Through the Night: Liveblogging Election 2008

Tonight's the night. Across America, people are flocking to the polls as the world watches with bated breath. Who will it be, the presumptive Barack Obama or dark horse, John McCain? Plus, the Vancouver Canucks take on the Nashville Predators starting 03:00GMT.

00:27GMT: Predictably, Barack Obama takes Vermont and its 3 electoral college votes whilst Kentucky and its 8 votes go to John McCain. As the BBC newscasters have been reiterating, this is expected, given that in the case of Vermont, the state has gone blue in the past four elections.

00:33GMT: My condolences to the family of those who died in the Hanover bus crash.

00:45GMT: I am now officially just another corporate sell-out, having registered with Google's AdSense program.

00:51GMT: Apparently Fidel Castro is backing Obama. Whilst that is probably the case, he shouldn't say it too loudly - don't want to risk pushing away conservative democrats.

00:55GMT: BBC has called South Carolina as Republican, still as expected. Some networks are also giving West Virginia to the GOP.

00:57GMT: The BBC ticker is calling South Carolina a "key battleground." Not sure about that.

00:59GMT: McCain currently stands at a 16-3 lead in terms of Electoral College votes but with around 1.5 minutes remaining until a very blue close of voting, normalcy is soon to be restored.

01:03GMT: Blink and you miss it. I lambast a friend for his footballing beliefs and now Obama leaps out to a projected 67-16.

01:08GMT: Maine and Jersey go to Obama, sweeping further ahead to a 103-34 lead.

01:11GMT: Massachusetts, one of the two states along with California that I could register to vote in once I turn 18 goes blue. Thank god it isn't an English county.

01:13GMT: A lull descends on the BBC studio as the flood of results coming in slows to a trickle.

01:15GMT: Obama up 60% to 40% in Miami-Dade and Orange counties, 52% to 47% in Osceola. Booya!!! (Yes, I'm beyond "words.")

01:18GMT: McCain has a slight lead in Indiana but with only 32% of precincts in. The BBC are talking of Pennsylvania as a "key battleground." This time I agree.

01:25GMT: Choirboys are hogging the airtime on BBC. Where are the results??!!

01:28GMT: According to the Los Angeles Times, Ohio, Florida and Virginia are too close to call but are leaning the way of Barack Obama!

01:32GMT: My friend and I agree that some composition of Al Franken, Chris Rock, Tina Fey and Sarah Palin would make an excellent ticket in 2016. Arkansas is called for McCain. Surprise surprise.

01:38GMT: The vote counter reads 49-103 in favor of Obama. Wisconsin, Colorado, New Mexico and Michigan are scheduled to close in just over 20mins.

01:41GMT: The Palin family is reuniting at an airport somewhere, I think in Phoenix. Many a wet shoulder there will be.

01:42GMT: The Palin motorcade sweeps out onto the streets. Those gas-guzzling SUVS will be one of her only comforts right now. Some secret service agents have an open window in their car. Obviously she isn't in there.

01:47GMT: The Rvd. Jesse Jackson himself. If I wasn't wrapped up in my duvet I would bow in the presence of greatness.

01:52GMT: Just 8mins now until the next round of results. Add New York, Rhode Island, Texas and Wyoming to the next round of closing polls.

01:55GMT: Fox News has called Pennsylvania for the Dems. Its set in stone now.

02:01GMT: GOP stands for the "Grand Old Party." Semblances of the Ivory Tower of Academia anyone?

02:02GMT: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York go BLUE!!!!

02:04GMT: Kansas, Wyoming and North Dakota called for the GOP. Rhode Island for Obama. Meanwhile, Fox give Ohio to the Democrats amidst scenes of wild celebration on Times Square.

02:08GMT: Georgia squeaks in for McCain. 175-76 reads the tally in favor of Barack Obama.

02:11GMT: Grant Park, Chicago looks insane right now. What I would do to be there...

02:12GMT: Fox calls New Mexico for Obama. What is going on? Do the Bushes want him to win?

02:13GMT: Florida has 48% of precincts in and Obama is up, 52% to 48%. Meanwhile, 51% are in in Virgina and McCain leads by a very slim margin, 50% to 48%.

02:17GMT: Sen. Elizabeth Dole has been making a mockery of herself in North Carolina. Surely that goes for Obama now. BBC calls Wisconsin for the Illinois Senator.

02:23GMT: The Associated Press is saying that the Senate will remain under control of the Democrats. In the worlds of Quagmire, "Allllllllriiiiiiggggggggggghttt!!!!." And wow, a fight is breaking out on the BBC. Some American historian is calling the correspondent in Phoenix "ignorant" for suggesting that Palin shunned undecided voters from the Republicans.

02:30GMT: At long last, the BBC calls Ohio for the Democrats. There is very little scope for a McCain comeback now.

02:34GMT: Louisiana goes to McCain. Big surprise. Still, Obama is closer to the presidency than his rival thanks to a 195-90 lead.

02:37GMT: More networks are calling New Mexico and its 9 votes for Obama. The state has voted for the President all bar two times since before the Second World War. Interestingly, New Mexico has the largest Latino population percentage in the country, a slap in the face to my premonition that state was a redneck haven. My bad.

02:41GMT: The BBC adds New Mexico to its tally, putting the score at 200-124 after the Lone Star State went down a very familiar line. Even after that 34 vote haul, I have difficulty seeing how McCain can win given that the West Coast is still to come.

