ABC News Coverage of Election Night '08

Ahh, election night, a very exciting night for the country. It’s when the people decide and discover who the next president of their nation will be. It’s also the night when every single television news station spends hours of coverage repeating themselves and each other while they attempt to fill their program before they can officially announce the next president. The station I was honored enough to cover: ABC.

I actually thought that ABC did an appropriate job of coverage of this 2008 presidential election. For one thing, they had everything organized. They had Diane Sawyer in charge of exit polls, George Stephanopolous in charge of scenarios and situations, some lady was responsible for the web and voter feedback, and then they had people placed in both the Obama and McCain camps, with Charles Gibson leading the network charge. ABC also knew what was important in this particular election. They highlighted six key battleground states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Indiana, Virginia, and North Carolina, and they admitted that McCain needed to carry at least five of these six to have a chance, and they had a correspondent in each of these states. It just went to show that the network wasn’t just reporting what happened, but they comprehended what was necessary for each candidate to prevail.

Making the information constantly available to the viewer is another important factor in election coverage, and ABC certainly did this. They had a ticker on the bottom of the television screen that ran at all times, and it displayed the presidential and congressional races in each state, as well as the total popular vote between McCain and Obama. In addition, they had boards in the background of the hosts that displayed the electoral college vote, and a map that was colored red or blue to portray which way each state was projected. There was also a map in which Stephanopolous could create scenarios, such as what states McCain could afford to lose while still maintaining a chance at victory. I think ABC did a very good job in this instance of scenarios because they were able to incorporate the outcomes in the previous two elections, both won by Bush. By using these results, they could determine what would be necessary for either candidate if a swing state swung the opposite way it voted in the past two elections, and really laid everything out so it could be easily understood by the viewer.

ABC did an excellent job of keeping their online website up with their national television coverage. They had a large map that was very similar to the one behind the hosts, except it had an interactive aspect to it. You could use your mouse to scroll over any state, and it would tell you the percentage of votes for each candidate as well as the percentage of precincts reporting. Also, they kept up with the coverage, as each state online turned color almost simultaneously as it was projected on television.

There were some interesting segments that ABC used to fill in the down time between the top of each hour, when polls closed in certain states and all the projections came; all the action. They interviewed the campaign managers of each party, they had people in Chicago and Phoenix at the Obama and McCain camps, and they even talked to Rudy Giuliani and Oprah. They did all they could, but they could not avoid the inevitable. It is always customary that each network ends up stepping on their own toes and beating things over the head repeatedly. It’s unavoidable; there’s only so much they can talk about without this happening. The whole bit about people in Kenya, the story about Obama’s relationship with his grandmother, occasionally interviewing the people in Times Square; these were all unnecessary to the coverage, not to mention somewhat irrelevant and boring, at least in my opinion. And Diane was a little ridiculous with some of her exit poll breakdowns, I mean who cares how many evangelists in Indiana voted for each McCain, or how many senior voters in West Virginia cast their ballot for Obama?

Overall, I liked what ABC did. They could not ignore some redundancy and irrelevancy, but they were organized and comprehensive, as well as up to date with their projections. Also, they were not too quick to project a winner in each state as they wanted to make sure they would not have to go back on it, and they refused to announce Obama as the next president until he reached that 270 mark in the electoral college vote (which they did around 11 pm) even when things looked bleak for McCain. Overall grade: B+/A-

Interactive Narratives

The article I looked at this week from the Interactive Narratives website is from the Roanoke Times online edition. The article provides a 3-dimensional graphic walk through of the Taubman Museum of Art, which I can only assume is a museum that is yet to be or in the process of being built in Virginia. Like all the other examples I have used from this site, the article proves what a substantial advantage online journalism can have over newspaper if used properly. The walk through gives a 3-D portrayal of how each room will be constructed, as well as providing architectural information on each aspect of the building, nothing that a newspaper could depict as well with words (and no pictures since it hasn’t been built). There are also videos about the idea behind the museum and its contributors.

