Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pollster: Bush 2000 win due to media calling race
Mathaba News ^ | 9/28/2006

Posted on 09/28/2006 4:54:43 PM PDT by Hadean

Boston Globe - CONCORD, N.H.: A former national pollster argues in his new book that Al Gore really won the 2000 presidential election, but premature calls by the media for George Bush took Gore's victory away.

David Moore's book, "How to Steal an Election," argues Al Gore rightfully won the presidency.

Moore, a former University of New Hampshire professor, said he knows his premise is a "hard sell" and insists the book is not partisan.

His former bosses -- the Gallup Poll -- disagreed and fired him after he told them about the book last spring, he said.

Gallup General Counsel Steve O'Brien told the Concord Monitor on Wednesday that writing the book was a "colossally stupid" thing for Moore to do given the polling firm's nonpartisan mission. O'Brien scoffed at the idea that any book with such a title could be impartial.

Moore disagrees and believes he was being "as objective as you can be about what really happened."

"All I do is present evidence about how an election was stolen," he said.

Moore founded the University of New Hampshire Survey Center in the 1970s but left in 1993 to take a job with the Gallup Poll.

His book focuses on the people who analyzed the votes for network television in 2000. He argues that the networks too quickly put Florida in Bush's win column -- effectively giving him the electoral votes needed for victory and influencing the ultimate outcome when the fight over who won Florida went to court.

Moore said even though the networks rescinded the call within hours, Gore looked like a sore loser for seeking a recount in Florida.

That impression influenced not only public opinion but also judicial outlook, making it possible for the U.S. Supreme Court to shut down the recount, Moore argues.

Fox called the race for Bush at 2:15 a.m. NBC followed, then CBS/CNN's joint team and finally ABC. Two hours later, they all retracted that projection.

Moore also noted Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is Bush's brother and a cousin, John Ellis, was on Fox's team that called the race. Ellis said he made the call by looking at the vote tallies and making back-of-the-envelope calculations.

"Why would Jeb Bush care whether Fox called it at 2:15 in the morning or at 8:15 in the morning? Why would he care?" Moore told the Monitor. "Why would you care if you know you're going to win, if you absolutely know you're going to win, does it matter whether Fox calls it? Of course not."

Moore said networks were blinded by competition and rushed to call the race after Fox -- a charge the other networks deny.

Moore said on election night 2000 he observed the team calling the elections for CBS and CNN. Just after 1 a.m., Moore said he asked the head of the CBS/CNN team why he hadn't called Florida for Bush. The team leader said the margin was too small, but Moore said the network called the race an hour later, minutes after Fox and NBC.

CBS's team leader insisted he was almost ready to call the race when the others did.

Moore believes the pressure was too great for the network to wait and the rush to be first still affects accuracy in calling races.

Bush won Florida by 537 votes.

A media consortium conducted a manual recount of contested ballots and found that Gore would still have lost if the recount he had sought had been done. Gore wanted a recount in a few counties. The consortium said a statewide recount probably would have given Gore the election by about 100 votes.

Moore's book has been released only to a few bookstores. Its official release is next month.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2000election; bds; bush; cantgetoverit; florida; gore; moredemlies; peterjennings; revisionism
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-5051-100101-102 next last
That's funny. I recall this little event:

"Al Gore wins the state of Florida and its 25 electoral votes," announced Peter Jennings of ABC News. "It gives him the first big-state momentum of the evening. This is the biggest state where the race has been close and the fourth biggest electoral prize."

1 posted on 09/28/2006 4:54:44 PM PDT by Hadean
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Hadean

This professor is not a PHD...he is an ASS!


2 posted on 09/28/2006 4:56:34 PM PDT by Don Corleone (Leave the gun..take the cannoli)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

3 posted on 09/28/2006 4:57:25 PM PDT by COEXERJ145 (Free Republic is Currently Suffering a Pandemic of “Bush Derangement Syndrome.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THE TRUTH.

I remember driving home from work about about
7:00 pm Pacific time and hesring CBS radio report Florida for Gore.

I remember how my heart sank.


4 posted on 09/28/2006 4:59:04 PM PDT by BenLurkin ("The entire remedy is with the people." - W. H. Harrison)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

"Moore, a former University of New Hampshire professor, said he knows his premise is a "hard sell" and insists the book is not partisan."

