Hugging and Blogging as Huffington Post Offshoot, 23/6, Drinks Beer, Watches Returns

23/6's Election Night viewing party was schedule to begin at the comedy news Web site's Soho offices at 7:30. By 7:15, the office was packed. The keeper of the list estimated 400 people would be showing up by the end of the night. Carolyn Glass, V.P. of Marketing, said she'd been receiving RSVP's up until 6 p.m. and everyone asked if they could bring five friends.

Cut-outs of the candidates welcomed the guests--life-size Senator Barack Obama and Governor Sarah Palin stood like sentries at the entrance--and the walls are covered in blown up prints of gaffe moments from all parties: John McCain making quotation marks when describing women's health in the third debate, Joe Biden screaming like Frankenstein's monster. Billy's cupcakes and Two Books pizza has been served, as are drinks in 7-11 cups labeled Obama (blue) and McCain (red). Projectors tuned into CNN beamed The Situation Room onto three different walls and everywhere guests looked, there were computers logged onto news sites. Jokes were being cracked, but a lot of people had serious looks on their faces.

Sam Carroll, 27, a video editor for the site, and Max Silvestri, a comedian and freelance video performer were wondering who'd be better for comedians. Mr. Silvestri was worrying that a win for Barack Obama might be a lose for comedians: "When you're coming from a subversive angle, it's a lot easier to make comedy," he said. "Everyone's looking for the comedic angle," Mr. Carroll agreed.

Who was the funniest person in the campaign? "Joe Biden said some funny things," Mr. Silvestri said. "But Sarah Palin was a gift to everyone."

"And her husband," Mr. Carroll said.

"Her whole family!" Exclaimed Mr. Silvestri.

A cheer goes up at 8:15 p.m., as MSNBC calls Pennsylvania for Senator Obama. Looking over at Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper projected on another wall, a guest is overheard asking, "Where are the holograms?"

Another is pouring his beer from a blue 23/6-branded cup into a simple plastic one because, he says, the 23/6 cups smell like an old man. A reporter was obliged to smell it for himself and confirm: the cups did smell rancid.

Off in the "quiet room," where bloggers were invited to partake in the Huffington Post's intermittent wifi and blog the event in real time, hugs were exchanged.

"I feel absolutely confident that Obama will win," said Penelope Bunn, a 51-year-old journalist. "I travel abroad and the whole world wants this." Asked if she felt at all fatigued by the long campaign, Ms. Bunn fairly beamed, "It seems like he just got started yesterday!" She added, "McCain's not a bad guy. It's just not his time."