

Extra! Extra! Barack Obama's historic win causes a run on newspapers

11.06.08 | (UPDATE: See below.)Today is a good day for president-elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="blank">Barack Obama</a>.It's also a good day for newspapers. Across the nation, people have been snapping up newspapers bearing Obama-related headlines at record rates. The Los Angeles Times, which ...

Maya Angelou holds forth -- eloquently and poetically -- on Barack Obama's win

11.06.08 | In an inspired booking move, guests on CBS' "The Early Show" this morning included Maya Angelou, the <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/05/maya.jpg"></a>famed autobiographer ("I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"), poet and civil rights activist.For a brief but interesting video review of American civi...

Record TVs tuned to the Obama-Biden victory over McCain-Palin

11.06.08 | With a precision that can only come from the knowledge that none of us are doing our own count, The Nielsen Co. just announced that 71,478,000 of us in 47,508,000 households watched the election returns on TV during normal prime-time hours last ni...

Barack Obama's victory celebrated far beyond the red states (video)

11.06.08 | It seems that it wasn't just in Chicago's Grant Park that a victory celebration broke out over <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama's</a> election to the White House.Check out this report from far, far away about a man seen over there as a native son succeeding.--Andrew Malc...

A little-noticed private curtain call for Sarah Palin after defeat

11.05.08 | <center><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/05/sarahconcessjimwatsonafpgty_2.jpeg"><img title="Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin during the concession speech by her running mate Senator John McCain of Arizona in Phoenix 11-04-08" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/05/sarahconcessjimwatsonafpgty_2.jpeg" border="0" height="502" alt="Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin during the concession speech by her running mate Senator John McCain of Arizona in Phoenix 11-04-08" width="360" /></a></center><a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin" target="_blank">Sarah Palin</a>, the 44-year-old governor of Alaska who burst onto the nation's political scene Aug. 29 with her selection as the first female on a presidential ticket in the Republican Party's 164-year history, quietly walked off the Phoenix stage wi...

Rep. Michelle Bachmann -- she of the memorable chat with Chris Matthews -- returns to D.C.

11.05.08 | Michelle Bachmann found out the hard way that getting caught up in the moment with Chris Matthews can be hazardous to one's political health. But she survived to serve another two-year term in Congress.In what no doubt became the most closely watc...

All the TV networks make the Obama call at once

11.05.08 | Few things seem to happen officially in modern American life until they are somehow ratified by being seen on TV. And it sure didn't take long for the television networks, armed with their exit polls studied all day, to proclaim <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> the 4...

News to make Jesse Jackson weep

11.05.08 | It was just a fleeting image, one we saw on the Fox News Channel, from the mass gathering in Chicago awaiting the victory speech from <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">President-elect Barack Obama</a>. <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/04/jesse_2.jpg"><img title="The Rev. Jesse Jackson sheds tears shortly after the news that Barack Obama captured the presidency" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/04/jesse_2.jpg" border="0" height="463" alt="The Rev. Jesse Jackson sheds tears shortly after the news that Barack Obama captured the presidency" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/04/jesse.jpg"></a>But it was a telling one -- the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a face in the crowd (though a ...

Complete Text of Pres.-Elect Barack Obama acceptance speech

11.05.08 | Complete Text of Remarks by President-Elect <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a>, Nov. 4, 2008, Chicago, Ill.If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in ou...

In an eloquent speech, John McCain concedes loss

11.05.08 | <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="blank">John McCain</a> has admitted defeat in the race for the White House. Speaking before a crowd of supporters at an Arizona hotel several minutes ago, he said that he had called his rival, Democrat <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="blank href=">Barack Obama</a>, to concede."My friends, we have -- we have...

Complete Text of Sen. John McCain's concession speech

11.05.08 | Complete Text of Arizona Senator <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_blank">John McCain's</a> concession speech, Phoenix, Arizona, Nov. 4, 2008MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening. (APPLAUSE)My friends, we have -- we have come to...

Hundreds of thousands of Barack Obama's supporters gather in Chicago

11.05.08 | Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered at Chicago's Grant Park along the Lake Michigan shoreline to celebrate the pressumed victory of Barack Obama. The Times' P.J. Huffstutter is there. She had this to report:Giant video screens at the sce...

Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States

11.05.08 | As expected, the moment the polls closed in California, Oregon and Washington state, netwrok projections declared that Barack Obama would win all three.And with those three, based on such calls, the senator from Illinois passed the 270-electoral-v...

Sarah Palin's father admits that his daughter's prospects look dim

11.05.08 | Our own Seema Mehta caught up tonight with <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin">Sarah Palin's</a> father, Chuck Heath, who is watching the election returns roll in at the McCain-Palin elections night party Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix. Here is her report:Heath's eyes grew teary as ...

