Steve Schmidt just called out news orgs on their bullshit

[SDANation]

[The decision desks of the news orgs know the math is impossible for Donald Trump to overcome, the longer it’s delayed the longer you allow trump to sow doubt about the election]

[link:

Link to tweet

?s=20|

[Funtatlaguy]

1. Yep. And Brian Williams ignored it.

[Cetacea]

18. Brian Williams was the only one to refuse to air Trump's presser yesterdy

He deserves accolades for that.

[sfstaxprep]

20. Brian Williams Has No Say In The Matter

And I'm sure he would love to be the one on air when the call is made, so I doubt he's in favor of continuing to wait.

[Auggie]

26. Yep

[Funtatlaguy]

28. I didn't expect him to trash NBC's Decision Desk. But, Steve sure did

trash all of the networks for not calling the race yet.

[BlueNIndiana]

47. Networks have several reason(s)

I agree with Steve that they shoudl call these states fro Biden.

First the networks are afraid of Trump and the GOP as always.
Second if they call them "early" it wil be labeled as bias as usual.

I agree the outcome is not in doubt.

Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States barring any Suprme Court nuilification (end of democracy) or State legislature (end of democracy) scenarios.

I do nto bleiev that will happoen but it could.

Just cause the laws says they can't does not mean they wont try.

The past four years people said Trump could not do this Trump can not do that. The courst and the congress wont stand for it yet they still did.

[calimary]

64. Welcome to DU, BlueNIndiana!

I wish they'd call it for Biden, too.

Let's be done with it!

Full disclosure, though - I've been waiting a LOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNG time to declare trump FIRED. At least four years!

[jcgoldie]

2. Nailed that one

Call the motherfucker.

[EVDebsforPresident]

3. For Drumpf and his ilk

Math is impossible anyway.

[coti]

4. YES.

He is absolutely correct.

They have a RESPONSIBILITY to our democracy to call it now.

[BKDem]

62. I don't think delaying the call is going to soften the blow for the MAGAts

Or fool the Fool into thinking he still has a chance. It’s only prolonging the agony of this Presidency for the rest of us. End it now!

If Trump’s got some authoritarian end game in mind, let’s see it. I want this shit over with. I want to get on with my life.

[Farmgirl1961]

5. Yes, it seems at some point -- what is that point?

There needs to be some kind of announcement. I'm going back to the idea of waiting for PA to reach a certain threshold as with that state, Biden's clinched the nomination. The question is this -- what does that threshold need to be?

[TreasonousBastard]

6. And the sooner you call it for Biden, the more ammo you give trump to fight it. The longer it...

goes on, the less he can argue with it.

[coti]

11. Disagree. I see it just the opposite.

The longer it goes on, the more opportunity to spread lies and interfere with the process politically, and the more an air of uncertainty and unreliability re the voting numbers.

[58Sunliner]

41. I think there is a balance and we are there. No matter when it is called, DT will try to foment lies

and conspiracies. That was the plan. It would now be better to acknowledge the reality of the votes left IMO.

[bdamomma]

56. true

true

[malaise]

8. He is correct

Fuck them all

[AngryOldDem]

9. Yes.

Trump is holding everyone hostage. Enough. He is, and always has been, an empty suit. We cannot begin to move on until we tell this man to kiss off.

Stop being afraid of this charlatan.

[uponit7771]

10. K&R,

[dsc]

12. they are being way too conservative

Honestly I think NC should be called for Trump along with PA, AZ, NV for Biden and GA for Biden but acknowledging that a recount is all but certain.

[standingtall]

17. I still think Biden has a better chance at NC

Then Trump does at all of those states except for Georgia. Depending on how many ballots that are actually left in NC, then Biden will close the gap their and possibly get into recount territory if there are recounts NC and possibly even overtake him.


NC is not really comparable to PA,GA and NV. Biden is ahead in all those states and we know most of which left is from Democratic strongholds. The could them right now. Honestly they could've called PA days ago it not unusual to call state for a candidate who is behind when they know where the rest of vote is coming from. I suspect they probably would've called most of these if it weren't for all of Trumps whining.

[littlemissmartypants]

50. Estimated 190,231 yet to be counted as of 2 hours ago. nt

[standingtall]

53. If there really is 200,000 ballots

and they are mail ins. If trend in other states were Biden is getting 75% holds in NC it's doable. The Senate race there is a bit tougher though. Estimated ballots are all over the place. I've heard as many as 2 million ballots didn't believe it. Heard there was 460,000 sounds reasonable. Heard there were only 99,000 sounds kind of low.

[littlemissmartypants]

55. The waiting game is very hard. Time will tell as the saying goes. ❤ nt

[Captain Zero]

59. This is so vague to say this. WHERE?

Everybody stop and ask. Is my post overly VAGUE?

