This is what I see as potential headlines and lead paragraphs for the day after the election if Obama wins. Of course the first one is predictable.
"Obama wins election - US Elects First Black President"
The US elected its first black president in what is called by Black leaders a historic event. Although the final tallies are not in it appears that Obama's margin is far less than expected and there is much criticism of the media for calling the election at this time. The popular vote is within three thousand votes nationwide and Obama was stunned by failing to carry six states that were thought to be clearly in his camp. His electoral vote count is only two more than McCain, the loss of any state would have given McCain the White House. Without small margins in key states like Pennsylvania and Illinois his bid for the White House would have failed.
If this happens, what will the other headlines read? How about the following:
"Reverend Wright was interviewed just after midnight."
He is quoted as saying, "We have the power now. White America's chickens will come home to roost." When asked about the close vote he responded, "This isn't close. It is an overwhelming mandate. If the Republicans had not stolen a million votes he would have carried nearly every state. Now that we have the power we will change America."
"Obama wins Pennsylvania by thirty thousand votes"
An expected Obama win by nearly a million in Pennsylvania somehow didn't happen he carried it by only a slim fifty thousand margin. In the middle of the state voters turned out in unprecedented numbers. Most areas had doubled the number of machines they had in the primary and still there were lines most of the day. Polling places froze the end of the lines at eight PM and some were still allowing those in line the opportunity to vote. Some polling places reported ninety percent voter turnouts and some were open until nearly ten to handle voters standing in line. In Philadelphia the returns were very late with some polls not posting returns till after eleven in spite of the improved voting equipment.
Reports from poll watchers in one polling place in Philadelphia shows their count of voters at the polls far less the number of votes cast. They report the precinct had only nine hundred fifty three voters and the vote tally showed over twenty three hundred votes with 99 percent for Obama. John McCain has asked for a recount including a review of the time of day the votes were cast. The poll watchers charge that election officials at that polling place actually cast hundreds of votes after the polls closed.
"Four Poll Watchers in Philadelphia Killed"
The bodies of four poll watchers were found in an alley last night about ten thirty. They were within a block of the polling place they were set to monitor. These were Swiss nationals who had come here to provide an unbiased reporting.
"Independent Poll Watchers in Chicago Report Hundreds of Violations"
A group of French who had come to monitor election activities reported to the media that they had observed hundreds of violations in the polls they monitored. One called it a worse than any third world election he had ever seen. He produced pictures that he claims show poll workers voting two hours after the polls were closed including one video clip that he claims shows one person signing the poll book while the other person was repeatedly voting. He claims it shows at least two hundred votes being cast. This was shot through a window after they were pushed out of the building at eight fifteen when the last voter left. "We counted fifteen hundred and twenty seven voters. The official number of votes cast was over twenty five hundred which is ninety seven percent of the precinct. We never saw more than three people in line. We believe the poll workers inflated the vote by more than a thousand after the close."
"Jackson blames Small Margin on Republican Voter Fraud"
Late in the afternoon when it appeared that McCain would win based on exit polls that were released by an NBC employee, Jessie Jackson gave this statement, "It is easy to see that the Republicans would try to steal this election as they did the one in 2000. They have committed voter fraud in Virginia, scared blacks away from the polls in Ohio and run the dirtiest campaign in history." When asked to cite where the blacks were scared away from the polls he would not provide any information. He simply said, "We know the whites have been doing this. We don't need proof."
"Celebrations throughout Cities Turn Violent"
As the reports of the Obama victory was reported celebrations broke out in many cities. By three AM large unruly crowds had formed in cities including New York, LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Baltimore, and Atlanta and burning and looting became so serous that the police were unable to stop it. At this time the count of dead exceeds five hundred and the injured number far over three thousand. National Guards are being called out in many areas. Signs appeared in New York, "Barak is President - Whitey is Dead."
"Farrakhan blamed Whites for Violence."
Louis Farrakhan held a news conference this morning at five AM. He charged voter fraud in central Pennsylvania where Republicans turned margins that nearly defeated Obama. State wide democrats fell along with local Democrats except in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The Democrats were defeated in nearly every race they were opposed. "Barak was right. These people cling to their guns and Bibles. They are racists that would not vote for a black man. His defeat is the evidence of racism. We presented to them the Messiah, the one to lead them out of this hatred and they rejected him. I will be going to Washington to lobby for sanctions on this area like were done in the south after the Civil War. We need to remove their elected leaders and replace them with black leadership. With Barak in the White House we can accomplish this."