John McCain's focus on Iowa turned out to be pointless

11.05.08 | The Ticket, <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/john-mccains-io.html" target="_"blank"">more than a month ago, raised a question many others eventually posed -- why was <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/joh...

Networks struggle to play it safe

11.05.08 | The networks are straining to keep <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/exit-polls.html" target="blank">their promise</a> not to call the race until <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="blank">Barack Obama</a> has earned at least the 270 electoral votes he needs to win (something that won't happen until polls close in the Western states).Until then, their reporters ...

With polls closed, William Ayers now complains of being a 'cartoon character'

11.05.08 | Now that all the votes are cast and it looks like his South Side Chicago neighbor <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a> will be the next president of the United States, William Ayers, the founder of the violent Weather Underground in the 1960s, granted a newspaper intervi...

With Ohio called for Barack Obama, the race may be over

11.05.08 | Up until minutes ago, all that had happened in the presidential race was that each side had held serve.Now, with all of the networks calling Ohio for <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"blank">Barack Obama</a>, the contest may have been decided.As <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/11/two-huge-projec.html" target="_"blank">The Ticket noted previously</a>, Obama's projected...

As exit polls roll in, John McCain's campaign manager talks about the "difficult circumstances" of the race

11.05.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/04/steve.jpg"><img title="Steve Schmidt, John McCain's campaign manager and a former strategist on George W. Bush's presidential campaign" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/04/steve.jpg" border="0" height="160" alt="Steve Schmidt, John McCain's campaign manager and a former strategist on George W. Bush's presidential campaign" width="240" /></a><a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="blank">John McCain's</a> campaign manager, <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/steve-schmidt" target="blank">Steve Schmidt</a>, opened up to reporters on Tuesday afternoon, telling them that his candidate did the best job he could given "really difficult circumstances." Although polls had not yet closed when Schmidt spoke, he ...

Two huge projected wins for Barack Obama -- Pennsylvania and New Hampshire

11.05.08 | So much, it appears, for <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain">John McCain</a> Pennsylvania strategy.The instant the polls closed in that state, as well as New Hampshire, ABC News and NBC News them both for <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>.It should be noted that CBS News and CNN held off on Pennsylvania.But...

TV networks promise they won't name a winner until Barack Obama or John McCin has 270 electoral votes

11.05.08 | How do the networks call the election?The Associated Press and the broadcast and television networks have all promised that they will not project a president-elect until either <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a> or <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain">John McCain</a> has at least 270 electoral votes in his co...

Middle East TV monitors the American vote as close to home

11.05.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/04/babylon.jpg"><img title="Arabic TV coverage of Barack and Michelle Obama voting live in Chicago" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/04/babylon.jpg" border="0" height="373" alt="Arabic TV coverage of Barack and Michelle Obama voting live in Chicago" width="490" /></a> This just in from The Times Rafei Raed in Beirut:The U.S. election is huge news across the Middle East today and tonight. They even provided live coverage of the<a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank"> Obama </a>couple voting. Here's part of Raed's report:On Al-Jazeera TV, a correspondent ...

The first states are called

11.05.08 |
All of the networks quickly give Kentucky (and its 8 electoral votes) to <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="blank">John McCain</a> and Vermont (with 3 electoral votes) to <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="blank">Barack Obama</a>.

No surprises there.

A Ticket campaign diary: A day on the trail with Barack Obama

11.05.08 | As everybody who's never been one knows, the life of a political campaign reporter is one of the most glamorous in the world, traveling to diverse places on their employer's tab, eating nothing but the finest foods, enjoying the leisurely schedule...

Confess, gripe, cheer: Tell us your election-day thoughts

11.05.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/04/voting.jpg"><img title="Voting" class="image-full" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/04/voting.jpg" border="0" alt="Voting" /></a> It's finally here, the day we've all been waiting for: election day. The presidential candidates are stepping off their stumps and rehearsing their victory speeches. The yearlong journey to this point has been educational and exhausting for all i...

Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of Barack Obama, stars in an anti-Obama spot after all

11.05.08 | While Sen. John McCain has puzzled even running mate alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for refusing to make an issue of Sen. Barack Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, others are taking up what they perceive to be the slack.Ohio airwaves have b...

As the campaign ends, some faux comments from faux Ticket readers

11.05.08 | It's been right around 22 months since this presidential campaign officially began and almost 17 months since the Ticket's launch to chronicle politics in general and the race in particular around the clock from coast to coast.We said in our very ...

Don't throw away that 'I voted' sticker just yet

11.05.08 | Now that you've voted (and you have, haven't you?), the wait until the first election returns start trickling in might seem maddeningly long.So why not distract yourself -- and get credit for casting your ballot?A number of businesses across the c...

