General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Trump did not win [View all]McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)It's true. In 2004, the Bush administration at least did the American voter the courtesy of trying to prevent tell-tale exit polls by trying to make pollsters stay far away from the polls. It happened early on election day in Ohio. The reliability of exit polls is inversely proportional to distance from polling places (and yes, I know I just waded into deep waters that will make math challenged Americans scream and swim for shore but bear with me, I am getting there). The news media wasn't having any of it. They went to court, got an injunction, did their exit polls--and then made a devil's bargain with the Bush administration in exchange for suppressing the polls--but not before the cow got out of the barn and we learned about them.
Recall that on election night, the Bush family was terrified that the nation would notice the exit poll/tabulated vote discrepancy. The whole family got together on television in a show of mock bravery and they looked like deers caught in a headlight. The fear was palpable. They attacked Fallujah in an attempt to divert the nation. They "came together" over the Tsunami. It was touch and go there for a while.
Did you notice Trump's scared expression on election night? He knew what Poppy Bush knew--that the exit polls would not match the tabulated vote in some key areas. He too was afraid that someone would notice.
So far, the members of the press are acting like penguins at the edge of a cliff. The water below is full of fish and the penguins are hungry. But each of them is afraid to be the first for fear that there are orcas or sharks in the water. They are waiting for someone else to go first.
Who will go first? Won't be KO this time. He does not have a network. I suggest someone who has down home credentials. Like Garrison Keeler. Someone who can talk "plain talk." And he or she needs to explain to Americans that they have just been slapped on the face by a foreign power that thinks that we will not notice that there are discrepancies in the tabulated vote that can not be explained by chance. Use gambling analogies, sports analogies---many American who consider themselves bad at math are pretty good at math when it comes to making a bet. For example---
What would Americans say if the winner of a big lottery turned out to be the second cousin of one of the software programmers? What would they say if certain online poker players seemed to be able to read their opponents cards? What about if a quarterback fumbles the crucial catch in the Superbowl, causing an upset win by the other player? Howe many Americans would sit still for that? Or if the umpire made a stupid call that made the underdogs win the World Series?