By NEAL JUSTIN, Minneapolis Star Tribune

It may have been election night, but the media approached Tuesday's coverage like they were putting on a July Fourth party, decorating the historic event with garish, bombastic visuals and special effects that would rival a billion-dollar fireworks display.

Miranda Cosgrove appeared to be a typical 15-year-old shopper -- applying the latest flavor of lip gloss at the cosmetics counter, fawning over designer sneakers, trying on headbands -- except most of the other Nordstrom customers on this crowded Sunday afternoon weren't accompanied by security guards and didn't have the ability to make youngsters audibly gasp, as if they'd just spo