Well.... I guess that settles it.


5 posted on 09/28/2006 4:59:12 PM PDT by aquila48
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

Exactly. They had effectively already called the race for Gore long before they were forced to reverse themselves in the wee hours....LONG AFTER THE POLLS CLOSED.


6 posted on 09/28/2006 4:59:27 PM PDT by Paul Ross (We cannot be for lawful ordinances and for an alien conspiracy at one and the same moment.-Cicero)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

"his premise is a "hard sell" and insists the book is not partisan.

His former bosses -- the Gallup Poll -- disagreed and fired him after he told them about the book last spring, he said."


I would fire him too.

The press called it for Gore.


7 posted on 09/28/2006 4:59:43 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar ("Being nice will get us killed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

Tee hee....isn't this the same university where the professor is all over TV telling the world that our President blew up the WTC?


8 posted on 09/28/2006 4:59:45 PM PDT by OldFriend (Should we wait for them to come and kill us again? President Karzai 9/26/06)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Don Corleone

PHD == Piled Hip Deep...


9 posted on 09/28/2006 5:00:52 PM PDT by xcamel (Press to Test, Release to Detonate)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

They are still recounting the 2000 election.


LOL.



Well, maybe it keeps them off the streets and out of trouble.


10 posted on 09/28/2006 5:00:56 PM PDT by TomGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

The important fact in all this is how an obviously partisan apparatchik was able to get such a sensitive position with "non-partisan" Gallup.

There is no way anyone can factually state "Gore would have won..." without supposing facts not in evidence combined with a giant leap down the Kool Aid rabbit hole.


11 posted on 09/28/2006 5:01:02 PM PDT by Bob J (RIGHTALK.com...a conservative alternative to NPR!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

LOL.Dims never let facts get in the way of a good story.


12 posted on 09/28/2006 5:01:06 PM PDT by Thombo2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

Didn't the make the initial Florida call for Gore BEFORE the polls had closed in the Panhandle?


13 posted on 09/28/2006 5:01:14 PM PDT by MediaMole (9/11 - We have already forgotten.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

If Socialism lasts 10,000 years, its worshippers will never forget the Great Florida Defeat of 2000.


14 posted on 09/28/2006 5:02:05 PM PDT by samtheman (The Democrats are Instituting their own Guest Voter Program.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

VNS called Florida for Gore at 8 p.m.


15 posted on 09/28/2006 5:04:15 PM PDT by Howlin (Declassify the Joe Wilson "Report!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

They AREN'T really stooping this freaking low are they? Oh yes, they are.

AL Gore tired to steal the election, we all saw it with our own eyes, and the rats have rewritten history once again.


16 posted on 09/28/2006 5:04:19 PM PDT by ladyinred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MediaMole

Dan Rather did that one


17 posted on 09/28/2006 5:04:40 PM PDT by misterrob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Hadean
That impression influenced not only public opinion but also judicial outlook, making it possible for the U.S. Supreme Court to shut down the recount, Moore argues.  This statement is opinion not fact.

Moore also noted Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is Bush's brother  ???  So what?

A media consortium conducted a manual recount of contested ballots and found that Gore would still have lost if the recount he had sought had been done. Gore wanted a recount in a few counties. The consortium said a statewide recount probably would have given Gore the election by about 100 votes. I have never heard this last statement. Since the consortium didn't recount the entire state it is wholly irresponsible to make this claim.


18 posted on 09/28/2006 5:05:58 PM PDT by HawaiianGecko (Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean
I see the dems are so utterly desperate they're floating the same old tired trial balloon. They are beyond pathetic.

The simple truth about election 2000

19 posted on 09/28/2006 5:06:03 PM PDT by right wing (The Drive-By Media Are Terrorists Too)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

You are dead on. I was supervisor of flying for my unit that night and glued to the TV ALL DAY AND NIGHT long. The truth is EVERY outlet was fcalling Florida for Gore. And, humorously enough, I distinctly rember one outlet having Mary Matalin on with that arrogant and smirky Mike McCurry as FLORIDA WAS BEING CALLED FOR GORE and it was MAry Matalin who stopped the conversation to demand they acknowledge that the Pan Handle has not been called in and that it was an hour behind.

