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A big win for Obama in Virginia.

By Ann Althouse

And the Republican race is too close to call. On MSNBC, Chris Matthews is saying that would-be McCain voters switched to the Democratic race and voted for Obama.

ADDED: MSNBC is reporting that Obama took 90% of the black vote in Virginia and 48% of the white vote. If you split the white vote by sex, Obama gets a majority of the men (55%), and Hillary's got the white women (58%). Obama is strong with under 40 voters (66%), independents (62%), those making over $100,000 (61%), and those with a postgraduate education (58%). Olbermann's muttering: "Good grief, he won white men... 55%..."

MORE: Olbermann: "And Obama beat her with the... beat the women... ... beat her in women voters." Later: "And the results are in. NBC news has projected that Senator Barack Obama of Illinios will be the projected winner, uh, hence the use of the word 'projection' 3 times in one sentence."

AND: Tim Russert: "The white, ethnic, blue-collar Democrat is voting for Obama in Virginia and Maryland. What does that mean for Wisconsin ? places like Milwaukee and Green Bay? And what does that mean for Texas and Pennsylvania?... It's an indication that his coalition is broadening in a big way tonight."

PLUS: Nice to see Obama's Madison speech is on TV. The Kohl Center is packed full, with an overflow room. The announcer said it seats about 17,000, but that is when it's set up for a basketball game. For a speech, there is a lot more seating on the floor.

ALSO: Obama gave a good speech, though he muffed his first effort at saying Mayor Dave's last name (which I won't even attempt to write... just say "Mayor Dave" and leave it at that). Nice Madison touches: birthplace of progressivism, etc.

The Obama speech ends, and MSNBC takes us to John McCain's speech, already in progress. I think he sounds great and don't really understand why people say he's a bad speaker. He's got real passion and sounds like he means it (and then some). (And I liked when he called that CNN reporter "jerk." It seemed affectionate and good-natured.)

So anyway, the speech ends, and that goofily stuffy Ken Olbermann goes "John McCain, speaking after his 3 victories in the Potomac primaries tonight from Alexandria, Virginia, to the tune of 'Johnny B. Goode, instrumental only..." And no sooner does he get those words out then the incredibly familiar guitar opening to the song is over and we hear Chuck Berry singing "Deep Down in Louisiana..."

Olbermann's haplessness seems like a comedy routine. He wraps his windbaggery up by saying that the rule has to be "always speak before, not after Barack Obama," which makes Chris Matthews giggle and me fume. McCain was good! Obama had the usual Obamatude, but nevertheless, let's keep our wits about us: It was within the range of human capacity. A god did not walk into the Kohl Center tonight.

And that Olbermann has some nerve knocking McCain whe he (Obermann) flubs and garbles every sentence he wanders into and struggles to find a way out of.

Full post as published by Althouse on February 12, 2008 (boomark / email).