Fired up, and ready to blog!

This will be our last Live Blog Party related to the history-making 2008 presidential election. And as we celebrate the history that is unfolding before us, we can’t forget about the history we’ve made ourselves. The Live Blog Party, covering the vice presidential debate, was a first for us -- and you made it a success by logging on in big numbers. By the third Live Blog Party, so many of you showed up -- close to 10,000 -- we caused the site to crash. It was like a house party that got so crowded that someone called the cops.

Today, we made history again by being granted exclusive rights to broadcast the TJMS at the official Obama headquarters in Chicago. If you ever wondered whether Obama was really going to “do anything” for black people, he started this morning by putting us where everyone else in the media business wanted to be.

So as we come to end of this thing together, I can barely contain myself. I’m ready to celebrate now but I know I need to wait until it’s official. In fact, I don’t think I’ll celebrate until every single vote is counted. In the meantime, let’s
do the darn thing together.

I’m here at Grant Park in Chicago where Barack Obama will make his acceptance speech, and you’re here with me, just as you should be. Your love, your prayers, and your votes made it all possible. 

Check me out live on TV One as I bring you reports, updates and hopefully some breaking news that will Barack the world!

Oh, before I forget, we’ve got drinking games. Take a sip every time our man gets a blue state.  I’ll announce the next game later, and if you have any suggestions, hit me on the blog.  See you at the official after party on the TJMS!

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6:14 p.m.: We've got a lot in store for you on this historic night. We'll be chatting about election results plus any news stories that I think you'd be interested in.

6:15 p.m.: Stay with me, people. It might be a long night.

6:15 p.m.: According to Jacque Reid, Vermont just called for Barack!

6:17 p.m.: Are you as nervous as I am?  I don't remember being this excited, ever!  And I've done a lot of stuff.

6:18 p.m.: Did you check out the show this morning? We were up in there ... I'm  talking about the official Obama headquarters in Chicago, and we were granted exclusive rights. That means we were in there by ourselves.

6:20 p.m.: Let's start the drinking game now that we know Vermont just came in for Barack ... every time we get a blue state, take a drink!

6:21 p.m.: McCain just got  Kentucky. Obama has 3 electoral votes and McCain has 8.  Our magic number is 270!

6:23 p.m.: On the show this morning, Obama played a game of basketball at a gym on Chicago's west side. Is that Black enough for you? Is that cool enough for you?

6:25 p.m.: Were you checking me out on TV One? How's my hair?

6:29 p.m.: Did you all see Obama and his family go the polls and vote this morning? Imagine going with your daddy to vote ... for himself!

6:30 p.m.: We've seen it in the movies, we've seen it on TV and now it's about to be real, our first black president.

6:32 p.m.: I know you're watching TV, but don't forget about all the coverage on BlackAmericaWeb.com. We've got your black!

6:37 p.m.: What do you think will BO's first official act will be? What should it be? Launching universal health care, ending the war, giving us every Friday off? Let me know what you think it will be.

6:44 p.m.: Things are looking good so far, BO is ahead.  But remember it's the battleground states that count: Virginia , Ohio and Pennsylvania.

6:44 p.m.: When we get those three, we'll be in there!

6:46 p.m.: Are you checking out the blue states? You ought to be a little tipsy.

6:50 p.m.: I wish you could be here in Grant Park with me. Everybody is cheering and chanting already.

6:51 p.m.: And it's getting cold too. It started out nice and warm. Then it remembered it's November ... in Chicago!

6:51 p.m.: The polls have closed in Ohio and North Carolina.

6:56 p.m.: Don't get scurred, but in Toledo, Ohio police have issued riot gear. Holy Toledo!

7:01 p.m.: McCain has 16 electoral votes, Obama has 3! Don't slap anybody, it's early.

7:03 p.m.: That's a touchdown, and two field goals. We can do this, baby ... yes, we can!

7:08 p.m.: Obama takes Pennsylvania!

7:10 p.m. Florida is still too close to call.

7:12 p.m.: McCain took Tennessee and Oklahoma. What would you expect from an old guy? No offense, Tulsa and Memphis ...

7:13 p.m.: Memphis, the home of Stax records and the one of the best civil rights museums in the country.  Oh, well!

7:14 p.m.: McCain is projected to win in South Carolina. I ought to whip J. Anthony Brown's behind. He promised us his home state. Well, I'll bet Columbia came through for us!

7:16 p.m.: Thanks for those comments about what Obama should do when he gets in. My favorite was to fix the election machinery ... Good one, VA55! Keep them coming!

7:17 p.m.: Nationally, Obama has 53 percent, McCain 46 percent.

7:21 p.m.: CNN projects New Jersey, Connecticut and Illinois for Obama. I think Illinois is a duh! Except Al Gore didnt take his homestate of Tennessee when he ran, so go figure. If I was running for prez, I might not win, but I'd damn well take Tuskegee!

7:22 p.m.: How you guys holding up? it's only a little past 7 p.m. Central!

7:28 p.m. We are ghetto fabulous here. I wish you could see our set up. we're blogging, and it''s dark, so Rev. Marcia Dyson, Michael Eric Dyson's wife, brought us a lamp out of her hotel room!  Pretty gangster, huh? That's how we do it!

