Thursday, November 07, 2002

US Elections How to Keep Score

An insider's guide to keeping track of the election results tonight:
Here is guide to keeping score while watching the election returns. My advice, for what it's worth, is not to watch the networks at all. Either follow the election on the internet Foxnews.com, where you can look at the races you're interested in and avoid mindless blather and bias, or find something entirely different to do and check in towards the end of the evening, when things have started to take shape.

Almost every country in the world tends to invent Antony Green type characters who are not only good at wasting your time, but seem to cause irrepairable (sic) damage to your eyesight. So when a TV Talking head appears on tonight's midterm election coverage and insists the key factor in the outcome is turnout, turn him off, pronto. He's telling you nothing peculiar to this year's election, only citing something that always applies to all elections. Or if you're told that some obscure House race in Indiana is the bellwether contest in the entire election, forget it. That race may be important, but you're unlikely to get the result anytime soon. Television coverage on election night largely ignores House battles and even newspapers the next day may not declare the winner. In fact, newspapers are often negligent in making sure House results are up to date.
· Editor's Note: [Weekly Standard] We'll be posting election analysis all afternoon and all night as returns come in. Be sure to check back often.