I Have The Power

Well it’s official: I am your designated fivethirtyeight.com aficionado. It is my specialty to bring to you any noteworthy evidence that I find from the political website, and that’s just what I’m going to do. This week, what I had in mind maybe doesn’t pertain to you, but it certainly does to me and that’s all I care about.

The article I would like to focus on is one which empowers…me. Go figure. According to a Columbia University professor, voters in the following states will have a 1-in-10,000,000 chance of deciding the outcome of the election: New Mexico, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Colorado. Why is this relevant? Because I am from New Hampshire of course.

Let’s be honest, 1-in-10,000,000 is not the greatest odds in the world, but it is better than the average American’s chance of affecting who the next president of the United States will be. Not since residents of Florida in the 2000 election have any group of Americans been so politically empowered. I can feel the power surging through me.

Considering there are approximately 120,000,000 Americans who will participate in this election (and I base that on the popular vote from four years ago), I like my odds. Does anyone else? I’d be willing to sway my vote for the right price if you are a believer or if you really care that much. Just kidding. But seriously, citizens of these states, realize the power that is in your hands and how you could potentially have a drastic affect on this election, and get out there next Tuesday, November 4th and vote.

Just A Little Something To Think About

I have to get all your attention back on that website, fivethirtyeight.com. I told you it had a lot of interesting polls and tidbits about the election, and I have stumbled upon another. A recent Nickelodeon poll result was posted on the website, and it appears that the children’s vote in the election is extremely tight: Obama 51%, McCain 49%, with about 2.3 million kids voting. The actual projected popular vote right about now, according to the website, is approximately 51.6% for Obama to 46.8% for McCain, with the remaining 1.6% undecided.

So, although not significant, there is an increase in McCain supporters among children. This brings up some interesting ideas, one of which being, are there really more republican kids than adults? Or is it simply the fact that kids are influenced by their parents? I believe that the real solution is this:

The kids’ poll is a poll that is essentially one of their parents. Unless you get some really political little kids, I am inclined to believe that the kids are influenced by the views and opinions by their parents which are placed upon them. The kids then say that they are pulling for whichever candidate their parents are voting for. This is not uncommon. Kids look up to their parents and, whether their parents do or not, they will not look at the issue subjectively, and will be in favor of whoever their parents are regardless of the issues (which I doubt they know anything about anyways).

This would mean that a slight amount of kids, probably about 3%, eventually change their mind and actually shift from a republican point of view to a democratic point of view by the time they are eligible to vote. This also makes sense. Kids start taking political classes in high school and then in college as well, both institutions which (I personally believe) advocate a democratic behavior. Also, the majority of teachers seem to be democrats, and though maybe not overtly, I’m sure they can’t help at times but to inflict their own opinions on their students.

This is all personal speculation, but again just something to think about.

Interactive Narratives

The article that I selected to view was one from Interactive Narratives, and it portrayed the story of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise. It discussed the team’s brutal decade after becoming an expansion team and its struggles to its rise to the top where they are now, playing the Boston Red Sox for the AL pennant. But the article did more than what any normal newspaper article would have done, it used is online capabilities to its advantage and has many interactive features that enhance the article. The article uses a timeline, pictures and videos of the early beginnings of baseball in the Tampa region, the franchise’s beginnings, blunders, and ultimate success. It provides much more information than any normal newspaper could contain and makes it more interesting to read.

How Fair is the Electoral College After All?

Interested in seeing how this 2008 election is going? Wondering who’s got the advantage as they head down the home stretch? Even who is predicted to take control of the White House? Stop right there. FiveThirtyEight.com has all the answers you are looking for. It even has breakdowns by state, popular vote, electoral vote, you name it. What’s the percentage McCain has of winning New Hampshire? It’s on there, 8%. How about Obama winning North Carolina? 34%. The website has all different types of scenarios and the likelihood of each coming true.

The most noticeable statistics are the pie charts of popular vote, electoral vote, and win percentage. I was thinking to myself how interesting these charts are, and it made me realize how unfair they are. The popular vote gives the slight edge to Obama, then the electoral vote more blue (democratic), and the win percentage almost entirely blue.

