Well, so much for keeping exit poll numbers under your hat. Half an hour after getting figures from the consortium, CNN isn't just hinting at poll numbers, they're broadcasting them: not numbers for individual races--but give it a few minutes--but rather voters' responses as to what they felt were the most important issues in the race. (42 percent said corruption, 40% terrorism, 39% the economy, 37% Iraq.)

Issues do not election results make, but Democratic strategist James Carville seemed a touch thunderstruck that corruption landed at the top of the list. (Democrats would like to see Iraq higher, not that corruption necessarily plays so well with Tom DeLay's party. On the other hand, we don't see "moral values"--or any other variation on "fellas kissin' fellas"--up there either.)

Looks like I may not be watching Friday Night Lights at 8 p.m. after all.

--James Poniewozik