Savoring the Moment

The debut of CNN's virtual Capitol and holographic technology. As an extension of "the Magic Wall," CNN will use a 3-D, 6-foot-long virtual U.S. Capitol to report on updates to the House and Senate balance of power. Wolf also interviewed CNN Capitol Hill correspondent Jessica Yellin in The Situation Room in the 7p.m. hour via hologram. (CNN)

What will it take to put Obama over the top? He's expected to win California, Oregon and Washington. They close at 11 p.m. If none are close, you can cue the network graphics.

Schieffer Says It's Over--10:22 p.m.

Bob Schieffer says it's over.

"Barack Obama is going to be the next president of the United States," he says. "You just can't figure out a way that John McCain can win now."

Obama hasn't done it yet, but the math is decidedly against him. It is just past 10 p.m., and the networks aren't waiting for the other states to fall into place. They are using common sense.

Fox's Carl Cameron, with the McCain camp, says advisers acknowledge that the math appears "virtually impossible" for them.

Brian Williams is more cautious: "It's easier to see now . . . how Barack Obama does get to that 270 mark."

After 2000 and 2004, we're so accustomed to elections that go on into the wee hours, with battleground states hanging in the balance. That doesn't appear to be the case tonight. One of the few cliffhangers is McCain's home state of Arizona.

Slate makes it (un)official: "President Obama."

The Tenor Changes--10:08 p.m.

An Obama presidency is drawing closer, if you believe the networks and their projections.

CBS and NBC have called New Mexico for Obama. That was one of three Mountain West states that could have decided the election if it were razor-close.

The awarding of Ohio has completely changed the tenor of the coverage. The most optimistic scenarios for John McCain involved him holding Ohio and Florida. Virginia may be an afterthought now.

"You're going to see a lot of cheering, a lot of happy folk sitting in Grant Park," Chuck Todd says.