This graphic demonstration represents a fundamental flaw in the electoral college. The overall popular vote is going to be tight, but Obama’s chances of winning are almost guaranteed. It’s like two evenly matched teams playing each other with a huge point spread. For example, if the Cowboys play the Giants and one of the teams is getting 20 points. It doesn’t make any sense. That’s the problem with the electoral vote, and this visual makes it obvious.

There’s all the commercial and television campaigns encouraging people to vote and that every vote counts, but what’s the point of a republican living in Massachusetts voting? What’s his incentive? His candidate isn’t going to get anything out of his vote. Maybe the electoral college should distribute its votes based upon percent of popular votes in each state. So if McCain only gets 7 or 8% of the vote in Massachusetts, as least he’ll get one of the electoral votes. I’m just saying, let’s eliminate that point spread.

(Graph re-displays info given in pie charts on website).

Interactive Narratives

The article that I discovered in “Interactive Narratives” describes the Torrey Pines South Golf Course. This is where the 2008 U.S. Open took place, and this article provides features that a newspaper would not be able to provide because of its online/interactive aspect. The article, published on the San Diego Tribune’s website, gives the reader a view from the tee and from the green for all 18 holes. It makes you feel like you are actually there on the golf course, and even better yet, playing the course. While the article also gives a brief description of each hole, the video footage it provides is just imagery that words in a newspaper cannot match. This article is an excellent example of how much more beneficial online journalism, specifically the interactive aspect, can be.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/golf/multimedia/080122torrey/index.html

David Cappiello: Connecticut’s 5th District U.S. House Hopeful

Republican David Cappiello is challenging incumbent democrat Chris Murphy in this year’s race for Connecticut’s 5th district U.S. House of Representatives seat. The fifth term state senator for Connecticut’s 24th district (Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield, Sherman) is looking to displace Murphy by winning the November 4th election.

According to the Connnecticut Senate Repulicans website, the 40 year old Cappiello was first elected into office in 1994 as a Connecticut State Representative from Danbury’s 138th district. There, he served two terms before earning a spot in the State Senate in 1998 where he has remained for ten years.

Capiello has long been an advocate of public safety and health reform. He recently called for an evaluation of Connecticut’s Emergency Management system in an attempt to improve Connecticut’s Homeland Security system. He also played an important role in expanding the state’s prescription drug program for the elderly and disabled. In addition, Cappiello wrote An Act Requiring the Screening of Newborns for Metabolic Diseases, which does exactly what it the title implies; screens newborns for life threatening metabolic diseases.

This November the republican will try to build on his election success in the past and move on to Washington where he can represent his state in Congress.

Connecticut’s 5th District U.S. House Incumbent: Chris Murphy

Chris Murphy (D) is the incumbent state representative from Connecticut’s 5th district, and is running to retain that position against current Danbury State Senator David Cappiello (R). Voting for the election will take place on November 4, 2008, and the winner will take their seat two months later on January 4, 2009.

According to the NationMaster Encyclopedia website, Murphy began his political career in 1998 at the age of 25. He served two terms as a Connecticut State Representative from the 81st district representing Southington. Following that, Murphy was elected to the state Senate from the 16th district representing Southington, Chesire, Waterbury and Wolcott. In both victories, Murphy was in just his twenties and replaced an incumbent who had been in office for over a decade.

As a member of the state Senate, Murphy earned Senate chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee. Murphy also focused on issues of environmental protection, juvenile reform, and wrote Connecticut’s stem cell research act, making Connecticut the third state to give public funding to stem cell research. In addition, Murphy wrote legislation to help abused and neglected children by creating the Office of Child Protection.

In 2006, Murphy decided against running for re-election to the state Senate and ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut’s 5th district instead. Murphy defeated incumbent Nancy Johnson (R) to earn the seat, the seat he is trying to defend this election.

Women: Draft Eligible?

“It’s our country too, and we should be responsible to fight for it and protect it as well.”

