Like everyone else, I was entranced by election coverage just about that whole week. And it seems like we even had our own little "Dewey defeats Truman" moment here in Missouri when some networks and media outlets (Fox News, KC Star, AP among them) called the state for Hillary too early and ended up eating crow.
Even though Obama's win really only provided him with a little momentum, the premature projections show that the same inclination that existed for networks in 2000 when calling the state of Florida for Gore. Is getting it early on election night still that much more important than getting it right?
I was at home watching the returns with my roommates and following a number of web sites with the data, including CNN and Robin Carnahan's SOS page. And even I could tell that the state was way too close to call, given that returns from pro-Obama Boone Co., Jackson Co., and StL counties weren't in yet. What good is election coverage if the "projections" made can't be relied upon? Let's hope that networks look closely at election night coverage or the media could gain another black eye like it did in 2000.
Progress Report- Finished 2 spot stories this week, one on election night eve and one covering an immigration hearing. I hope to really get entrenched in coverage of the immigration debate this year hopefully.
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