Ah, so rather than argue the question on its merits, I see the Globe's going with the political equivalent of "If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell."
The very last thing they want to see is a populace stirred up with the realization that “Only if it isn’t close, can’t they cheat.”