My Six Week Old Has Phlegm

ELECTIONS IN SPAIN

7:56 pm: Election Day quiet. For a Latin American, it is surprising that no prohibition that the day of football to develop as if it were a Sunday more. Except for the treacherous ETA terrorist attack two days ago, the campaign has been very warm, with none of the candidates has been able to inspire the electorate. The inability of the PP surprised when reading the changes in English society during the last decade about Zapatero, he just does not make mistakes to win: Rajoy has made it very easy.

8:02: First exit poll surveys: the PSOE slash absolute majority, the resounding failure of the PP: 44.5% versus 37.5%. The nationalist parties lost seats.

8:07: The best article on today's Spain is Newsweek. The title says it all: "The end of the English Empire." Zapatero speaks of failure to become an international leader when Spain was in its best economic times, speaks of the economic slowdown and other problems that lie ahead for the English society. A good text to soften the mood, in times of socialist euphoria: the challenge is huge, hopefully the new government of Zapatero will match.

8:54: While I wait for new elections, I get to read the superrrealista Badin, a comic book I bought on my visit to the newly opened Caixa Forum Museum in Madrid. Max is a drawer full of stylistic devices, its Badin has debts with Chris Ware, and recovers to Buñuel and Dali to propose a reading surreal - or rather surrealist - of reality. The best: Badin dialogues with Cirlot in a bar, with cheap brandy in the middle.

appropriate

Just read Max election day.

9:24: With 20% of the votes counted, the PSOE has 46.3% and 36.9% PP. It emphasizes bipartisanship: falls Izquierda Unida, and Esquerra Republicana is a debacle: 8 Members 2004 to just 3 in this election (for now).

9:57: More than half of votes counted: 45.1% Zapatero, Rajoy to 39%. To observe the elections in real time, I suggest visiting the blog of Letras Libres, Draw perfect.

10:02: Now that is confirmed defeat, growing speculation about the need for the PP change course. Who will be the replacement of gray Rajoy? It is estimated that Esperanza Aguirre, thus there would be no shift to the center. Gallardón was a great asset for a modernization of the English right, his defeat in the internal battles does not augur well for the PP.

10:09: Two-thirds of the votes counted, shortens the gap to five points: 44.7% versus 39.4%. The PSOE has a quieter term: to have an absolute majority in Congress, only needs the support of CiU.

Big surprise: the Socialists triumph in the Basque Country. PNV nationalists retreat. The assassination of former socialist councilor at the hands of ETA, "will have been the cause? Or are there other less cyclical? In fact, another nationalist party in Catalonia (ERC) is the big loser of these elections.

10:14: On another front, Villarreal 1-0 defeat to Barcelona in the Nou Camp. A half hour of play and the Real Madrid eight points would be made. Is there a link? Apparently not.

Comics, elections and football, go on Sunday. I, then, am the same.

10:22: With 75% of votes counted, the 168 deputies out PSOE and the PP 154. As an absolute majority in Congress is 176 members (the total is 350), the PSOE only need to govern an alliance with CiU (CiU takes 10 MPs).

Esquerra had 8 members, now has only 3. IU was 5 and now 3.

10:36: 82% of votes counted, the PSOE is taking 14 seats ahead of the PP. And just to tie Barcelona.

10:49: 86% of votes counted, the PSOE has 12 members of the PP advantage. The PP has just recognized the victory of the PSOE. Llamazares acknowledges the failure of IU and announces it will no longer be the leader of the training. Zapatero approaches the balcony to greet the supporters of the PSOE. As they say here, is all the fish sold.

A few minutes from the end, Villarreal wins 2-1 at Barcelona ...

11:03: There are no elections, there is no league. Good Night, and Good Luck (we saved the girl Rajoy, but not the sophisticated Zapatero quotable quotes ...)