The writer of this trash hack book is one audacious LIAR.


20 posted on 09/28/2006 5:07:28 PM PDT by ICE-FLYER (God bless and keep the United States of America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: samtheman
If Socialism lasts 10,000 years, its worshippers will never forget the Great Florida Defeat of 2000.

A lot like OBL moaning about the Andulusian Tragedy, five-hundred years ago.

21 posted on 09/28/2006 5:10:44 PM PDT by ModelBreaker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: MediaMole

Yeah they sure did.
Bush won anyway.
Algore gets to try again in 2008, it will be fun to see him and Hillary rewriting the Clinton history book.


22 posted on 09/28/2006 5:11:05 PM PDT by nascarnation
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

Anybody got that graphic of a dead horse?


23 posted on 09/28/2006 5:12:14 PM PDT by 50sDad (ST3d: Real Star Trek 3d Chess: http://my.ohio.voyager.net/~abartmes/tactical.htm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

How could calling the election 6 hours after the polls closed change the election??? The guy is a total moron. I can see why they fired his stupid ass.


24 posted on 09/28/2006 5:12:29 PM PDT by Always Right
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

Historical revisionism by the left never ceases.


25 posted on 09/28/2006 5:12:40 PM PDT by Dane ("Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" Ronald Reagan, 1987)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean
Fox called the race for Bush at 2:15 a.m. NBC followed, then CBS/CNN's joint team and finally ABC.


This is such a blatantly stupid and fictitious statement that it's mere existence is to subliminally coerce people into purchasing the book.
26 posted on 09/28/2006 5:12:45 PM PDT by crazyhorse691 (Diplomacy doesn't work when seagulls rain on your parade. A shotgun and umbrella does.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
I remember driving home from work about about 7:00 pm Pacific time and hesring CBS radio report Florida for Gore.

Exactly. But that had no effect. It was them calling it at 2:15 the next morning for Bush that effected the outcome. Get it?

27 posted on 09/28/2006 5:13:38 PM PDT by Always Right
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

If Gore didn't mean to steal the election, why did he have a Daley as campaign manager?


28 posted on 09/28/2006 5:14:33 PM PDT by reg45
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

Bush Derangement Syndrome claims another victim.


29 posted on 09/28/2006 5:14:35 PM PDT by Redcloak (Speak softly and wear a loud shirt.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

Well, that's what I recall, too, and that we on the West Coast all lamented afterwards that the premature, and erroneous, call for Gore depressed the West Coast Republican vote. So how can this guy claim it was prematurely called for Pres. Bush?


30 posted on 09/28/2006 5:16:14 PM PDT by hsalaw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
called Florida for Gore at 8 p.m.

And Florida has two time zones; the clowns called it while the western panhandle's polls were still open.

31 posted on 09/28/2006 5:17:00 PM PDT by ErnBatavia (Meep Meep)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Hadean
Studies have already shown that the networks called states for Gore within minutes of the polls closing with only a few percentage votes difference, yet waited for 30 minutes or more to call a state for Bush when Bush's margin of victory was much larger.

-PJ

32 posted on 09/28/2006 5:17:27 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (It's still not safe to vote Democrat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: aquila48

He's trying to make money, plain and simple. He's after the money from the dweebs that still harbor some glimmer of hope that maybe AG really did win. pure bullshit.


33 posted on 09/28/2006 5:18:02 PM PDT by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: nascarnation

It is times like this that I wish our President could run for a third term, he would win again and shut these idiots up. On second thought, he could run 25 times; win and they would still complain that he won by cheating!!!!


34 posted on 09/28/2006 5:18:50 PM PDT by doc1019
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

But I stayed up that night long enough for Jennings to declare Bush the winner and thus, the 43rd president. I remember how overjoyed I was to see that graphic come up on the screen.


35 posted on 09/28/2006 5:19:08 PM PDT by boop (Now Greg, you know I don't like that WORD!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Don Corleone

We've already had media giants do the actual TOTAL receount. Bush won!

They are insane!


