Networks Nervous Over Election Night Exit Polls

MSNBC ^ | October 3, 2008 | AP

[John W]

Polling place surveys frequently overstated Obama vote during primaries

NEW YORK - Barack Obama’s tendency through the Democratic primaries to perform better in exit polls than he actually does at the ballot box has some media organizations nervous heading into Election Night.

Television networks want to avoid having their performance become an issue for the third straight presidential election. Their political experts hope that experience gained during the primaries will help things run smoothly Nov. 4.

[dforest]

Well, you can’t trust those bitter clinger whiteys.

[w1andsodidwe]

It will be worse than ever on election night. It will be the worst the media has ever been. In fact, I would not doubt if CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN all call the race prematurely and earlier than any of their past performances.

I remember leaving work at 4:30 here on the West Coast on the first Tuesday (after the first Monday of course) in November. When I turned on the radio in my car, the first thing I heard was "We are ready to declare a winner."

Early need not always be bad.

[wilco200]

If I get exit polled. I voted for Obama.

[greyfoxx39]

They will use this to say that "they waited as long as possible" to call it but WILL call them early for Obama. It will cause voter disenfranchisement in the Central, Mountain and Pacific Time Zones. COUNT ON IT!

Correct! This article by (ahem) msnbc is their attempt to provide cover for their plan to do exactly that.

"And her smile. By the end, when she clearly knew she was doing well, it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing. It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America." Rich Lowry on Sarah.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

ABCNNBCBS will declare Barrack Hussein 0Bama far ahead!

[Names Ash Housewares]

Note to self.

Buy more ammo.

[RobinOfKingston]

Announcing the results of exit polling before the end of voting is contributing to election fraud. It needs to be ended. Everyone can wait ‘til the next morning.

Ain’t gunna happen, though, ‘til the dummycrats get gored by that particular bull.

Then there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth of Biblical proportions, and legislation will be proposed.

[Old Grumpy]

“The problems were more serious in 2000, when networks prematurely “called” Florida, and thus the election, for George Bush. It led to a congressional investigation into their practices.”

Do what?? Tell me I’m misunderstanding this statement. The networks I was watching called Florida for Gore, based on the polls in the Eastern Time Zone closing at 7:00 p.m. They HAD NOT closed in Florida’s panhandle, which is in the Central Time Zone, and therefore MANY people heard Gore had won Florida and turned around and went home, without voting at all. I certainly hope that will NOT happen this time around.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Oh bull crap they aren’t nervous.

They are in the tank, and are just trying to find a way to call it for Hussein and end it all.

We are in for a long four years if McCain doesn’t get some testicles.

[Tanniker Smith]

No problem: just call Florida for Obama early so Palin supporters will go home.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Both of you have long memories. If you can ping this story and the real reason behind it, to any blogs you frequent.

I've been doing the same for the last couple minutes.

[Wilder Effect]

You are right, and the GOP needs to fight that crap. Especially with the Panhandle being in a different time zone.

In 2000 when they called Florida early, it do not stop turnout in NV, CO etc....

I think Republican voters know the media is full of crap, and are smart.

[Carley]

MSNBC is not a credible news source.

[John W]

You’re right as to how it happened. And, they also lie when they say “called it prematurely for Bush”. No, they called it correctly. He won Florida.

[Wilder Effect]

Yep. Right now with this bogus polling, I try and remember Election Night 2000, when I drank a bottle of Smirnoff to ease the pain after the Florida Call. Dem Friends giving me crap, how Bush blew it. I went to bed with thinking Prez Gore, woke up to Drudge and almost choked.

5pm election day 2004, I went to DrudgeReport and felt like I got hit by Mike Tyson.

We will be fine, McCain will fight back.

[Republican Wildcat]

Here’s an idea - how about using the actual vote totals?

[A_Former_Democrat]

And then the riots follow.

[weegee]

Zogby’s special sauce, the favorite drunk of media shills everywhere.

They tried to steal an election in 2004 by cooking the exit poll figures that were being cited throughout the day.

[weegee]

Democrats claimed that the biased exit polls were “proof” that the elections had been stolen in 2000 and 2004.

[weegee]

I was up until the douchebags in the medias coughed up the admission that Bush had won and Gore had called to confirm.

They got all solemn and Katie Couric was holding back the tears.

Then Al Gore reneged and Dan Ratherbiased got rejuvenated like he'd snorted Scarface's private stash.

The media is not impartial. They are lousy actors. That's why they read the news instead of earn more money doing other things in front of the camera.