With President Obama's re-election, New York Times blogger Nate Silver has reason to smile.
Silver became a near-god for nervous Democrats, and, as the campaign entered its final stretch, a sudden subject of scorn and derision for some pundits who doubted his polling forecasts, which consistently showed Obama in the lead. His bet with Joe Scarborough (who had dubbed him a "joke") only stoked the controversy further.
As it turned out, Silver came through with flying colors, as Obama performed nearly exactly the way he said he would. The public recognition was immediate.
"You know who won the election tonight? Nate Silver," Rachel Maddow said on MSNBC. Even Fox News tipped its cap to Silver.
Others said that the results could force a bit of a sea change in political journalism.
"What does this victory mean?" Mashable's Chris Taylor wrote. "That mathematical models can no longer be derided by "gut-feeling" pundits. That Silver's contention -- TV pundits are generally no more accurate than a coin toss -- must now be given wider credence."
For his part, Silver cheekily plugged his new book:
Silver's wasn't the only forecast that had a good night:
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