CNN calling Florida before polls closed in 2000 for Gore

September 21, 2004 | Vanity

[topher]

It is time Freepers remember that CNN called FLORIDA FOR GORE BEFORE THE POLLS were closed in 2000.

Now with the CBS scandal, maybe it is time to write Congress, perhaps even call the FBI "on election influencing" by improper reporting -- targeting conservatives.

Certainly Fox News is gaining viewers.

And it is probably the opinion of most Freepers that ABC, CBS, CNN, and NBC, as well as the Washington Post, New York Times, and Los Angeles Times are not "lovers of Freedom and Justice" unless it is for some wacko liberal cause.

Maybe we should target both CNN and CBS for the abuse by CNN in 2000 and the abuse by CBS in 2004.

In the case of CBS, the RNC is calling this possible "criminal activity".

The story behind CNN calling the election before the polls were closed is that Florida skirts two time zones -- the Eastern for most of the state, and the Central for a small part that is near Mobile, Alabama.

Maybe God sent us a reminder by where Hurricane Ivan hit (the Central time zone of Florida was hit hardest) of this dishonesty by CNN.

What can we do about CNN and CBS?

Maybe Freeper activism against these networks will wake up more Americans.

God bless, and consider taking actions against the Networks -- how I don't know though.

[topher]

Can we organize a class action lawsuit against both CNN and CBS for each of the cases? Is Congress of any help? Or is it something that should be brought to the attention of Radio Talk shows?

[JSteff]

The most effective way was if we get the CBS affiliates to get so nervous about their licenses that they force CBS to take action.

I posted it to get people to take it to the affiliates as they will have to deal with complaints about their "serving of the public record" was not done by presenting forgeries etc. If we get the affiliates nervous they will get on CBS and Dan Rather.
I know I don't write great but here was my attempt:

---

Dear Sirs:

Given that CBS has not promptly and publicly retracted apparent false testimony and documents about the President of the United States, while our country is at war, and while our soldiers are in harm's way; it is now apparent possible falsehoods included in CBS network news programs broadcast by your station, [your CBS affiliate name}, are not in the public interest.

It appears that [your CBS affiliate name} by not issuing a statement of disagreement with CBS Network and Dan Rather, is allowing a possible falsehood to be propagated in a potential effort propagandize and defraud the public, or by omission is allowing such falsehoods as presented by the CBS Network and Dan Rather to continue as fact. Dan Rather has said in different ways in several broadcasts over the years on many subjects "even the possibility that there are improprieties warrants further serious investigation." In this case I agree with Mr. Rather.

Now that there is significant doubt as to the authenticity of the documents (potentially forgeries of government documents) shown, and questionable statements made by persons then presented by CBS (including Dan Rather and other CBS personnel), I feel it is in the public interest that this issue be given highest priority by your station. Since CBS, CBS spokespeople, and particularly Dan Rather have stalled and evaded on multiple questions about the documents and persons interviewed I feel it is incumbent upon [your CBS affiliate name} as the local affiliate to properly and independently verify the veracity the documents, witnesses, and statements made. Since the possibility that the "evidence" presented to date is deliberately false I believe not investigating the aforementioned material and persons would be a betrayal of the local public trust [your CBS affiliate name]

Therefore, Dan Rather’s now seemingly falsified military documents, and a complete record of [your CBS affiliate name] independent investigative efforts into this manner should be made part of it's operating record. Also if such items are shown to be falsehoods, forgeries, deceptive presentations, or deliberate fraud then [your CBS affiliate name] positive, corrective actions - or lack thereof must be considered when [your CBS affiliate name] license is up for renewal.

I therefore respectfully request prompt attention to this matter with the investigation and findings along with this letter be included in the stations permanent public file particularly for review at the next license renewal cycle.

CC: Roy Stewart Chief,
Office of Broadcast License Policy
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
Roy.Stewart@fcc.gov

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According to the FCC web site Mr. Stewart is the person in charge of relicensing of stations.
I had a station manager email me this afternoon and he said documents like I wrote are a pain because they are gone over, in detail, at the time of license renewal.

I hope more people realize that the local affiliates are the key to getting action in this situation. There is already reports (on FR) about some affiliates saying they are catching a bunch of heat over this situation. This will turn it up a bit.
Let someone on the inside carry part of the weight for us.

[no dems]

It's estimated that by calling FL for Gore before the polls closed in the Panhandle cost Bush 10,000 votes.

[gridlock]

If CBS was smart they would fire Dan Rather and do a wholesale housecleaning at CBSNews. Get rid of the ossified Left-Wing deadwood and go with a FoxNEWS style Center/Right "We Report, You Decide" theme. The three broadcast networks are fighting over an ever shrinking half of the Lefty pie. The first broadcast network that moves solidly to the Right will win half the market overnight.

