Replies

I’ve re-watched some of the election night skullduggery. It was obvious the press colluded with each other and the Clintons not to call the election unless she conceded.

I've re-watched all the usual suspects: PBS, NBC, MSNBC, Fox, CBS, CNN, ABC and some of the minor league players too. You are correct. They stalled on Georgia and initially suggested it was in play. They wouldn't call Florida with 95% in, saying desperately that Broward Cty might still save Clinton's chips. Same with NC, WI, MI, PA, AZ. They stalled, most of them, on officially calling it until Trump was actually speaking, saying he'd gotten the call from Clinton. And the commentary all night was near 100% anti-Trump across the board. Megyn Kelly was actually one of the least rabid among them.

Along about 9pm they knew the tide had turned and they acknowledged the growing possibility of a Trump win, and finally they discussed it as if it were certain, but the official call was (un)scrupulously avoided.

And they hammered out one note constantly: white people, whites are responsible, whites coming out of the woodwork, whitelash!

They stalled on Georgia and initially suggested it was in play. They wouldn't call Florida with 95% in, saying desperately that Broward Cty might still save Clinton's chips. Same with NC, WI, MI, PA, AZ. They stalled, most of them, on officially calling it until Trump was actually speaking, saying he'd gotten the call from Clinton.

I partially agree with you, but I'd add another reason. They remember Sore-Loserman 2000. One of the reasons FL was so close in that election is that the networks called FL for Gore before the polls were closed. The Fl panhandle goes west into another timezone, and is conservative. The networks were heavily blamed for discouraging voter turnout (which would clearly have helped GWB in the panhandle), and became gunshy about early calls.