Watching the election unfold last Tuesday was almost like watching a football game, there is a very strong interest in one side beating the other, but really, there’s nothing you can do but watch and observe the results. And just like ESPN has technological aids virtual first down lines, and Madden has his magical pen so that he can draw on your TV, The New York Times and AP had interactive live updating electoral maps, NBC had a green screen election headquarters, and CNN had holograms, yes holograms. Like the virtual first down markers, the live updating electoral maps were helpful to get a better understanding of what was unfolding, and like the John Madden’s scribbles on the your TV screen, gimmicks like holograms were more for ratings and retaining viewers than creating hard-hitting election coverage.

Through this whole election it seems that news agencies were afraid of losing interest in the election, always down playing democratic leadings in the polls making it seem like it was anyone’s game. Portraying the election as closer than it seemed benefited every party involved. For the democrats, it kept their supporters active, pushing to gain the majority, for the republicans, it kept them in the race, so that their base, since they felt it was in reach, would still be active and vote, and for the media, it kept both sides tuning in, getting as much information on the race as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

According to preliminary results on Tuesday night, President-Elect Barack Obama won Pennsylvania by a 55-44% margin. He won all the counties in the eastern part of the state in the Philadelphia to Scranton corridor, including the Philadelphia suburban counties and the counties containing Allentown, Bethlehem, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre. Obama also won in Dauphin County (Harrisburg).

However in the western half of Pennsylvania, Obama only won five counties - Centre (State College), Allegheny (Pittsburgh), Cambria (Johnstown), Elk (St. Marys), and Erie. Final official election results could change this list - for instance, in the preliminary results, McCain won Mercer County (Sharon) by exactly two votes.

Obama actually did worse than John Kerry’s 2004 performance in most of southwestern Pennsylvania. McCain won by small margins (at least in the preliminary results) in three traditionally Democratic counties near Pittsburgh that Kerry won in 2004 - Beaver, Fayette and Washington.

Meanwhile, Obama improved on Kerry’s 2004 performance in every county of northwest Pennsylvania. Obama won 59% of the vote in preliminary totals from Erie County, better than he did in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh). Erie County was also Obama’s best in the state west of Scranton and the Philadelphia suburbs.

With Obama winning easily in the Erie and Scranton areas and also winning in Centre and Dauphin Counties, the traditional descriptions of Pennsylvania regional politics, focusing on the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas and then the T in the middle (to describe the northern tier and central region of the state) need to be modified.

Southeast Pennsylvania, extending to Harrisburg is becoming increasingly Democratic in presidential elections, while southwest Pennsylvania, outside of Pittsburgh, is becoming increasingly Republican. While the southern tier of central Pennsylvania has also become overwhelmingly Republican, the northern half of the state is no longer monolithically Republican, with the northeast and northwest corners becoming more Democratic.

The one incumbent member of the US House of Representatives from Pennsylvania to lose on Tuesday was Republican Phil English of the 3rd District of northwest Pennsylvania

Kelley Skrzat reports on Glenn Thompson’s victory speech and the positive words he used to close the night.

The Centre County Report’s Sasha Krug speaks with a local Obama campaign worker just moments before Obama is declared the election winner.

Cristina Girgis interviews an Obama supporter after he is declared the President elect.

Cristina Girgis reports on Obama projected to be the president elect crowd reaction at at Rotelli’s.

The Centre County Report’s Andrew Johnson is at Rotelli’s in downtown State College. One democrat explains his excitement and how proud he is.

Reporter James Sparvero interviews Glenn Thompson’s younger sister, Sherri Thompson True.  True has been close to her older brother her entire life but now with a potential victory in Pennsylvania, big brother might be going away for a while.

From: Kelley Skrzat, a senior in broadcast journalism within the College of Communications.

Hear what a representative from the College Republicans has to say about the election so far. He also gave his input on Sentor Barack Obama winning Pennsylvania.

Centre County Report’s Kelly Skrzat reports on the positive poll jump for Glenn Thompson, and gives an election update.