Howard Kurtz: A Romney Win Would Be 'A Crushing Blow for the Punditocracy'

NewsBusters ^ | November 5, 2012 | Tim Graham

[2ndDivisionVet]

At the Daily Beast, Howard Kurtz reports "The press is heading into Election Day increasingly confident that the president will beat Romney." He thinks that's a reasonable opinion, but he asks: what if they're wrong?

"If Obama somehow manages to lose, it will be a stunning defeat for the nation’s first African-American president. But it will also be a crushing blow for the punditocracy that headed into Election Day filled with confidence that Obama had it in the bag. And Fox News won’t let the mainstream media hear the end of it." Kurtz also mocked the "ludicrous" Obama-landslide prediction of CNBC's Jim Cramer:

He noted the Washington Post's Crystal Ball Contest slanted toward Obama-wins picks, "from The Fix columnist Chris Cillizza to Mad Money maven Jim Cramer (who ludicrously said Obama would capture 400 electoral votes. Stick to stocks, Cramer). The only exceptions were Republican strategist Leslie Sanchez and—for what it’s worth—Andrew Beyer, the paper’s horse-racing columnist."

Kurtz underplayed it: Cramer said Obama would win 440 electoral points and the popular vote 55 to 45. Cramer was more optimistic than MSNBC's leftist weekend host Melissa Harris-Perry, who saw a 50-47 Obama win and 297 electoral votes for the Dems. Gamblers would love to bet some "Mad Money" with Cramer considering his point spread.

Even the liberal site Salon is mocking Cramer. "Anyone who agrees with the bearded booyah boy should get in touch. I’ve got some shares of Bear Stearns to sell you."

[CaraM]

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