Network news divisions got skittish about calling presidential elections following their colossally terrible performance in 2000. In case you forgot, they all called Florida for Al Gore, then uncalled it, then called it for Bush (following in the trustworthy footsteps of Fox News!), then uncalled the whole election. Their newfound prudence was rewarded in 2004 when leaked exit polls said John Kerry had the whole thing in the bag (oops). But this year the TV guys have their swagger back. Here's a CBS News executive telling the Times why California can suck it:

We'll miss you, Jeanine Pirro. You lost the New York attorney general's job to Andrew Cuomo, who's just garden variety sleazy on occasion. How could anyone compare to your wire-tapping amore? Your relentless belligerence when caught in impropriety? Your weakness for man about town and fellow disgraced politico Bernard Kerik? You even inspired us to song. Despite a wooden attempt at reconcilation with her estranged nutty husband, most predict at least a future in TV for Pirro. She's brave enough to wear red, so anything is possible.

Finding himself with time on his hands post-CBS — despite that bitchin' new job at HDNet — Dan Rather will ... co-host? co-anchor? something ... with Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert tonight on Comedy Central. The trio will analyze election results live starting at 11 p.m. ET, though unfortunately Rather says he will clamp down on his trademark insane folksy witticisms. We'll be heading out shortly to get our hands dirty with some participatory democracy here in New York, where we're already hearing rumbles of poll chaos around the city due to lost voter rolls and technical foul-ups. If you've run into inadvertent disenfranchisement today in NYC through agencies human or otherwise, let us know your tales of voter angst.