3:57 AM … Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) ushered into involuntary retirement.
4:08 AM … Seems I may have been wrong (and happy to be wrong) in saying that Sarah Palin would appoint a new senator if Ted Stevens wins tonight and then has to resign to spend more time with his prison cell. Apparently Alaska law was recently changed (after the Murkowski ridiculousness) so that a special election would have to be called. We’ll try to bring you more on that, with details, shortly. This ADN article from late October has a few more details.
4:21 AM … Now that Alaska seems on its way of reelecting its convicted felon senator and its (little doubt) soon to be indicted member of the House, I realize that perhaps I judged Sarah Palin too harshly. In the context of Alaska politics, I guess she really is a reformer.
4:26 AM … Now that the “Bradley Effect” seems set for a richly deserved retirement, TPM Reporter Eric Kleefeld suggests christening the “Stevens Effect” — the poll distorting effect of poll respondents unwillingness to admit they will vote for the convicted felon in the race.
4:41 AM … Down to the skeleton crew here at TPM. We’re still following the Minn senate race. Franken continues ahead by it’s been zigzagging between a few hundred votes and just over a thousand.