[littlemissmartypants]

63. Save us all the grief and post your best algorithm so your needs are met.

Once again. . .
Estimated ballots to be counted. Two hours old. North Carolina results. What else do you want? It's a moving target.

In the time taken by this transaction it's probably changed.

It is a direct response to a question. It doesn't exist in a vacuum, unlike snide remarks which always suck. Pun intended.

Look up your own numbers and back off.

[Botany]

13. If a republican had this kind of lead and the math was impossible for the D the media ....

... would have called it a long time ago.

I want to see what Biden's real #s are as opposed to Trump's and after what
Trump has done to America and the world i find it impossible to figure how
Trump added 6 million more voters from 2016.

Funny how many mail in ballots that were "lost" that would have added to
Biden and other D's #s.

[WyattKansas]

72. Meanwhile the calls rapidly went out for Biden and the Dems to concede to Republicans going forward.

And only do things that the Republicans would fully approve of and accept complete defeat in victory... For the sake of unifying the country, while they stoke a civil war and refuse to accept defeat for their Dear Leader.

The Democratic Leadership MUST call out Republican traitors and saboteurs every chance their pop their heads up or out of their damn turtle shell, and by all means if there is anything dirty in their backgrounds, then they need to be quickly exposed and/or prosecuted. Enough of this shit of only the Dems being vilified for questionable crap, while Republicans get away with fraud, being disloyal to the United States and American People, and getting away with organized crime against the country. How many times have the Republicans stabbed Dems in the back for the last 6 years alone and tried to completely destroy the Dems, before the Dems wake up and expose the Republican feces laying around everywhere? They are NOT your damn friends!!!

[Botany]

73. We have won the popular vote in 7 of the last 8 elections except for 2004 which saw massive ....

.... cheating nationwide but the GOP playbook is to pretend they "are the patriots and Americans"
and strut around like they are king shits of the world.

It is time to put our boots on their necks and show the world what5 no good shits they are and just
how far they are in bed with the Russians.

[Cha]

14. I don't think I've ever seen cable news fight to be *last* to call a clearly-over election.

Link to tweet

[coti]

42. Yeah, they are WAY overthinking it.

Caution turning into cowardice.

[Cha]

58. lol.. ".. over thinking it.." I like that!

[misanthrope]

15. Meanwhile, Schmidt benefits from it as well

All of these pundits do because it increases their opportunities for visibility.

[sfstaxprep]

24. Disagree

I'm sure Steve would like this to be over so he can take a few days off, and spend time with his family.

[Ligyron]

70. Maybe it's the networks stringing out the call for ratings?

As America watches with rapt attention, who, who I ask you will be the next POTUS? Stay tuned as ... ratings go through the roof?

Sure isn't going to hurt 'em any.

[doc03]

16. I think once it is called the violence will start.. nt

[paleotn]

19. Umm, no.

Outside of a few isolated incidents, no. There's not going to be widespread violence. Sometimes we're just as bad as the reich wing when it comes to "boogeymen".

[paleotn]

21. Patience, grasshoppers.

[UrbanProspector]

22. The way it works is...

Don't release important news items about Dems during the main news cycle, expect the announce later tonight if not tomorrow IMHO.

[octoberlib]

23. Yep and rightfully so. It;s despicable.

Link to tweet

?s=20

Link to tweet

?s=20

Link to tweet

?s=20

[spooky3]

25. I think they are forever cautious because of 2000. Nt

[MoonlitKnight]

27. At a minimum

They should call Nevada. Fox and the AP will just have to deal with their Arizona call, which looks like it was correct.

You can also call Biden the apparent winner of Georgia, pending a recount.

NC called for Trump, same with Alaska.

Pennsylvania too close with Biden ahead and likely to remain ahead.

To not call it this way is chickenshit. Because it’s the reality.

[SDANation]

29. Absolutely!!

[birdographer]

30. If we call it now

before all the votes are counted, trump will just file a lawsuit that it was called before all the votes were counted. He has the slimmest of slim almost-nonexistent ability to get to 270 the way it is now, but he could do it. All the votes must be counted, period. JMO, obviously, but any straying from by-the-book opens the door for him to get his foot in legally. Let's just let it play out. Count all the votes. Close every door to him.

[SDANation]

33. But that's Steve's point, they aren't even following the standard

they used for the other 35 states they have called already

[coti]

44. No, the media calling it is not official,

and can't be sued over. It's a political idea and a means of informing and bringing the people together in a common understanding.

It is more likely to PREVENT lawsuits than create them.

[treestar]

31. The longer they get higher ratings

being followed to see what is happening.

[DeminPennswoods]

32. The Nevada non-call is ridiculous

The cable networks know how the vote is going in PA. This is especially true with the last drop of mailed ballots in PA. They came from Westmoreland county, a Trump stronghold, yet went 60+% for Biden. Westmoreland and Crawford (directly below Erie county) county are the strong Trump counties that had/have the largest chuck (4k ish each) of mailed ballots to count. Everything else is in Biden/Dem areas.

