Democrats condemn media's early projections of Republican victory

[sabra]

Source: Chicago Trib

Cable TV networks award the GOP control of the House of Representatives -- based on projections rather than actual results. Democrats are not amused, and predict their party will continue to control the House.


Even before the polls closed in the West, the major television cable networks called the overall election a Republican victory and awarded the GOP control of the House of Representatives.

The only problem was that the call came from projections rather than actual results, since polls were still open in much of the country.

Democrats were not amused by the calls of victory coming as the party was still fighting crucial Senate and House races in states such as Nevada, California and Washington.

"I think that's a mistake," Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told reporters.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/la-pn-media-projections-house-gop-20101103,0,735872.story

[Devil_Fish]

1. K & Fucking R

I hate projections. Just cause Faux says it dosn't make it so.

[connecticut yankee]

8. MSNBC was saying it too.

[PatrynXX]

13. which is why Olbermann and Stewart are wrong

MSNBC isn't a left leaning network. They are a ratings driven network like everyones but Fox.

[Denninmi]

2. Ya think?

"I think that's a mistake," Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told reporters."

No shit, sherlock!

They've been "projecting" this right wing tidal wave for weeks, months now.

Several of the pieces that pass as reporting seemed like pure psy-ops stuff to me in the last few days.

I guess the media has completely lost objectivity. I think real journalists of days gone by must be rolling over in their graves.

[Frank Booth]

12. I think I remember Mara Liasson talking about the impending Republican tidal wave

back in January 2009, so you could probably say it's been years.

[somone]

3. Hey, it worked in 2000

[AndyTiedye]

4. It Was NO MISTAKE! It Was Part of Their Strategy to Help the Repiglickins!

[loudsue]

5. Well, boo fucking hoo. If you assholes had reinstated the Fairness Doctrine and written some

legislation to counter the Supreme Court ruling that news networks DON'T HAVE TO TELL THE TRUTH, then we might not have this HUGE media problem in this country.

[Dinger]

16. + 1,000,000

F'N A

[Enthusiast]

17. Thanks for being loud, Sue. Plus one! nt

[melm00se]

19. Fairness Dcotrine

If you assholes had reinstated the Fairness Doctrine and written some

legislation to counter the Supreme Court ruling that news networks DON'T HAVE TO TELL THE TRUTH, then we might not have this HUGE media problem in this country.

The Fairness Doctrine specifically excluded news reporting.

as for reporting a "lie", what the news outlets stated their analysis of available facts. As long as that analysis was done consistently, using accepted methods, then it is not a "lie". additionally, as Congressional elections are independent events (meaning that how district A in Virginia votes and subsequently elects has no impact upon how district F in Idaho votes and who they subsequently elects - this is what they call in statistics as "independent variables" akin to the toss of the dice, what happens in the 1st toss doesn't affect the odds of the next toss). this is different from a presidential election where the largest electoral college state is out west and that could definitely have a bearing on the outcome.

stop looking for external reasons for the loss, they are minor, and let's look inside to see what drove the shift in the change of the electorates mood.

[loudsue]

20. And the media isn't owned by right wing leaning corporations.

Thanks for setting everyone straight.

Oh yes. And the fault of the elections has everything to do with the democrats being losers. It's up to us to look inward and become better people so we'll win elections. Corporate money and corporate owned media, notwithstanding.

[melm00se]

21. gee....

i'll thank you not to put words in my mouth.

obviously (to most folks except for you) the Democrats implemented policies that didn't resonate with or appear to impact positively upon the majority of the electorate and got bounced....just like the republicans did in 2006, the democrats did back in the mid 90s and the republicans will do again in the future.

of course the democratic party needs to look in the mirror and figure out exactly what was done wrong and correct it otherwise they will meet the definition of insanity.

gotta newsflash for you (and only if you take off the ideological blinders and be objective): the republicans changed their message and approach...look what that got them: control of the House; a diminished Democratic majority in the Senate; a handful of new Republican governors (increasing the depth of their 2012 presidential candidate pool - historically governors have better shots at being presidents); increasing their presence at the state level.

did the media have influence? yes...was it the fundamental and major reason? absolutely not.

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. They are also saying that the "victory" is an attack on Obama.

The TV stations here in Western MA are demonstrating who owns them - and it isn't subtle. TV staff are applauding and interviewing tea party candidates and called Dem wins on the East Coast "missed opportunities." And it wasn't just FAUX TV, either.

[PatrynXX]

14. Read John Boner saying it's time for Obama to hear the people.

Well he hears the people. John has ear plugs in. I didn't say Great You I said Fuck You. The public right now doesn't see a diff between dems in congress and Repukes in Congress. That ignored Obama. And they are pissed about it. John Boner needs to quit acting like the public is that stupid.

[Hyper_Eye]

7. Unfortunately MSNBC was the first cable news channel to call it.

By a lot MSNBC was the first. I don't understand why these kinds of calls are made before the polls close on the West coast. Things like this DO have an affect on elections in which people are STILL VOTING!

[deacon]

10. No excuse ro this at all. It's all too damn important. n/t

[deacon]

Those dirty bastards - DOWN with MSM!!!

[Axrendale]

9. If the Democrats do manage to hold onto the House as well as the Senate

then a whole bunch of people are going to get a lot of egg on their faces.

[wisteria]

11. This is the media trying to control the outcome. I have no respect for any of them any longer.

They are all supporting this or that for their own personal gains.

[PatrynXX]

15. Lost respect for the media over a decade ago

when they decided to crucify Clinton.

Left wing media my ass. Ratings and ratings alone. (not fox. thats right wing ratings)Only real journalists left are online. Which is how one got more reliable stuff out of Iran than on MSM.


Not sure if I could make MSM into something that Johnny Carson would have made. Like UFO


You F............O............!!!

[No Elephants]

18. They've been predicting a Rethug tidal wave since March, ffs.