You’re right, Phlosphr…i have been pessimistic. I just don’t want to see my country…that I love even when it pisses me off…go down this destructive path. It scares me. But heres to being an optimist…when Obama wins I’ll toast to it with you even if it is online. I have a bottle of expensive french wine that my former collegue from the job I’m leaving gave me as a goodbye. (I have no bones to pick with the french. Some of my best friends here are french).Still when Obama hit 270 I’ll crack it open. Deal? 
Shortly after midnight on Election Day. Central time.
On ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulus” George Will just predicted Obama will get 383 (!!!) electoral votes.
I suspect John McCain just slugged someone.
Hard.
Ten-forty-two p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
I’ve been watching the polls pretty carefully and I suspect he is right. I certainly would bet money on over 350.
While McCain will wait long enough to satisfy honor, I expect he will concede no later than 12:30 PM EST.
McCain will wait until after Obama’s speech. He won’t conceed until the polls are closed on the West Coast (nobody cares about Alaska & Hawai’i). The networks aren’t going to cut away from Obama’s victory speech for McCain, but they might cut away from McCain’s speech for Obama.
10 pm, November 17th, 2012. 
That would go against custom. Unless McCain is unreasonable in delaying a concession, Obama will wait for him so that he can graciously thank McCain for his kind words.
I was going to scream that you guys should stop counting chickens, but I’m just going to sit here quietly and stew.
Thank you. You’ve screamed quite enough for everybody here to be aware of the absolutely mystical control the SDMB holds over the entire nation. Some see this place as a diversion. Others see it as a place to make friends and form a community. Almost all see it as a tiny little corner of the Internet. Until this election, I was literally not aware of its power to control voter tendencies and thus sway the election for the highest office in the world’s most powerful nation. Especially since we’re just talking and speculating!
Sorta makes sense for him to wait till after the AK polls close, since people there might schlep out to vote for Palin and give Stevens and whatever that guy who’s running for the at large House seats name is a boost. Though given Stevens recent conviction, maybe not so much.
Anyone have a listing of the times concessions have usually been given? Do they usually wait for all polls to close or do they give the speech once the results have become obvious.
Optimist.
I don’t think the Dope has a mystical hold over the nation. I do think that you guys are setting yourselves up for a fall if our guy loses–not to mention giving our conservative cohorts hereabouts ammunition if Senator McCain wins.
Don’t misunderstand. I hope Senator Obama is our next president. I’m simply not certain it will happen. If you guys are right and I am wrong, I will be positively orgasmic with glee.
It’s completely immaterial to the electoral process whether or when McCain or Obama concedes or gives a victory speech. However, since we all want to speculate. . .
McCain doesn’t give a concession speech at all. After the polls close on the West Coast he makes a brief phone call to congratulate Obama, then makes a speech thanking his supporters, but never actually “concedes.”
:: snark off ::
Are you making a subtle point I’moverlooking?
I’m certainly not trying to, just saying that McCain could easily make a “non-concession” speech (think Hillary Clinton after Obama finally got enough delegates to win the nomination.)
However, I think he’ll be gracious enough to publicly congratulate Obama sometime before midnight on Tuesday.
I’ll say 11:38 PM, EST.
It’s impossible for an optimist to be pleasantly surprised.
And the great thing about being a pessimist is how often you are pleasantly surprised.
At any rate, any concession speech will be after the state liquor stores close here, so I won’t get to celebrate with some champagne (should such be in order) until Wednesday at the earliest. Stupid neo-Prohibitionist liquor laws…
10:30 Eastern
nailed it.