Empire State Building lights up for election

The presidential election wasn’t just inescapable on television last night.

It was inescapable in the Manhattan skyscape, where CNN, in a bit of election night pomp, lit up the Empire State Building in red and blue reflecting the electoral votes for the red and blue candidates, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama.

The LED meter, posted at the top of the building, rose according to the electoral votes for each candidate.

When Obama reached the number need to ensure re-election, the building was lit to the top in blue.

That way, CNN explained during frequent on-air references to the stunt, New Yorkers would know the status of the race without turning on their TVs or consulting their mobile phones.

That was certainly the splashiest display in a night that several networks dubbed “the first truly digital election.” Every channel had some sort of new toy, be it ABC’s LED floor screen or Fox News Channel’s multimedia launchpad.
 

Tags: abc, cable news, cnn, cnn election, election, election cnn, election night, empire state building, empire state building blue red, empire state building red blue, fox news channel, LED, Manhattan, New Yorkers