Barack Obama and John McCain cast their ballots

11.05.08 | (UPDATE: See below)This morning, <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="blank">John McCain</a> and <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="blank">Barack Obama</a> voted in the most important election of their lives. McCain cast his ballot at the Albright United Methodist Church in Phoenix. He arrived there with his wife, <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/cindy-mccain" target="blank">Cindy McCain</a>, at 10 a.m. ...

If she doesn't become VP, Sarah Palin foresees a 'uniter' role for herself

11.05.08 | This just in from Cecil Wallace, one of <a target="_"blank"" href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin">Sarah Palin's campaign aides:<blockquote>Since her selection as <a target="_"blank"" href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john</blockquote>...

Go home. No need to vote. Oprah's already got her Obama inaugural ball gown

11.05.08 | Talk-show diva and business billionaire Oprah Winfrey shed her nonpartisanship this presidential election cycle and not only endorsed her man <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama.</a> She also actively campaigned for him in the primary, drawing huge crowds in Iowa (which he ...

Poll estimates record-breaking voter turnout in California

11.05.08 | California is hardly a battleground state, but a new poll released today predicts record-breaking voter turnout in the state. The <a href="http://www.field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/Rls2294.pdf" target="blank">Field Research Corp. estimates</a> that 13.8 million voters will vote in today's election, either in person or by absente...

Which way will the youth vote go?

11.05.08 | <a href="http://dailybruin.com/uconnect/" target="blank"><img title="UCLA's Daily Bruin surveyed college students for their opinions on the presidential campaign" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/04/uclauconnect.jpg" border="0" height="166" alt="UCLA's Daily Bruin surveyed college students for their opinions on the presidential campaign" width="240" /></a>Voter registration groups went to <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-registration9-2008oct09,0,4607316.story" target="blank">incredible lengths</a> this year to register young voters, and reports today from youth-dense precincts in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida and Nevada suggest that turnout among 18-29 year-olds will surpass 2004 levels...

Final numbers: Most accurate '04 poll says Obama over McCain by 7%

11.04.08 | As the actual Election Day balloting starts at the end of nearly 22 months of campaigning at an astounding cost of nearly $3 billion, the poll that was the most accurate calling the 2004 presidential race has made its midnight call for 2008:<a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack</a>...

Sarah Palin's proud dad gets into the partisan thing at Reno rally

11.04.08 | The crowd gathered at the Reno Sparks Livestock Events Center to see and hear Republican vice presidential candidate <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin" target="_blank">Sarah Palin</a> tonight got a little extra for their free tickets.The parents of the Alaska governor -- Chuck and Sally Heath -- were ...

Florida nudists want their own clothing-optional polling site

11.04.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/03/voting_booth.jpg"><img title="Voting_booth" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/03/voting_booth.jpg" border="0" height="193" alt="Voting_booth" width="240" /></a>Nudists: one demographic you don't necessarily want to see presidential candidates pander to. But nudists deserve to participate in democracy, too. And now one Florida nudist community is proposing a way to make the whole process a little more . ....

Sarah Palin's physician says she is "excellent health"

11.04.08 | The McCain-Palin campaign released a two-page letter about <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin">Sarah Palin's</a> medical history on Monday night. It declares the Alaska Governor "in excellent health."<a href="http://www.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2008-11/43179602.pdf">The letter</a>, which was sent to the news media less than 12 hours before polls open, was ...

John McCain throws a spiral straight to Chris Berman on MNF (video)

11.04.08 | <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_blank">John McCain</a> was just on "Monday Night Football" a few minutes ago with ESPN host Chris Berman, who asked the Republican presidential candidate what one personal characteristic the Arizonan would like voters to remember when they enter the booth Tu...

An energetic, hoarse Sarah Palin races across 6 states from Ohio to Alaska

11.04.08 | JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- She's growing hoarse, no doubt tired, but less than 10 weeks after bursting onto the national political and cultural scene, Alaska Gov. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin" target="_blank">Sarah Palin</a> showed no signs <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/03/saraheagerfansap.jpg"><img title="Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin greets eager fans" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/03/saraheagerfansap.jpg" border="0" height="263" alt="Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin greets eager fans" width="370" /></a>of fatigue today as she worked her way through stops in six ...

Barack Obama's supporters take on 'Hussein' as a show of solidarity

11.04.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/03/facebook_3.jpg"><img title="Facebook_3" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/03/facebook_3.jpg" border="0" height="160" alt="Facebook_3" width="240" /></a>Whether they're <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghSJsEVf0pU&feature=related" target="blank">mixing music videos</a> or <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/23/entertainment/et-streetart23" target="blank">picking up cans of spray paint</a>, <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="blank">Barack Obama's</a> supporters are known for expressing their devotion to the nominee with unusual gestures.Now comes news of a new one: Hundreds of <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=obamaphile" target="blank">Obamaphiles</a> on Facebook have add...