[SDANation]

34. Exactly! PA doesn't even matter if Nevada gets called. It's

Over and the news orgs know it.

[GOFM]

35. Why do I get the feeling that the networks are waiting to call it until tonight?

They get more viewers and will call it during prime time.

[area51]

40. Welcome to DU.

I've been wondering if the news orgs are waiting until the weekend to call it.

[GOFM]

48. Thanks!

I've been lurking for a very long time now. Over two years. Always felt too shy and intimidated to chime in!

[bdamomma]

61. Welcome To DU

you can chime in anytime. We don't bite here!!!

[Blue_playwright]

69. Welcome!

[forkol]

36. I think because the pandemic

Last edited Fri Nov 6, 2020, 09:27 PM - Edit history (1)

made many more votes skew absentee, and so there was such a large absentee vote to process, and that it would take days or even weeks this time to count in a close race. Normally, it's quite small and in general does not change the results of a race much.

And even though in PA they now see trend lines, they did not know that at first, and they can't assume that it may continue that way even with provisional votes as well.

They did call the AZ Senate race, mainly because of that percentage difference. I would think if Biden gets enough they will call it.

[TinCup]

37. He is absolutely right.

They are afraid of Trump and that is why they haven't done it yet. There is no mathematical path for Trump to win. Steve brought us Sarah Palin which is something he is obviously trying to make up for that mistake.

[Roc2020]

38. It's about advertising and greed now

Yes understand the caution, but as obvious as the paint on the wall Biden won. Networks are milking for every eyeball and ad $$

[misanthrope]

57. It's plain for anyone who wants to see it

These are businesses. They exist to make money. This is great for ratings which translates into ad revenue.

And yes, it's biggest news story of the moment in the United States, but think about it from another angle. If there's only actual, tangible news to report when the tallies are updated, then why the wall-to-wall, constant coverage? Why don't they go with the other news that's out there and only update this when new figures come in? Why are they running ads in windows so they can keep flashing the same, nearly static vote totals on the bottom of the screen?

[GusBob]

39. They are waiting on Fox

Murdoch already told trump he is done

[58Sunliner]

43. Thank you Steve!!

[Tommymac]

45. Tell me who owns the Main Stream Media Cartels...

[marble falls]

46. I don't entirely trust Steve, but he's entirely right about this. Between the press and states ...

I am disgusted.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

49. Yes, but eyes are watching!

[BannonsLiver]

51. It's going to be stretched out over the weekend, probably early next week

We probably won’t get a call until Monday or Tuesday at this rate.

[AdamGG]

52. It's all about the ratings

If the election is still uncalled with the outcome up in the air, they get higher ratings and bring in more ad revenue. That's why they aired all of Trump's asinine rallies from the very beginning.

[Pobeka]

54. AP calls first, then Fox News, then all the others pile on.

That's the way I see it. The others are waiting for Fox News, the "legitamate" outfit in the eyes of the Trumpers to call it. That minimizes chances of violent protests. But Fox isn't going to call it until the AP does, cause Fox needs the cover.

And/or maybe they are all waiting to call 4 states at once, and deliver a knock-out punch to Trump?

[bdamomma]

60. I think

they should just continue to count the votes, I like to hear Trump's numbers are decreasing.

I'm trying to stay away from cable right now. I will stay here and check out sites for stats.

Hey I'm not in a hurry.

But it would sweet if Fox news calls it, of course tRump will implode (may be a good thing)

[SergeStorms]

65. But just think of all the great TV coverage...

if Trump goes full-tilt bozo, down-the-road, bat-shit crazy! The ratings will be terrific!

[DallasNE]

66. Ghosts Of Florida 2000

Where they called it for Bush, then retracted and called it for Gore and finally retracted and said too close to call.

But they sure could call NV, which would take Biden to 270 and President-elect status. Indeed, I believe NV is more solid than AZ at this point. I also see no reason for not calling NC for Trump, though it is meaningless at this point. At this point I don't see any more lead changes happening.

[warmfeet]

68. That is how they make money.

Lots of it.

You got a beef with capitalism bud?



Horse races create financial opportunities.

[Sunsky]

71. Steve is absolutely correct nt

[Lanius]

74. The networks could have called Pennsylvania yesterday. Ridiculous they didn't.

Most of the votes that were out in Pennsylvania were from very blue areas. Calling Penn would have given Biden 273 electoral votes and the win!

IMO the networks didn't call the election sooner because (like someone else posted) they fear Trump and the GOP, and they loved how the entire world was glued to their channels 24/7 for the last week. Never forget that, in America, the news media are for-profit corporations.