That’s what Junior Christina Bayne said when asked if women should be subject to a military draft just as men are.

Women have never been subject to a military draft, according to the government website on selective service at http://www.sss.gov/wmbkgr.htm. All women who serve or have served have done so voluntarily.

According to the site, the court case Rostker v. Goldberg (1981) prohibits women from being included in a draft. The site gave the reason, stating that military drafts are primarily used to get candidates for combat roles, and the Department of Defense policy is not to assign women to these roles.

Six female Quinnipiac University students, however, have a contradicting opinion.

“Under certain circumstances, women should be eligible for a draft,” said Junior Kim LeBel. “I think single mothers should be exempt, but all other women within the age limit should be fair game.”

Junior Meghan Trull said, “Women have earned equal rights in this country, and it shouldn’t be any different with a draft.”

All six girls also agreed when asked whether females should partake in combat roles.

“If they are physically capable, then yeah, women should be eligible for combat,” said Junior Heather Maffeo.

Trull also agreed with this opinion, with the same physical stipulation. “If a little 80 pound woman is forced into combat, then she’s going to be a danger to herself and her fellow soldiers.”

The six students thought that a military draft for nurses would also be a good idea.

Nursing major Molly Cuddy said, “The military should be able to draft nurses and other medical staff to meet their needs if it comes to that, and that would be another way to get women involved in a war effort.”


Interactive Narratives

Some of the interactive aspects of these articles is really quite compelling and certainly reveals one of the huge advantages of online journalism has over newspapers. For example, one article contains a “Bridge Tracker” which is a map that tells the current bridge condition of more than 100,000 bridges in the U.S. It provides a detailed map of the nation and allows the reader to search all bridges from one location to another. This makes the article relative to anyone who is reading it, as they can apply it to their general area, possibly a route they drive each day. Such a vast amount of information like this could only be available online.

Mi Casa

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Military Draft Would Not Be A Welcome Sign According To QU Students

According to abcnews.com, over 4,000 American lives have been lost to the ongoing war in Iraq. With Senator McCain’s plan to send over more American troops to help end the conflict, a question was posed to some Quinnipiac University male students: How would you react to a draft? A relevant question as these people would be directly affected by a potential military draft.

Of the 6 students interviewed, all of them would be upset and most definitely against a draft. Junior Jon Pantano opposed because as he said, “I don’t like being forced to do something against my will” as he would not voluntarily enlist in the military.

Junior Devon Bushey said, “The government shouldn’t force people to go to a war they don’t believe in.”

Despite the disapproval of the draft by all polled, there were mixed reactions when asked if they would serve their country or not. Although 5 out of 6 said yes they would serve, Bushey said that he would “seriously consider draft dodging.”

On the opposite side of the spectrum is Pantano and Junior Brady Giroux. Pantano, although against the draft, said he would be honored to serve his country.

“I would do it because I love my country and I am a true American,” he said, “For all the freedoms I’ve enjoyed in my life, I owe it to my country.”

Giroux said he would serve his country because “It’s the right thing to do.”

Junior Stuart Easton found a way to get out of a war that he doesn’t believe in, saying that he would “play the duel citizenship card” to get out of the draft, as he was born in England.

Whether they were for the war or against at the beginning, all students polled are currently against the cause of the war, and believe that troops should be gradually pulled out.

Easton spoke for the opinion of the entire group when he said “We have to leave Iraq in a better condition than we found them in; we owe it to them and are now responsible for getting them there.”

Five out of six said that if it was a different war and they believed in the cause, they would be proud to serve their country if drafted.

Potential Political Beats

As I stated in my email, I would most likely prefer to be a reporter. I am assuming that the articles I would be writing would be about the upcoming November election and its candidates. That said, the campaign issues that I would be most interested in writing about would be gun control, the war in iraq, and stem cell research. Here are some links to related articles regarding the candidates and these issues.

Obama on gun control
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/06/ar2008040601652.html

McCain on stem cell research
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/95212.php

McCain on Obama's Iraq policies
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/15/mccain.foreign.policy/index.html