ELECTION night has always been a great spectator event in America. My Irish grandmother used to work as a Democrat poll watcher guarding the ballot box in her Bangor, Maine precinct from "the shenanigans of those black Republicans" - referring to the alleged condition of their immortal souls, of course, not their ethnicity. Election night
pol watchingHer loyalties were with Maine's favorite son, governor, senator and brightest hope, Edmund Muskie. After the demise of Muskie's presidential bid, she still worked at the polls, but she stopped voting, even for Democrats. "It only encourages them," she'd say.
Now, most voters are rivetted to their TV sets on election night. As a voter, you can't help identifying with the people you choose - when they win, you win; when they come up short, it hurts.
So the election night TV audience is a powerful one if you're a politician. If you lose, you must do so gracefully and with style, since most of the people watching voted for the other guy and you'll need them next time.
That's a lesson Orson Swindle learned the hard way. In 1994, he had bitter words for Democratic voters and his opponent made sure they weren't forgotten in 1996.
Meanwhile, viewers saw Jeremy Harris leave his victorious HQ right after the second printout to rush to Ewa to check flood rescue efforts. While other pols preened, the "Everywhere Mayor" scored big with voters.