02:46GMT: Wow. Not that this has anything to do with the election but the New York Islanders, last in the NHL, beat down on the New York Rangers, 2-1.

02:50GMT: I have just received word from my "inside sources" - that's you Lorraine - that the California polls close in 1hr10mins. So yeah, I'll be jumping for joy in a little over an hour. Meanwhile, 60% of precincts in Florida are now in with Obama still leading the way at 51% to 48%.

02:53GMT: Iowa, Montana, Nevada and Utah are set to close in just over 5mins.

02:57GMT: CNN has Obama up 8000 in Virgina. Surely not...

02:59: BBC confirms things in Virgina, things tied at 50% each. Elizabeth Dole has officially lost in North Carolina, where Obama is up 51% against McCain's 49%. Mississippi goes to the GOP, bringing the tally to 200-130. Polls close in the four aforementioned states in one minute.

03:02: Obama wins what must be one of his favorite states, Iowa and its 7 votes. Yet another swing state goes to the man from Honolulu. Unsurprisingly, McCain takes Republican bastion Utah and its 5 votes. Interestingly, Utah has voted for the Democrats just once, in 1964.

03:06: The puck's about to drop at GM Place in Vancouver. CBC must be hating themselves as TSN picked up their Hockey Night in Canada themetune.

03:09: Obama sits up at 207 to 135 with results from Nevada and Montana expected shortly.

03:15: Just minutes into the Canucks game, defenceman Kevin Bieksa hits the deck injured. In the corresponding last season, Bieksa suffered a lacerated calf muscle at the mercy of Vern Fiddler, causing him to play just 34 games.

03:17: Back in the lower 48, McCain is up 50% to Obama's 49% with 85% of precincts reporting. Meanwhile Florida is still going Obama's way with 65% of precincts reporting.

03:21: What. a. comeback. Obama is now up in Virgina, 50% to 49%.

03:26: Gosh, this is hard. Blogging, watching hockey and watching the election. It isn't as though I've missed too much. The tally still stands at 207-135 and the score between Nashville and Vancouver is 0-0.

03:29: Yeaaahhh!!! Powerplay Vancouver. Suck that J.P Dumont.

03:31: John McCain and the Straight Talk Express have arrived in Phoenix. Tee Hee.

03:33: Wow. The LA Times and CNN both have Obama up by several percent in Utah whilst Nebraska has gone the other way.

03:39: Back in Vancouver, Alex Edler clears the puck out as the boys kill of an Alex Burrows roughing penalty.

03:41: Five states are about to close. According to the BBC, "Barack Obama is within sight of the Presidency."

03:42: The District of Columbia is projected for Obama whilst South Dakota goes to McCain. Nancy Pelosi has tears of joy streaming down her cheeks as the Democrats retain control of the Senate.

03:48: Delaware goes to Obama-Biden but BBC have not updated their tally which thus rests at 141-207 in favor of the Democrats.

03:56: My rumbling belly has been silenced thanks to milk and marzipan. Just 4 minutes remain until the polls close in California, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Hallelujah!!!

04:02: The Los Angeles Times has called Virginia for Obama, California and Washington by the BBC. Obama wins, 273-241. Tears are streaming fown my cheeks. Uh oh. BBC just referred to him as a "negroe." Anyhow, WOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

04:12: All else is irrelevant. Once more, I can be proud of being American. Neither the grin spread across my face or the tears dripping down my cheeks will subside.

04:15: Similarly, elation is spreading across Barack Obama Sr's hometown in Kenya. The world is on cloud nine, exactly what we need right now.

04:17: Colorado and its nine votes also go to Obama. At times like these, who cares about hockey? Well maybe everyone's favorite lipsticked pig, Sarah Palin. Good riddance.

04:21: Full credit to John McCain. A very dignified concession of defeat. Whilst his speech seems forced and seems memorized, props to McCain for such an eloquent exit, also paying tribute to Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham and urging his supporters to throw their weight behind the President Elect. Meanwhile, Florida goes Obama's way, so the tally now stands 333-145.

04:27: Wow, the crowd sure loved it when McCain paid tribute to Palin. Nonetheless, a very dignified and respectful speech from this veteran warhorse. Commiserations, Senator McCain. It would've taken a God to beat Barack Obama. And hey, he mentioned Joe Biden. Not something that happens every day.

04:34: BBC has footage outside the White House where people are...jumping around. Follow McCain's example, guys.

04:37: We've got about 30 minutes until Obama hits the stage in Grant Park. Back with the BBC in Virginia, the coffee shop crowd is chanting "YES WE CAN." I'd join in to if I wouldn't wake up everyone.

04:41: When the BBC reporter in Virginia asked the Moody family, "is this a new dawn?, " they responded, "Absolutely! This is a new dawn!" Amen.

04:48: The BBC's graphic reporter, Jeremy something, has just brought down a curtain of ticker tape. Tacky as hell but I don't care.

04:50: Gore Vidal is being interviewed and he doesn't seem too happy. Petulance and requests to be allowed to speak from the 83 year old have the studio falling over themselves in mirth. Meanwhile, one analyst in the studio earnestly professes that "if you'd told anyone that Obama would win North Carolina...no one would have believed you." There's one right here.

04:59: Obama has arrived on stage in Grant Park! This time I really will bow in the presence of greatness.

05:03: I'm just beyond words so I'll leave you with this. Yes, We did!!!