I've been very upset about the large networks refusing to release the raw exit poll data requested by John Conyers. Here's a letter that I sent to several people at each of the networks. Here are some e-mail addresses:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=178970Here's the e-mail I sent. You're free to use it in whole or part. Keep up the good work.
CNN must release the raw exit poll election data collected on November 2, 2004 on behalf of CNN and the other major networks. We beg you to do so now.
There were serious and troubling discrepancies in the 2004 election results. Preliminary exit poll data showed Kerry winning Ohio by several points. But late in the election day, the networks started combining the actual vote tallies with the exit poll data-- thus tainting the end-of-the-day exit poll data that was eventually made public. The raw data, which for no good reason is being kept from the public, will be vital for any full understanding of the election results. If fraud was perpetrated in the election, it is the people's right to know.
In the Ukraine, a discrepancy between the exit poll data and the actual vote tally was cited by our own government as a strong indication of election fraud. It was on the front page of every newspaper and at the top of primetime news. In the United States, however, the same discrepancy is essentially being ignored. What in the world is going on here?
U.S. Representative John Conyers has asked the leaders of ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and Fox for this raw election data. Reportedly, the media companies are "still analyzing" the data and thus refuse to release it until they're done.
This is an incredibly flimsy excuse for withholding the data-- and for keeping it from a member of the U.S. Congress no less. Why is CNN purposefully keeping the information from Representative Conyers? For the good of our country and for the sake of a continued democracy, that data must be turned over now.
If your network does not turn over the data, it is an outrage that many people will not soon forget.
Thank you for your attention.