Don't let ABC, AP, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC give the election to Kerry like they did Gore

http://www.ecotalk.org/VNS.htm ^ | 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

If you recall the media tried to give FL to Gore in 2000

VNS was a private consortium owned by
ABC News, The Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and NBC.

4 of the 5 of the networks and cable newsrooms
(only ABC waited till both time zones closed)
"announced" Gore had won
BEFORE the 2nd time zone in FL had closed.
This cost President Bush votes in the FL panhandle.

I was at a friends house and the State of FL election website results showed President Bush was winning

In fact, the networks which called Florida for Gore did so early in the evening—before polls had even closed in the Florida panhandle, which is part of the Central Time Zone. NBC called Florida for Gore at 7:49:40 p.m., Eastern Time. This was 10 minutes before polls closed in the Florida panhandle. Thirty seconds later, CBS called Florida for Gore. And at 7:52 p.m., Fox called Florida for Gore. Moore never lets the audience know that Fox was among the networks which made the error of calling Florida for Gore prematurely. Then at 8:02 p.m., ABC called Florida for Gore. Only ABC had waited until the Florida polls were closed.

About an hour before the polls closed in panhandle Florida,
the networks called the U.S. Senate race in favor of the Democratic candidate.

The premature calls may have cost Bush thousands of votes from the conservative panhandle, as discouraged last-minute voters heard that their state had already been decided;
some last-minute voters on their way to the polling place turned around and went home. Other voters who were waiting in line left the polling place. In Florida, as elsewhere, voters who have arrived at the polling place before closing time often end up voting after closing time, because of long lines. The conventional wisdom of politics is that supporters of the losing candidate are most likely to give up on voting when they hear that their side has already lost. Thus, on election night 1980, when incumbent President Jimmy Carter gave a concession speech while polls were still open on the west coast, the early concession was blamed for costing the Democrats several Congressional seats in the West, such as that of 20-year incumbent James Corman. The fact that all the networks had declared Reagan a landslide winner while west coast voting was still in progress was also blamed for Democratic losses in the West; Congress even held hearings about prohibiting the disclosure of exit polls before voting had ended in the any of the 48 contiguous states.

Even if the premature television calls affected all potential voters equally, the effect was to reduce Republican votes significantly, because the Florida panhandle is a Republican stronghold. Most of Central Time Zone Florida is in the 1st Congressional District, which is known as the "Redneck Riviera." In that district, Bob Dole beat Bill Clinton by 69,000 votes in 1996, even though Clinton won the state by 300,000 votes.

So depress overall turnout in the panhandle,
and you will necessarily depress more Republican than Democratic votes.

A 2001 study by John Lott suggested that the early calls cost Bush at least 7,500 votes,
and perhaps many more.

At 10:00 p.m., which network took the lead in retracting the premature Florida win for Gore?
The first retracting network was CBS, not Fox.

Over four hours later, at 2:16 a.m., Fox projected Bush as the Florida winner,
as did all the other networks by 2:20 a.m.

At 3:59 a.m., CBS took the lead in retracting the Florida call for Bush. All the other networks, including Fox, followed the CBS lead within eight minutes. That the networks arrived at similar conclusions within a short period of time is not surprising, since they were all using the same data from the Voter News Service. (Linda Mason, Kathleen Francovic & Kathleen Hall Jamieson, “CBS News Coverage of Election Night 2000: Investigation, Analysis, Recommendations” (CBS News, Jan. 2001), pp. 12-25.)

The big 5 media TV and Cable newsrooms are the real threat to the 2004 election.

..."Early on Tuesday, November 7th 2000, TV stations and various media based in Florida reported that Gore has won Florida which was a big surprise for everyone because of strong republican support. Bush's brother Jeb is governor there and Florida usually gives support to the Republicans. Some of them questioned that and during the night CNN showed 52% Bush's lead over 46% for Gore. It is almost impossible to believe that media could have been that blind and biased to report Gore's victory."...

[maine-iac7]

thought there had been some ruling - FCC? _ - after the 2000 deliberate early calling for Gore that would prohibit early calling this time? Or was that just wishful thinking that something fair had been put in place?

In any case, we need to slam them all with thousands of emails to let them know they will be watched this time - and held accountable. they have used this method for many years - it works well and they know it.

Talk about fraud

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

on election night 1980, when incumbent President Jimmy Carter gave a concession speech while polls were still open on the west coast, the early concession was blamed for costing the Democrats several Congressional seats in the West, such as that of 20-year incumbent James Corman. The fact that all the networks had declared Reagan a landslide winner while west coast voting was still in progress was also blamed for Democratic losses in the West; Congress even held hearings about prohibiting the disclosure of exit polls before voting had ended in the any of the 48 contiguous states.

