Unbeliveable. The fix is in....

[Trek234]

As of 1% of the vote being counted (yes, 1%) both CNN AND MSNBC have declared Arnold the winner.

MSNBC even sent an MSN Messenger news alert about it. The alert read that Arnold had won.

So much for not wanting to make the same "mistake" as 2000. 1% of the vote and Arnold has won. Nice. Must be a new system of counting.

[robsul82]

1. Really, this is looking WEIRD...

...and I don't like the smell of it, not one damn bit.

Later.

RJS

[mindwalker_i]

2. Absentee votes

At least some are saying that 77% voted no on the recall. That speaks volumes...

[blackcat77]

3. The numbers seem to be overwhelming

When a contest isn't even close, they'll call it real quick. That's the reason my home state -- Indiana -- ia always called for the Republican candidate one minute after the polls close here.

[CosmicVortex10]

4. Its called exit polling

If they really show Ahnald at 50% and busta at 35, then you can bet their not too far off. Lets just call it a day and regroup later.

[tom_paine]

8. Wait just a minute, there.

Suddenly exit polling is gospel again?!? They shut it down in 2002 because it was wildly unreliable (supposedly). Plus there are 2,000,000 absentee ballots.

What fresh hell or Orwellian Newspeak is this?

"Let's just call it a day?"

Fuck you, you Fair and Balanced Fuck!

[HitmanLV]

9. exit polling and reliability

The wider the margin, the more reliable the result will be, though the margin may narrow.

The networks acted too quickly in calling Florida, which had a razor thin margin ultimately.

So calling a race where polls say a 51-49 spread is more risky than when a spread is 55-45.

A lot would have to go wrong for a 59-41 point spread, and Arnold's 50-30 lead over Cruz, to be 'wildly' wrong.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wellstone_democrat]

17. yeah, what tom paine said

*

[FDRrocks]

5. Fox, too

had to check in on thier spin. Arnold just got crowned king of the world in thier heads.

This reminds me of 2k.

[tom_paine]

6. Yes, I would think that was very weird, too

I fully expected after 2000 that the counting would be very deliberate and a winner wouldn't be declared until very late at night.

Strange and Orwellian, but customary of late here in the Empire.

[robbedvoter]

7. Here's a story recounted on one of my lists:

-I was really angry when I heard about a women at the polling
> place
> > where Arnuld and Maria voted, say "Good Morning, Mr. Governor" when
> > they went in to vote...in front of others who hadn't cast their
> > ballots yet...people who work are not supposed to campaign, sway or
> > discuss the vote with anyone...this was outrageous"

Add to that W declaring yesterday he's ready to work with Arnold and....

[sugargoose]

11. Of course they can call the election with 1% in

They already know how the machines were fixed.
I find it odd that polls showed a close race and suddenly it is a landslide. Very odd. I have no faith whatsoever in our election system and I truly believe it is in most cases rigged.

[belab13]

14. I concur. that 20 point positive swing for arnold 2 weeks ago, pretty

much told the whole story.

[reprobate]

15. sugargoose, I believe you have it right.

I have been watching politics for the last four decades and the one thing that is apparent to me is that the influence of corporate money has corrupted our system to the point that anyone with access to the internet knows enough to be extremely cynical about any decision that our congress or executive reach.

The media, of course, is owned by the republicans and their coverage shows that beyond doubt. They are now not much more than a free advertising arm for the right. How can the left possibley compete with that when we have to pay for coverage that they get for free.

Then there's the Diebold connection. From everything we hear, they have the ability to hack any election with whatever result they wish, and it appears to be untraceable and undetectable.

If all of this reminds you of germany in the '30s you ain't alone. The right has taken over our gov't and society following the same plan used by the nazi's in the 30s. I just pray that we don't have to go thru the same pain they did in order to return to democracy. Control of gov't by corporate leadership is the very definition of fascism.

It may be a reflection of tonight's fiasco, but for right now, I have little hope for our country. My thoughts lately have been leaning toward finding a new and more humane place to live out my life.

[daphnes_mama]

18. I agree with you.

I find this whole thing so frightening. There is a rabid discourse that has slowly grown. It started when Republicans took control of the House and Senate back in 1994.

What can we do about it? How do you speak out against totalitarianism?

[newyawker99]

19. Hi daphnes_mama!!

Welcome to DU!!

[candy331]

12. Gore was declared the winner

in Florida by exit polls yet Bush won. This calling the winner before even half of the votes are counted needs to stop.

[CosmicVortex10]

13. As already noted... Florida was a razor thin margin. This isnt

Im not happy about it either, but the numbers are just too far gone.

[oceanpoetry]

16. Florida wasn't razor thin

I recommend reading Greg Palast's book "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" - he goes into detail about how many Democratic votes were cancelled in Florida...if the recount had been completed, Gore would have won easily.

[Frodo]

20. Won easily? Yes Not "razor thin" no.

I've seen stories on both sides about how 10,000 or 20,000 or even 50000 votes were not counted and that it never would have ben close.

Fine, bt that would still be razon thin in a state with millions of voters. If Gor actually won the state by 51-49 it should never have been "called" until late that night - not 30 minutes before the polls closed in some places.

[YourDad]

21. it's very terrifying

the republicans want to have total control so badly. after they fix all the elections what's going to happen to us and everyone else in america? they are going to do to the other 49 states what they did to california. and they're doing it for a reason. once they rig all the elections (including the presidential one) what are the going to do next? stop the trial run in guantanamo bay and bring out full blown concentration camps? i don't think they will be happy with just rigging elections for governor. and when they think they have all of america firmly under control they will get tired of rigging elections and get rid of them altogether. then we will have martial law and a new dictator. you can forget dissent.