Oh my, Diane Sawyer was “maintaining” as Kaiser puts it, last night during her job as co-anchor for ABC’s election coverage. She was slurring her words, acting goofy, and basically embarrassing her co-anchor, George Stephanopoulos, who stared at her stony-faced as she went on babbling about the election. It was fun for me to watch on several levels. Of course because Sawyer was so visibly wasted, and also because I never watch ABC for election night, I flip between MSNBC and CNN. Plus I actually missed the point last night when they called the election for Obama! I was so tired I passed out before that happened. I’m still burned from staying up until 4am in 2000. Anyway, so many people noticed Diane’s inebriated state, and it was so non-debatable, that People Magazine is now carrying this story. It’s already a meme.

Barack Obama supporters had plenty to toast to Tuesday night when the President claimed victory over Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

Also saying cheers to the end of a tight election season: Diane Sawyer?

Amid the nail-biting unveiling of the presidential election results, some viewers of ABC’s news coverage were just as focused on host Sawyer, 66, wondering on social media if her political celebrating got the best of her. Her seemingly odd conduct was even chronicled by the Associated Press, which noted her slow speech and the way she seemed to hold out her arms to prop herself up as the election night results trickled in.

Of course, social media outlets lit up with observations about the veteran broadcaster’s commentary, which seemed off and, at times, slurred, with co-host George Stephanopoulos.

But her coverage fell short for some political junkies, who wondered if the motto of the night was “four more years” … or “four more beers.”

The Internet’s infatuation with “Drunk Diane Sawyer” quickly followed in the footsteps of the debates’s Big Bird, binders full of women and bayonets. The comparatively light-hearted political commentary continued through the results — on a parody account.

[From People]

Here’s a link to the Drunk Diane Sawyer Twitter account that People mentions – it’s hilarious.

im not drunk u gusys r dunk

— Drunk Diane Sawyer (@DrnkDianeSawyer) November 7, 2012

As Crazy Days and Nights puts it, Paula Abdul was like this for a few seasons on American Idol. We can learn to live with occasionally drunk Diane Sawyer. She makes much more sense than Paula ever did.

In response to this story, an ABC executive supposedly told The Daily Mail (off the record, so they could be making it up) that Diane was just “exhausted” and that “Diane’s been up for days and she’s had many sleepless nights. She was covering the hurricane and then preparing for the election broadcast.” It sounds like how I prepare for Oscar night – with some cocktails.

Ready, set at the @abc desk for Election Night. RT if you’ll be watching as America chooses a President. #YourVoice twitter.com/DianeSawyer/st…

— Diane Sawyer (@DianeSawyer) November 6, 2012