1. The media called California for Clinton after about 15% of the vote was counted. She had a percentage in the mid-50s while Obama was high-20s / low-30s.
2. As the percentage of total vote climbed from around 25% to 30%, I watched as Obama went from being down 54% to 32% to being down 53% to 37%. Most of this six-point gain happened within five percent of the total vote being counted.
3. I then watched the votes come in from 31% of the total vote to 51% of the total vote.
31% reporting | Clinton: 870,310 (53%) | Obama: 602,147 (37%)
32% reporting | Clinton: 912,326 (+42,016) (53%) | Obama: 626,344 (+24,147) (37%)
33% reporting | Clinton: 922,380 (+10,054) (53%) | Obama: 635,890 (+9,546) (37%)
34% reporting | Clinton: 962,217 (+39,837) (53%) | Obama: 664,023 (+28,133) (37%)
35% reporting | Clinton: 966,939 (+4,722) (53%) | Obama: 668,502 (+4,479) (37%)
38% reporting | Clinton: 1,001,136 (+34,197) (53%) | Obama: 697,311 (+28,809) (37%)
39% reporting | Clinton: 1,010,155 (+9,019) (53%) | Obama: 706,854 (+9,543)
41% reporting | Clinton: 1,060,326 (+50,171) (54%) | Obama: 741,983 (+35,129) (37%)
42% reporting | Clinton: 1,085,438 (+25,112) (53%) | Obama: 768,274 (+26,291) (38%)
43% reporting | Clinton: 1,109,151 (+23,713) (53%) | Obama: 788,257 (+19,983) (38%)
44% reporting | Clinton: 1,111,190 (+2,039) (53%) | Obama: 790,333 (+2,076) (38%)
45% reporting | Clinton: 1,124,957 (+13,767) (53%) | Obama: 804,489 (+14,156) (38%)
46% reporting | Clinton: 1,154,701 (+29,744) (53%) | Obama: 839,686 (+35,157) (39%)
47% reporting | Clinton: 1,159,529 (+4,828) (53%) | Obama: 846,023 (+6,337) (39%)
48% reporting | Clinton: 1,206,138 (+46,609) (53%) | Obama: 880,099 (+34,076) (39%)
49% reporting | Clinton: 1,211,869 (+5,731) (53%) | Obama: 886,319 (+6,220) (39%)
50% reporting | Clinton: 1,224,077 (+12,208) (53%) | Obama: 899,623 (+13,304) (39%)
51% reporting | Clinton: 1,239,311 (+15,234) (53%) | Obama: 911,622 (+11,999) (39%)
The difference in percentage closed, but not nearly as profoundly. Clinton’s lead at 51% was 53% to 39%.
4. This matches up closely with the gender-based exit polling, which showed Clinton with 52.8% and Obama with 40.8%.