36 posted on 09/28/2006 5:19:39 PM PDT by BunnySlippers (Never Forget)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Hadean
Never mind the very real suppression of the voter turnout on the Florida panhandle by the MSM's premature call of Florida for Gore, though...
37 posted on 09/28/2006 5:19:43 PM PDT by Gordongekko909 (Mark 5:9)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

Dear Professor,

Move on!


38 posted on 09/28/2006 5:19:58 PM PDT by black_diamond
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean; zot; Interesting Times

Of course the fact that all three networks called the state of Florida for Gore an hour before the polls closed in the panhandle had nothing what so ever to do with the outcome of the election. (scarasim off)


39 posted on 09/28/2006 5:20:14 PM PDT by GreyFriar ( (3rd Armored Division - Spearhead))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean
Let him go and peddle his book on a military installation where there's many who weren't allowed to have their votes counted because clinton ordered the boats with the many sacks of military absentee ballots on them to stay out at sea, or were dismissed as invalid because of the postmark having an APO# instead of a point of destination name.
40 posted on 09/28/2006 5:20:58 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (By a miracle we lived through 'Eight Clinton Years of Living Hell'....NO MORE CLINTON'S...EVER!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean
Moore said even though the networks rescinded the call within hours, Gore looked like a sore loser for seeking a recount in Florida.

He was a sore loser. Not because of the networks calling it, but because he LOST the actual counted votes. And then he lost the recounted votes. And then he lost the recounted votes again.

41 posted on 09/28/2006 5:21:31 PM PDT by Always Right
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

We must be experiencing the same illusion.

I seem to recall the networks calling it for Gore when certain precincts were still voting in the different time zones of the state, probably very likely influencing whether some voters even bothered to show up for G.W.B.


42 posted on 09/28/2006 5:22:03 PM PDT by Soul Seeker (Kobach: Amnesty is going from an illegal to a legal position, without imposing the original penalty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 50sDad
Take your pick. :-)


43 posted on 09/28/2006 5:22:34 PM PDT by COEXERJ145 (Free Republic is Currently Suffering a Pandemic of “Bush Derangement Syndrome.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

The psychosis continues.


44 posted on 09/28/2006 5:22:36 PM PDT by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: black_diamond

so W is eligible for the 2008 race ?


45 posted on 09/28/2006 5:23:08 PM PDT by daku ("Behold this creature that walks like a man. It wants ketchup on its hot dog.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: boop

I was still up when they changed their minds (for the third time) and withdrew the call for Bush. Made me sick to my stomach.


46 posted on 09/28/2006 5:23:20 PM PDT by COEXERJ145 (Free Republic is Currently Suffering a Pandemic of “Bush Derangement Syndrome.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Hadean; Howlin
Author Moore doesn't mention the fact that Florida was called for Gore much earlier in the evening by the Voter News Service. There is no comparison between the effect of that announcement and the 2 AM call by Fox for Bush. That's because the earlier VNS call for Gore was made while polls were still open in the section of Florida's Panhandle located in the Central Time Zone. That is Bush territory. So many Central Time Florida voters waiting to cast ballots, misled by the MSM into thinking the outcome had already been settled, decided not to stay on line. It was estimated that Bush lost a net 10,000 votes by that seemingly calculated MSM trickery.

The only reasonable conclusion is that if not for the earlier fakery in calling the state for Gore with the polls still open, there would have been no need whatsoever for the recount circus which followed.

47 posted on 09/28/2006 5:26:26 PM PDT by justiceseeker93
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hadean
HEY! This spinach Kool Aid gives me projectile diarrhea!
48 posted on 09/28/2006 5:26:27 PM PDT by dgallo51 (DEMAND IMMEDIATE, OPEN INVESTIGATIONS OF U.S. COMPLICITY IN RWANDAN GENOCIDE!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

"I remember how my heart sank."

My heart sank too, and I was sitting right here in Florida watching it unfold on the news. Of course, the people in the Florida panhandle weren't too pleased that it was called before THEY voted.


49 posted on 09/28/2006 5:26:49 PM PDT by Old Grumpy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Hadean

The professor is wrong. I was there. Bush won.


50 posted on 09/28/2006 5:29:31 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat (I am SO glad to no longer be associated with the party of "dependence on government"!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-5051-100101-102 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson