JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
So Andrea Bernstein, Takeaway Political Director is here. My co-host, Adaora Udoji is live from Atlanta, WCLK down in Atlanta at our southern perch. She's checking the pulse of the American South. Andrea, what are you hearing there?
ANDREA BERNSTEIN:
Well, what amazes me and, you know, this started at 8 p.m. Eastern time on January 3rd, when they couldn't close the caucuses in Iowa because they had such unprecedented turnout. And it is continuing through this day, incredible voter interest, long lines in non-swing states, like we just heard in California, in New York, in Kentucky.
Now, these are people that have been told, your vote doesn't count, your vote doesn't count, you don't have a say in this election. And people are coming anyway to be a part of this election. And I think whatever happens tonight, and we'll be watching at thetakeaway.org, whatever happens –
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
Indeed.
ANDREA BERNSTEIN:
- you will - you know, we all have to sort of applaud ourselves for this incredible interest, this incredible engagement, which I have not seen since I have started watching politics in my adult life.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
Nor I. And, you know, the vote is going to count. I mean, we should remind people that candidates will have to deal with this level of turnout and that this basically sets the bar much higher in the future. And so, even if your vote doesn't count in a state that is presumed to be blue or red, in fact, the turnout numbers will count because it's transformed the way politics will be done in America, at least certainly for the next cycle.
[OVERTALK]
ANDREA BERNSTEIN:
That's right.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
Todd Zwillich also joins us from Capitol News Connection in Washington. Todd, would you agree?
TODD ZWILLICH:
Well, I would. It's true that members of Congress, especially, presidents, anyone who's elected, you're absolutely right. They look at turnout numbers and they respond to that. And it doesn't matter if you're in a California or a Texas or even Washington, D.C., where I am, where people think that people know [LAUGHS] in many ways that their vote doesn't count because it's so overwhelmingly Democratic here.
I was on my way in here early this morning to, to join you on The Takeaway — lines — the school in my neighborhood, lines around the block, in the dark. It wasn't even open yet and people were lined up. So I think that people have the sense that you just talked about, which is, that even thought their vote doesn't count, it counts for a heck of a lot.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
Well, both of you, sit here and listen for a second. Something that we've done in the lead-up to today is something you can actually still go to our website and vote on your favorite slogan for this 2008 campaign. The number 5 was my term for the decade and the election, Wreckanomics - that sums up the campaign. Number 4, voted by our listeners, is Amar who sent us an email, Hip Hop Versus Hip Replacement. That's the one I love. And here's number 3.
[BEEP]
MAN:
Hi, this is Vodkiss [?] from New York City. Given the length of this whole primary process, this would have to be known as The Long Hello.
[TONES]
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
Not bad, that's number 3. Here's number 2,
Todd.
[BEEP]
RANDY:
Hi, this is Randy Hilst [?] from Nantucket, Massachusetts. My slogan for this campaign is Dr. Strangelove vs. Dr. Feelgood.
[TONES]
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
Todd, you may be too young to know what Dr. Strangelove is all about –
TODD ZWILLICH:
[LAUGHS] No, I’m not.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
But that was my personal favorite.
TODD ZWILLICH:
No, I'm not.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
You're not? Okay, good.
[LAUGHTER]
TODD ZWILLICH:
No and I, and I — and I know who Dr. Feelgood is too, because I listen to Motley Crue but that's another story.
ANDREA BERNSTEIN:
You've got to be careful about telling people they're too old or too young.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
That's true, that's true. I, I'm not careful, that’s -
[BOTH AT ONCE]
ANDREA BERNSTEIN:
[LAUGHS] I've met a lot of them on the poll. I'm trying to guess if they're old enough to vote. [LAUGHING]
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
Here is the number 1 - the way The Takeaway will remember the 2008 election. It comes from one of our guests, the senior editor at Newsweek, Dan Gross.
[SPEEDED UP TAPE]
DAN GROSS:
It's the stupid economy.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
[LAUGHS] It's the stupid, economy. I love that. So Todd and Andrea, you'll be part of our coverage tomorrow. And you'll be watching tonight, right Todd? Where are you going to be?
TODD ZWILLICH:
I am going to be a mixture of in the studio, at home and in a bar in my neighborhood watching the returns.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
At what bar?
TODD ZWILLICH:
L'Enfant.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
L'Enfant, nice, nice!
TODD ZWILLICH:
Cafe.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
It's a good place, yes.
TODD ZWILLICH:
Yes.
ANDREA BERNSTEIN:
I will be in no bars. I will be in studio and we will be online, right John? We'll be online together, watching returns.
[BOTH AT ONCE]
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
That's right we will be online, live logging, that’s right.
ANDREA BERNSTEIN:
And also takeaway.org with the counties that count returns.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
We're always on it at The Takeaway, and we're holding America's Exit Poll and you've been participating all campaign long. We want to hear the story of when you cast your vote.
[BEEP]
MAN:
Behind me was at least a hundred people. It was probably the most amazing thing I've ever seen.
WOMAN:
The one at my poll went around and around and around several blocks.
MAN:
All the way down the block, around the corner, down the block and around the corner?
WOMAN:
I was not prepared for the wellspring of emotion.
[MUSIC UP AND UNDER]
WOMAN:
The lines were wrapped around, and everybody was really having great energy and seemed really happy to be there. It was a great day to be an American.
[TONES]
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
Wouldn't you agree, Adaora?
ADAORA UDOJI:
Oh, no question. It's just all of that sincere heartfelt emotion that's just awesome.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
I know, I'm breaking out in hives, it's so sincere and heartfelt. And you know me, Adaora. I can't stand that kind of thing. [LAUGHS]
ADAORA UDOJI:
[LAUGHS] You love it though. Deep down inside, I know you do, John Hockenberry.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
Call us at 877-8MYTAKE or mytake@thetakeaway.org. Adaora Udoji, of course, will be live from our southern perch at WCLK in Atlanta all tomorrow. We're sharing photos, video and audio from your voting day. When you wake up, when you vote, when the race is called, go to thetakeaway.org. Thanks to Takeaway's Political Director, Andrea Bernstein.
ANDREA BERNSTEIN:
See you tomorrow.
JOHN HOCKENBERRY:
And thanks to Todd Zwillich. I'm John Hockenberry.
ADAORA UDOJI:
And I'm Adaora Udoji. And this is The Takeaway.
[MUSIC, MUSIC UP AND UNDER]
