Don't dismiss Cronkite so quickly.
49 million cast a stupid vote in 2004.
Remember the headline in one of the European papers the day after the election? HOW CAN 49 MILLION AMERICANS BE SO STUPID? or something to that effect? They were talking about Bush voters, of course, but after all the votes were in, the headline did turn out to be true. 49 million people WERE stupid, and voted for Kerry.
I take great satisfaction in knowing the headline was accurate, just a few days early.
That "49 million" headline was from the t*ssers at the Daily Mirror.