(Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Polls opened across frigid Wisconsin this morning at 7 a.m. In Milwaukee, the temperature was 3 degrees, with a "wind-chill" factor of 17 below zero. Still, a record voter turnout was forecast. People here are hearty. If they brave these temperatures for a Packer game, they'll do it to vote as well. I stopped by the Ward 18 precinct in Milwaukee by mid-morning, where turnout was steady.
Most polls here have the Democratic race fairly close, with Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) at 47% to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) at 43%. However, the Clinton campaign had some overnight polling showing her up 49% to 43%. So we will find out if the pollsters were way off, as they were in New Hampshire and California. The race should be close, with campaigns working the phones to get out the vote today.
John Hallanger is the Milwaukee County Chairman for the Clinton campaign. He told me this morning, "We've got people calling from the office. We've got people calling from their houses." Having phone banks in people's homes, should help in the cold weather.
Despite the deep freeze, skies were clear and sunny and road crews did a great job clearing snow, with plenty of salt and sand on the roads. Getting out to vote will be brisk, but otherwise not difficult to do!
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) held a morning rally in the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield, then left the state for Ohio. Obama, Clinton and former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) are gone as well, to campaign in the next big states of Ohio and Texas. So tonight, the victory speeches will take place somewhere other than Wiscosnin. (Somewhere sure to be warmer too!)
This morning I broadcast "live" from the newsroom of WITI-TV 6 in Milwaukee, a station I grew up watching here as a kid. What a thrill!
I will be back there "live" Wednesday at 7:45 a.m. on KTVU's "Mornings on 2" with Ross McGowan
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