Posted on 11/02/2004 4:41:41 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
To paraphrase Tim Russert from 2000, the theme of this election as far as the Today Show and their fellow Democrats are concerned is "turnout, turnout, turnout."
Katie and Matt opened the show by stressing what they expect to be the huge turnout, as much as 120 million, compared with 105 million in 2000. And when Tim Russert appeared a few minutes later, he gave away the game as to why Today is so fervently hoping for record turnout.
According to Russert: "Republicans are expecting 110 million voters, while Dems are praying for 120 million."
The theme continued later in the half hour when Matt interviewed John Edwards. Virtually the first question out of Matt's mouth was to invite Edwards to predict turnout. Edwards predicted there'd be a much larger turnout than in 200: "115 million, 120, maybe more."
Of course it's not just any old turnout that Today is hoping for. The show aired live footage from helicopters of people waiting on lines to vote in Ft. Lauderdale and OH.
Both districts, judging by the people in the line, seemed to be in areas with a high proportion of black voters. With all the precincts in the country that Today could have chosen, it seems clear they were trying to send some kind of message or at least expressing their fondest hopes.
Anne Thompson reported on fact that OH Dems went to the US Supreme Court overnight and that Justice John Stevens turned down their appeal, with the result that GOP observers will be allowed into polling places to challenge eligibility.
Russert suggested that the ability of GOP challengers to be at polls could delay polling late into the night.
There then was unintentionally revelatory moment: Katie asked if there will there be Dem poll watchers too. Now it's obvious as a matter of law that Dems would have the same right. But the reality is that Dems won't exercise that right to any significant extent for the simple-but-unstated reason that it is Dems who engage in the overwhelming proportion of fraudulent voting.
Russert opined that the war in Iraq and "internet talk" of the possiblity of a draft has really mobilized young voters, ignoring blatant statements by Kerry himself predicting that a draft was much likely if W is re-elected. Russert said that young people are supporting Kerry by 53-38. "Will they show up and vote? If so that is very good for Kerry."
A hopeful Katie suggested that polls have undersampled young voters because of the cell-phone phenomenon.
Their were only two references to the possibility of either side losing, and, surprise!, both entertained the notion that W might lose. Norah O'Donnell claimed that his speechwriters have written an acceptance speech but also "another speech in case the President doesn't win."
And when Katie interviewed a beautiful and gracious Laura Bush, she asked her whether the President has considered his future plans in the event he is not re-elected. No such questions were posed, or reporting made, on the Kerry's future plans should he lose. I guess everyone takes it as a given he'll simply devote himself to snowboarding and windsurfing at Teresa's far-flung mansions.
A couple other tidbits:
Edwards refuses to admit that Kerry will lose Edwards' home state of NC. "There are long lines, heavy turnout in NC - you really can't predict."
Edwards also went out of his way to mention the number of years he has been married to Liz and to state that she is "the love of my life." Was that necessary for other than political pandering grounds?
Let's close on a Couric fashion-watch note. Katie was dressed in a very neutral beige. Let's hope she has the black number back from the cleaners for tomorrow!
I like your optimism about NC. That's what I was hoping/praying for.
Tell your friend to get off the pipe.
They are praying alright but they are praying to the wrong god.
The God I serve does not bless those who abet in the murder of unborn and partially born babies. Their god does.
The God I serve does not sanction same sex "mariages".Their god does.
The God I serve does not approve of their movement to remove his presence from all facets of American life. Their god does.
Once before their god attempted to overthrow the God I serve. The results were disasterous to their god.
I hope and pray that this time is also.
LOL! and thanks for the morning laugh!
It's really fun to watch the dems hacks this morning claim that Kerry's going to win as their eyes flood with tears.
All this talk about the young/cell phone vote today is likely a last ditch 'call to arms' put out by the DNC because they see what is happening.
As if the latte drinking, poetry reading, treehugging, body pierced, pansies are even out of bed yet. They were probably up half the night singing hippy songs or watching 'the real world' and now that its raining, don't want their green hair to run. A note though, when these wanna-be-hippies lose, they will be angry in the short term but demoralized in the long term.
I'm on edge too. Please switch to the decaf for a little while.
Just figured out your screenname. Your first name wouldn't be . . . Crystal, by any chance?
May I be so bold as to ask where in Johnson County. I'm from Mahalasville in Morgan County.
Johnson County is south of Indianapolis and includes Greenwood, Trafalger, Franklin, Whiteland Township...etc.
"New voters" have been the perennial hope of every losing or stupid candidate since the dawn of democracy.
Hey...maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this will be the first election in American history where new voters are going to swamp to the polls, defy all the expectation-makers, and bring to us a new world order.
Or maybe...just maybe...this election will be like every other we have had in our history, where we generally see only a modest uptick in turnout (i.e. 1-3% nationwide) relative to the last election due to this election's closeness.
I thought Russert looked much more subdued this morning. He knows what the internals are saying!
No one hears you, Katie. You & your friends should know by now Ol' Scratch doesn't get up until around 12PM PST.
The leftist libs are praying...to whom? Seriously, they are hoping we have imported enough illegal voters, dumbed down the educational system enough, brainwashed enough college students to have achieved the Venezulan election model: hordes of dependent losers with the numbers to outvote the producers in the country. Jimmy Carter was very satisfied with Chavez's stolen election, and I'm sure he helped the Dems try to set up the same results here. That's why Philly voting machines started with 488 votes on them before the first vote was cast. I'm sure that was how Chavez turned a 20% loss into a 20% victory over night.
Good point. It's the old refrain, "new voters," second only to "the only poll that counts is the one on election day!"
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