Breaking: Sarah Palin cleared in Troopergate by independent state panel

11.04.08 | A report by an independent state personnel board has cleared Alaska Gov. <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin" target="_blank">Sarah Palin</a> of ethics violations in the firing of her public safety commissioner last summer.Released today, the last day of the presidential campaign as the 44-year-old moth...

Brian Moore, the Socialist candidate for president, is more popular than ever

11.04.08 | <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/03/brian_moore.jpg"><img title="Brian Moore is the socialist candidate for president" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/03/brian_moore.jpg" border="0" height="288" alt="Brian Moore is the socialist candidate for president" width="240" /></a>Campaign 2008 has been a fierce fame-making machine, albeit for notoriety that can be most fleeting.Yet Brian Moore, the Socialist candidate for president of the United States of America and the latest to bask in the media glow, has seen his 15 mi...

The Barack Obama push in Arizona includes creative fundraising pitch

11.04.08 | The last-minute decision by <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"blank"">Barack Obama's campaign to air ads in <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_"blank"">John McCain's ho...

Quinnipiac pollsters give Obama clear lead in Ohio and Pennsylvania; rate Florida a tossup

11.04.08 | The Ticket has paid a lot of attention to state-by-state polling by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute of Connecticut over the last few months, in part because these surveys are based on large sample groups.The final report from these pol...

Hillary Clinton's words and voice, John McCain's message

11.04.08 | If you answer the phone today and it's that familiar voice of <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/hillary-rodham-clinton" target="_blank">Hillary Clinton,</a> don't assume she's calling on behalf of <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a>.<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/02/mccainclinton.jpg"><img title="Senators John McCain and Hillary Clinton exchange an affectionate glance before the presidential race" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/02/mccainclinton.jpg" border="0" height="383" alt="Senators John McCain and Hillary Clinton exchange an affectionate glance before the presidential race" width="320" /></a> Just as the Democrats sought to turn Vice President <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/dick-cheney" target="_blank">Dick Cheney's</a> completely shocking endorsement of his party's p...

Ralph Nader has some choice (and highfalutin) words for Barack Obama

11.04.08 | Let's say this for Ralph Nader -- he cannot be accused of engaging in sound-bite politics.This generation's version of Harold Stassen (an erstwhile Republican who ran for president -- with varying degrees of intensity -- nine times) today issued a...

In the polls, Barack Obama has quite a streak going

11.04.08 | How much of a cataclysmic upset to the world of polling would a <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_"blank"">John McCain victory over <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_"b...

Final Rove electoral map sees large Obama win over McCain

11.04.08 | Well, the final day before the official presidential voting and the final version of Karl Rove's exclusive national electoral map sees a strong victory for <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a>, gaining the most electoral votes since <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/bill-clinton" target="_blank">Bill Clinton's</a> lopsided win over Bob D...

Barack Obama's grandmother dies less than two days before the election

11.04.08 | <img title="Barack Obama and his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, who died on Sunday at the age of 86" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/11/03/madelyn_dunham.jpg" border="0" height="170" alt="Barack Obama and his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, who died on Sunday at the age of 86" width="240" />[Update below]<a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama">Barack Obama's</a> grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, died late Sunday night after a battle with cancer, his campaign announced today. She was 86.  According to Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki, Dunham died at her home in Hawaii between 4 a.m. and ...

McCain and Obama both hit Florida--and each other (fresh video)

11.04.08 | They're both in Florida and both talking "fight." <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain" target="_blank">John McCain</a> and <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> slog through the last day, both promising immediate change in Washington.--Andrew MalcolmTo get notices on each new Ticket item sent to your cellphone, <a href="http://twitter.com/latimestot" target="_blank">go here and regi</a>...

Reader survey: What should be Obama or McCain's top presidential priority?

11.03.08 | <center></center>A week before the election, Times video journalist Katy Newton asked commuters in Union Station in Los Angeles one question: What would you like to see the new president do in his first 100 days in office? She filmed their answers and plans to fol...

Sarah Palin attacks Barack Obama over old comments on coal (but leaves a few things out)

11.03.08 | During a campaign appearance in Marietta, Ohio, <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/sarah-palin" target="_blank">Sarah Palin</a> criticized comments made earlier this year by <a href="http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> -- which surfaced today in an audio tape posted on YouTube -- in which the Democratic presidential candidate discusses the effec...

John McCain tells 'SNL' how he's going to win the election

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