The issue with not calling it, is the perception it allows and the wasted time it provides

[boston bean]

To further conspiracy theories about how it is rigged against trump.

Truth is there is no path for trump and Biden has won. It has to be said by the media based upon these facts.

[apcalc]

1. It also keep Trumpers in a ' maybe mode' and

Keeps the Orange Fruitcake somewhat less volatile.

I hope.

[634-5789]

4. In AZ this morning...

MAGAts carrying those ridiculous tRump 2020 flags, and the reporter asked a couple to explain their situation, and one of them said that the 'Biden Crime Family', is trying to steal the election. HOOOOO, BOY!

[spooky3]

5. The best response I've seen to this is that if Dems

were stealing the election, they would have stolen 10 senate seats too.

[BKDem]

6. Reporters should stop asking these people anything.

They are too stupid to live.

[58Sunliner]

2. Yep.

[ananda]

3. It's like the elephant in the room.

I think we all know why the election hasn't been called yet, and it's ugly. This was all designed by the Trump campaign and the state legislatures of MI, PA, and WI so that Florida would be called first as a winner for Trump, and then the other three would be delayed by having to wait till election day to start counting mailns. Then networks were intimidated into delaying the call of the election for Biden while Trump has been mounting a series of lawsuits, all failed or unnecessary so far.

However, there is no way this can go on with the way all four states of AZ, GA, NV, and PA are trending... for Biden. Pundits seem to agree that the election will be called by tonight.

[Statistical]

13. and thursday

[StarfishSaver]

15. I think that was the plan, but there were a few things they didn't take into account

They weren't expecting there to be such a massive turnout on the Democratic side - they thought the margins would be much closer so that the absentee ballots they challenged would make a difference. But Democrats and civil rights groups, grassroots advocates died a great job educating voters and helping them get their ballots in early.

Also, they weren't expecting the state courts to go against them so uniformly.

As you say, there are too many states for this to work - they assumed it would be one or two states but they can't mount this strategy in so many states with such disparate processes, especially since some of the states are Republican-run.

They were also hoping that Pennsylvania would get called early and then as the counting continued, they'd cause chaos and questions and lawsuits so they could say everything was rigged, the media was trying to crown Biden before the votes were counted, etc. And if they could wreak enough havoc to cause the media projection to have to be pulled back, all the better. But instead, the votes are being counted, the margins aren't as close as they'd hoped so the challenged ballots probably won't make a difference and when the media makes its projection, it will be solid.

They planned this badly.

One thing that surprises me, however, is how poorly staffed their legal teams are. Their legal arguments and pleadings are sloppy, badly-thought-out and meritless. Courts are rejecting them left and right. I've read all the pleadings and they're a mess - embarrassingly so. Perhaps they couldn't find any self-respecting litigators to take their case. But whatever, we're not looking at anything close to Bush v. Gore quality legal firepower here.

[LiberalBrooke]

10. They are trying to delay tantrums by trumpers.

We all knows how well that works with toddlers.

[Blue Owl]

11. Hopefully they're just getting cameras all set up

I wanna see that tantrum...

[NurseJackie]

12. I agree with you. But since there IS a delay and HAS BEEN such a long delay...

... I'm hoping for a silver lining. Maybe it will give them a chance to accept reality and come to terms with the inevitable.

The only analogy I can think of involves the death of a loved one. It's shocking and mind-numbing to hear that a loved one has died of a sudden massive heart-attack. And although no-less-sad... when a loved one dies after being in hospice for a week, it's easier to accept because we were prepared.

Maybe that will happen with the insufferable deplorables. They'll be better prepared. I hope.

That's the only silver lining I can think of.

[boston bean]

16. Maybe. I am just so peeved because it is giving in to a fucking bully.

Anyone else and this would have been projected by the media.

They are waiting for it to be actually statically impossible for trump to lose.

This has never been done for any other politician. We know the result. It needs to be called as they have in the past.

[NurseJackie]

17. I agree. The wait is maddening.

Especially when it's so obvious and when it's such a departure from past elections.

[Windy City Charlie]

14. What I'm sensing

I sense no one wants to call it while Trump continues filing challenges. It's as if he's holding them hostage from doing so by filing challenges over and over

[StarfishSaver]

18. It's not exactly that, but you're close

I don't think they're afraid to call it while the challenges are pending. But the challenges are affecting whether certain ballots should b counted and that is slowing down the count in a couple of states. And that can affect the projections.

For example, the courts have ordered Pennsylvania election officials to segregate the ballots received between November 3 and November 6 because there is a dispute as to whether those ballots can be counted. It's likely that those ballots won't make any difference, but the state won't know until they count the other ballots and know the numbers and the margins. But as long as it's still possible that those ballots could make a difference to the outcome, it would be premature to project a winner.