Heck, a Right Wing CBSNews might even make money.

So, CBS, dump the old Left fossils who got you into all of this trouble and hire some new, Center/Right, young, hip talent. That is where the young demographic is these days.

And those young folks will work cheap. Do ya' think paying your Anchorman $300,000 a year instead of $7,500,000 will help the ol' Balance Sheet?

[DJ Frisat]

Personally, I think there should be a restriction on these predictions until the polls are closed nationwide. There are several reasons for a voter to withold or change his vote based upon this type of reportage. Sad, but true.

[pepsionice]

They base these estimates (to declare) on exit polling. What people need to do in Florida (and other states)...is harrass exit poll takers as much as possible. Make them uncomfortable and feel totally out of place. A bucket of water...a straw broom...whatever it takes to get some fool to just move on. We didn't have this problem until the early 80s. Its time we fix this problem without a lot of politicians getting involved and creating stupid laws.

[jwpjr]

My tin foil hat is in the shop getting a new persahnifyer but I'll chance advancing my conspiracy theory about Florida and the 2000 election without benefit of the hat.

I wonder if the Dems didn't have someone in the exit poll organization that fed bogus data to the computer at the stage where raw information was being input based on calls from across the state. After the fact the organization blamed it on faulty data. I think the data was purposely input to skew the results. Despite their protestations to the contrary, it's Dems who are experts a stealing elections. A few minor changes to the raw data being input could have a large impact on the ciphering the computer did to project a winner. This approach would permit the networks to make calls without having any idea they were propagating a fraud, and by the time anyone figures out what's going on it's too late.

On a related tack, I am also convinced the infamous Palm Beach county ballot was purposely designed to be confusing. The plan would have been to make certain lots of people claimed to have been too confused to cast their ballot as they intended. Put a few shills in the crowd to stir up the confusion and wait for everyone else to chime in.

It would not surprise me to learn that there was a plan to attack every step of the process, all worked out long before election day. I think they knew they were toast in Florida and there only hope was to poison the process.

Hate to go on like this without benefit of my tin foil hat, but I've learned to suspect ANYTHING a Dem has a hand in.

[topher]

Wow! That is great! What about a Cable outfit like CNN? Does the FCC have some control over them?

I still think that by referring to BOTH SITUATIONS, it may get more attention.

[OldPossum]

I've seen that estimate, too. One would hope that those in western Florida who got misled have learned their lesson and won't fall for this again. I doubt that they will.

The ones we have to be worried about are those western Floridians who either moved there or reached voting age during the period since November 2000.

[weezel]

10,000 in the panhandle, but what about further west? How would you like it if you were hard at work, 2 time zones west of Florida, and be told that Bush had lost Florida, and therefore the election, before your work day was even finished ? After a hard days work, is there any chance you'd go straight home instead of going to stand in line for maybe hours, to vote for a candidate who could not win ? I believe that if Florida had not been called early, Bush would have easily won the popular vote along with the electoral.

[go-ken-go]

While we are the subject of the 2000 election... Can someone refresh my memory as to what caused Gore to withdraw his concession to W.?

[Calpernia]

Help me out here. What did CNN do wrong by calling FL before the polls closed?

Now, if we want to show how Turner was helped by Soros in the NTV Bid, yeah!

But I don't understand the election 2000 situation.

[TexasNative2000]

What did CNN do wrong by calling FL before the polls closed?

By announcing a projected winner (Gore) before the polls closed, they discouraged Bush voters from voting since their candidate had 'lost' the state.

This mattered greatly when you consider that the panhandle of Florida, which is in the Central time zone, is more Republican than Democrat. As noted earlier, estimates are that the early projection cost Bush about a 10,000 vote margin in Florida.

[Calpernia]

>>>Can someone refresh my memory as to what caused Gore to withdraw his concession to W.?

I'm only assuming; but recently an article came out on how people that owned homes in NY, NJ, and FL were voting in elections as residents of more than one state.

I believe those votes became nulled.

[Calpernia]

Oh, ok. I didn't catch that. Thank you.

[TexasNative2000]

Happy to help.

[Calpernia]

bump!

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Didn't the former head of CNN News move to CBS within the last year?

[johnny7]

From what I remember, it was withdrawn after Gore got a call from some dem ad/pr firm that black voters were turned away and Florida vote was soooo close that he should 1.) Withdraw concession 2.) call for a recount.

[Calpernia]

>>>Didn't the former head of CNN News move to CBS within the last year?

That's interesting. I didn't know that.