Exit polling is, acccording to Bill Sammon's excellent book, a process of dubious legality. After all, you aren't allowed to even chat with your neighbor about the voting, while you are both in line at the polling place. Secret ballot rules.

Of course the public is dying to know the outcome of the election before election night is over. Well, the public is dying to know what the military is doing when a battle in in progress, too - but it is against the public interest for critical military movements to be public knowledge. Sometimes what interests the public is information the publication of which is against the public interest.

As I proposed three years ago, and as the Democrats threatened to do to the Swift Boat Vets without justification, there must be a serious move to sue the FCC and its licensees if the licensees do anything to compromise the election process. It is not in the public interest to allow anyone to authoritatively proclaim the result of the election before the state goverments make the announcements.

[Major Matt Mason]

The lesson that should have been learned by the GOP is that they need to run some commercials in the panhandle reminding voters to do their civic duty, regardless of what the networks say. There is plenty of material that can be used, including footage of the networks incorrectly calling FL early.

[MeekOneGOP]

Man, that is EXACTLY right ! And worth repeating!:

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With the early voting this year, this will be less of an impact than in 2000. However, people still need to vote as long as the polls are open on November 2nd, regardless of what the networks, including Fox and Paula Zahn, are saying.

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I already cast my vote for Dubya !!

Early voting begins in Texas today 10-18-2004
BUSY polling place this morning!

[EGPWS]

"Kerry, why do you refuse to sign Form 180?"

For one of two reasons, either he has something to hide, or he is doing it for personal principle. Either reason should be unacceptable for a person running for such a high office.

[Fiddlstix]

[Twinkie]

Yep. It DID seem they were in a terrible hurry to call a
state for Gore, and appeared to do so as quickly as
possible with thinly disguised glee. I think they know
what they are doing after all this time and I look for them
to do the very same thing this time as well. The way they
affected the Florida vote was almost criminal and should

have resulted in some legal corrections of their tactics;

but since it didn't, I look for more of the same.

[sweetliberty]

And how are we supposed to prevent them doing what they do naturally....championing the RATs?

[Angry Enough]

You know what? It wouldn't stop me - it shouldn't stop anyone. Now more than ever, it should be a matter of conscience to cast your ballot, no matter what! I'm back to the 'broken glass' attitude. I'd crawl across broken glass to cast my vote, EVEN IF IN THE END IT DIDN'T COUNT.

[Doe Eyes]

Calling Florida early also probably cost the president votes here in the West Coast.

I heard that more Democrats didn't bother to vote after the Florida call. They are the lazy ones after all.

[rawcatslyentist]

Shut down the Alphabet Channels (ABJazerra & Her Sister Stations)!
Vote with your Remote!
You have a choice!
Exercise It!

But, I Have A Plan
Zippo Hero
Seven Dead Monkeys Page O Tunes

Can't Take A JoKe???
Vote GWB!!!

[TheGrimReaper]

Despite the dimwits' cry of "disenfranchised voters" and "voter suppression" in 2000... After FOUR YEARS of their incessant drone and whine - NO ONE - not Jesse Jackson, not Al Sharpton, not Kweisi Mfume, not Julian Bond, not Terry McAwful, not the DNC - can come up with the name of even a SINGLE voter whose rights were denied in Florida - or anywhere else.

The best antidote to this nonsense is an overwhelming turnout for GWB and a decisive (5+ points) victory.
Of course, we'll have to work extra hard just to offset the rampant fraud that is already in progress....

[prophetic]

bump

[bkwells]

Nice post Tonk! Mailed my absentee ballot last week!

[blackie]

Roger that ~ Bump!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[BIGLOOK]

On this like white on rice (or some other metaphor).

Stay the course, Tonk! Fire for effect.

[Tax Government]

The electoral college is the only thing blocking massive localized voter fraud from swinging national elections. It has a purpose; it should never be changed.

[yoe]

I've got a plan: GET EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO TURN OFF RADIOS AND TELEVISION UNTIL THE WEST COAST POLLS HAVE CLOSED. HAMMER THE ALPHABET NEWS TO LEAVE

THE VOTING TO US!!

[BigSkyFreeper]

The media failed. They won't convince voters this time around either.

[NRA1995]

Never mind the polls or the predictions on Election Day.....just get your asses out there and cast your vote!!!