7:29 p.m.: People are borrowing press badges so they can eat for free.

7:29 p.m.: Someone is borrowing our power cord so they can power up their computer.

7:30 p.m.: The only thing missing? No one is selling  black love incense. Yet.

7:31 p.m.: What song do you think Obama will rock when he first moves into the White House?

7:32 p.m.: I think it will be "One Nation Under a Groove."

7:33 p.m.: Whoever asked whether there was a doctor in the house was right! My heart is racing, too.

7:36 p.m.: Not since I got my first slow dance has my heart beat like this.

7:37 p.m.: When have you been this excited about anything? Tell me what it was.

7:38 p.m.: CNN has projected that Obama will take New Hampshire!

7:43 p.m.: So far, 2,500 of you have dropped by our Live Blog Party so far. Tell your friends about it! Have them join us!

7:44 p.m.: Fox has projected that mC will win Alabama and Arkansas.

7:46 p.m.: If he wins Alabama, I guess I can't say anything to J. about him winning South Carolina. Sybil will be the only one with bragging rights since Obama won Illinois.

7:59 p.m.: It's cold out here. I'm wondering if I can blog wearing mittens.

8:00 p.m.: Take two drinks for Obama winning Pennsylvania; it's a big state. And have a cheesesteak!

8:06 p.m.: Wisconsin, New York, Michigan and Rhode Island all went to Obama! That's four drinks ...

8:07 p.m.: It's too close to call in Arizona! See there, McCain -- that King holiday thing might be coming back to bite you!

8:11 p.m.: Are y'all doing special watch parties for tonight? The Queen of Soul is having a pajama party at a casino in Detroit. A school in sunny south Dallas is having a sleep over for fourth, fifth and sixth graders. What are you doing to celebrate this great evening?

8:20 p.m.: Are you checking out TV One? Don't forget to get your updates from BlackAmericaWeb.com. We're all you need!

8:28 p.m.: So, I'm wondering what hit I should play tomorrow. You be me and choose. Whatever it is, it's got to be funky!

8:29 p.m.: MSNBC is projecting that obama will win Ohio. We are so close!

8:36 p.m.: It's official: We just took Ohio!

8:40 p.m.: We're 76 electoral votes away from making history! Come on, California, and other big states. Let's do this.

8:46 p.m.: For all you ladies out there, Common just walked by.

8:49 p.m.: I like what you're saying, Blackmanforblackman08. It is time for us to go higher and represent. All eyes are going to be on us for real now.

8:50 p.m.: Oprah and Lynn Whitfield just walked by.

8:56 p.m.: So many of you are saying you're afraid to trust what you're hearing from the mainstream media. I hear you. That's why we're here.

8:57 p.m.: DDarling, I hear you. "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" is a great suggestion for tomorrow morning. If you can top that one, let me know. I've got to jam all morning long!

9:02 p.m.: People are screaming ... something good must be happening.

9:05 p.m.: Speaking of good news, MSNBC has called Iowa for Obama. It's too close to call in Montana, North Carolina and Virginia and too early to call in Nevada and Colorado. McCain is up by about 9,000 votes in Indiana.

9:09 p.m.: Yeah, dskobb! I'm with you on the things we need to concentrate on -- health care, education reform and the economy.

9:15 p.m.: So the rumor is Oprah may get a cabinet position with Obama. what do you think she should be? Secretary of State? Secretary of Talk Shows? What? Let me know. And who else should get a position? Hill Harper? Common? Maria Shriver? Mmmm ... Tom Joyner?

9:17 p.m.: It's getting good! This thing could be over in 30 minutes, I just overheard someone very important say. The helium people need to start filling the balloons. This thing is about to jump off -- in our lifetime!

9:20 p.m.: But not so fast ... let's wait until it's official. We've been tricked before.

9:25 p.m: But I really think we've got this. When will you be sure? Who do you have to hear it from?

9:29 p.m.: How many of you are having a prayer service at church like Rev. Al Sharpton suggested? And if you are at church, are you playing the drinking game with communion wine? That's just wrong ... wrong for me to say and wrong for you to do!

9:39 p.m.: Obama 207, McCain 136. Do the math, baby! Our magic number is 270!

9:40 p.m.: Fired up, ready to win!

9:46 p.m.: McCain just won South Dakota and its 3 electoral college votes. I don't think we expected to win South Dakota. But we would take it!

9:47 p.m.: They're blasting the music here. That's gotta mean something good.

9:51 p.m.: Red states are turning blue. Its starting to look like a Zeta convention! Sorry, Deltas ...

9:53 p.m.:  I just saw Oprah coming out the porta-potty. That's worth about 30 electoral college votes alone. I'm calling it!

9:55 p.m.: I'm bouncing like a bad check.

10:03 p.m.: In our lifetime!

10:04 p.m. Who would have believed it?

10:05 p.m.: Do you believe in miracles?

10:10 p.m.: This party is over. And it's just beginning!

10:11 p.m.: J. just called, and he's crying like a you-know-what! And I'm not mad at him!