Big Turnout

Salon's War Room reports on today's massive turnout:

It's pouring rain in Cleveland. After much legal wrangling, a last-minute court ruling allowed Republican challengers into polling places, and according to America Coming Together's Rashad Alaji, who was meeting with volunteers in the basement of Cleveland's Shiloh Baptist Church, they're slowing down the process by demanding identification from some voters. Usually the only time poll workers ask for ID, he says, is when they can't find someone on their lists. Thus many voters are "resistant" to such challenges coming from outsiders. "The lines are long not only because of turnout, but also because of red tape," he says.

But for all that, Cleveland is a lovely place to be a Democrat today.

Political analysts say that in order to carry Ohio, Kerry needs heavy turnout in Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland and which is the most solidly Democratic part of the state. So far, despite everything, that's exactly what he's getting. In fact, people here say they've never seen anything like it.

Gary tells me that it's cold and rainy in Cincinnati today as well. With all the crappy weather in Ohio, this just may come down to who wants it more. And I think we all know the answer is "we do."