This is going to be a spreadsheet heavy post, so fair warning. I've updated the Alabama Presidential Elections spreadsheet to reflect the 2008 county by county results. These are not the final, complete, certified, results but they are the best I can find at this very moment.
Several things happened in Alabama. The turnout was somewhat lower than the 78 - 80% that was widely predicted. Second, although the Democratic ticket did significantly better in many counties than in the 2004 election, in some counties they actually performed worse.
Here's an Editgrid spreadsheet I've started with historical information from the 1996, 2000 and 2004 elections. It shows the total votes for each candidate, by county, as well as the percentage difference between the Democratic and Republican candidates -- positive if the Dem won. As you can see, the trend in Alabama has not been good for the Democratic ticket. I hope to see a reversal of that trend tomorrow.
Please note the last row above, total number of registered voters in the state. It didn't change an awful lot between 1996 and 2004, but it currently stands at about 3 million. If turnout is in the 78 to 81% range predicted by some, that means 2,340,000 and 2,430,000 Alabamians will vote tomorrow -- a 25% increase over the votes cast in 2004. WOW!! That's about half a million more than voted in 2004. Will that half million voters break for Barack or for McSame? I'm betting Barack is the one who inspired them to get involved and he'll be getting a majority of the "new" votes. No wonder the Republicans are whining about letting all "those people" register and vote -- it's enough for a tsunami even in Alabama.
Campaigning with Senator Hillary Clinton this week, Obama was stressing his support for mandatory sick leave for employees and - particularly dear to my heart - expanded Family and Medical Leave opportunities.
GOP candidate, John McCain McSame, was quick to criticize Senator Obama:
On Thursday, McCain said he disagreed with Obama's proposal to require that employers give their workers seven days of sick leave each year and to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act. McCain told reporters after a town hall in Belleville, Mich., that sick days should be negotiated between management and labor. He called Obama's proposal to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act "a big-government solution."
Holy sick leave, Batman! Do my eyes deceive me or is McCain advocating more organized activity on the part of workers?
Or, does he have the, ahem, unusual idea that an individual worker can march down to the HR department and individually demand paid sick leave and/or FMLA benefits for him/herself alone?
Everyone who thinks that approach will work should, well, I guess vote Republican in November. Or, if you live in the reality-based community and know that such an action is tantamount to sending a "please put me on the next layoff list" memo to your manager, I guess Obama is your choice.
Why is this issue important to all American workers, not just women? Read on.....
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Campaigning with Senator Hillary Clinton this week, Obama was stressing his support for mandatory sick leave for employees and - particularly dear to my heart - expanded 
