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Midterm media coverage: A night in search of a narrative | AP News

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  perrie-halpern  •  2 years ago  •  30 comments

By:   AP NEWS

Midterm media coverage: A night in search of a narrative | AP News
NEW YORK (AP) — For news organizations covering the midterm election results, it was a night in search of a narrative. Tight races across the country confirmed the nation's divide and kept reporters — armed as they were with statistics and projections — wary of drawing conclusions about the political future.

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



NEW YORK (AP) — For news organizations covering the midterm election results, it was a night in search of a narrative.

Tight races across the country confirmed the nation's divide and kept reporters — armed as they were with statistics and projections — wary of drawing conclusions about the political future. It was an election night that even TV news couldn't impose a storyline upon.

"This is going to be bare knuckles all the way, and we might not know the answer for quite some time," analyst Brit Hume said on Fox News Channel.

He was talking about Pennsylvania's Senate race between John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz, but could just as easily have been talking about several others.

"It's why you brew coffee," John King grumbled after yet another spin through rural Georgia counties on CNN's "magic wall" trying to decipher that Senate race.

Fetterman came onstage to declare victory after 1 a.m. ET on Wednesday, but The Associated Press had not called a winner in the tight competition.

The New York Times brought back its "Needle" to project party control of the House and Senate. It barely budged through the evening, showing a toss-up in the Senate and a narrow GOP lead for House control.

Past midnight, AP wrote that "control of Congress hung in the balance early Wednesday." Similarly, The Washington Post's lead headline said "Control of Congress up for grabs as many key contests across the country remain unsettled."

Both Garrett Haake of NBC News and CNN's Manu Raju did live shots after midnight in a largely empty room where Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy had been hoping to hold a celebration of an impending speakership.

"It's a long night to go," Haake said, "but this has turned out to be much more of a slog than Republicans expected on the way to a House majority."

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow said that "it's not a slam dunk for anyone on either side of the aisle."

Kellyanne Conway, the former aide to President Donald Trump who was a commentator on Fox News Channel, grew impatient with on-set discussions about Republicans not performing up to expectations or hopes.

"It's enough," she said. "We'll take it."

Television networks made an extra effort on Tuesday to have personnel on hand to deal with threats to democracy, such as election deniers or attempts to prevent voting. Instead, there wasn't much for them to do.

News organizations made skillful use of a raft of statistical analyses. ABC News showed a chart outlining how election deniers were performing in the election. CBS' polling broke respondents into intriguing categories — like "pressured parents" and "young and restless."

CBS took a break from its midterm coverage for Stephen Colbert's "Late Show," where he read election results and listened to analysis from news anchor John Dickerson.

Through it all, news organizations stressed transparency, and how counting election results had become more difficult because of increased early voting and different state rules in how the vote was counted.

"This is more complicated than it was 10 years ago," CNN's King said, "because people are voting in different ways."

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evilone
Professor Guide
1  evilone    2 years ago

I said it would be close and could take days to weeks to sort out. One thing we know this morning - there was no red wave. Congress will be more divided than before with Dems likely keeping the Senate and a narrower gap in the House for whichever party takes control. 

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
2  Snuffy    2 years ago

I think there's one more take-away from this election.  Trump is not nearly as popular as he thinks he is.  While we can be sure he won't take the public blame for any loss here, will he privately take this in and decide that his chances in 24 are not assured and decide not to run?  

 
 
 
evilone
Professor Guide
2.1  evilone  replied to  Snuffy @2    2 years ago
Trump is not nearly as popular as he thinks he is.

We keep seeing talk and action as if he thinks he will run in 2024. Especially as he, and acolytes like Green, talk bad about DeSantis.

...will he privately take this in and decide that his chances in 24 are not assured and decide not to run?  

Maybe... His ego is pretty big and he has a lot of voices urging him on. He seems to be that bright shinny object distracting the media.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.1.1  JohnRussell  replied to  evilone @2.1    2 years ago

A lot of people miss the biggest point about Donald Trump - he is mentally ill. He suffers from malignant narcissism , a major personality disorder. 

A few days ago Trump was asked, by a friendly interviewer on a right wing cable channel, if he should be given credit if the Republicans won or blame if they lost. With no hesitation or lack of conviction he said that if the Republicans were to win he would deserve all the credit and if they lost he would accept none of the blame. That is exactly what he said. That is what we are dealing with here, he believes he is magical and even when he is far behind or in trouble he always feels like he will find a way to win. IMO, he absolutely will run against DeSantis. 

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
2.1.2  devangelical  replied to  evilone @2.1    2 years ago

he's probably been confined to a straight jacket to keep him from announcing to salve his damaged ego.

 
 
 
Trout Giggles
Professor Principal
2.2  Trout Giggles  replied to  Snuffy @2    2 years ago

We can only hope...tho a part of me would like to see him try and actually lose the Rep nomination. He would be so humiliated

 
 
 
Just Jim NC TttH
Professor Principal
2.2.1  Just Jim NC TttH  replied to  Trout Giggles @2.2    2 years ago

Well hopefully his "bigly announcement" at Mar-A-Lago next week will be his endorsement of DeSantis.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.2.2  JohnRussell  replied to  Just Jim NC TttH @2.2.1    2 years ago

He'll shoot someone in the middle of 5th Avenue before he will endorse DeSantis. 

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
2.2.3  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  JohnRussell @2.2.2    2 years ago

Shooting someone in the middle of Clematis Street, West Palm Beach might be more appropriate.

 
 
 
Just Jim NC TttH
Professor Principal
2.2.4  Just Jim NC TttH  replied to  JohnRussell @2.2.2    2 years ago

Ya think? I am sure he thinks he can win and I don't. I don't think he may even get the nomination. If he does, he will more than likely lose.

 
 
 
Trout Giggles
Professor Principal
2.2.5  Trout Giggles  replied to  Just Jim NC TttH @2.2.1    2 years ago

That's funny right there

 
 
 
afrayedknot
Junior Quiet
2.2.6  afrayedknot  replied to  JohnRussell @2.2.2    2 years ago

“…before he will endorse DeSantis.”

Once a nickname is bestowed upon an opponent, there is no turning back in his addled mind. Let him announce, let what’s left of his sycophants struggle to remain relevant, and let him cement his legacy as the divisive degenerate he is. 

 
 
 
Hallux
Masters Principal
2.2.7  Hallux  replied to  Just Jim NC TttH @2.2.1    2 years ago
Well hopefully his "bigly announcement" at Mar-A-Lago next week will be his endorsement of DeSantis.

If that happens it will raise suspicions of a 2024 presidential pardon for MAGAman, and from what I have seen from DeSantis there is nary a qualm about selling his soul.

 
 
 
Ozzwald
Professor Quiet
2.2.8  Ozzwald  replied to  Just Jim NC TttH @2.2.1    2 years ago
Well hopefully his "bigly announcement" at Mar-A-Lago next week will be his endorsement of DeSantis.

Based on the results of his latest endorsements, DeSantis may not want it.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
2.2.9  devangelical  replied to  Trout Giggles @2.2    2 years ago

there, there, he'll still attempt to split the party. after all, he's the leader of the faction that can only hear what they're already thinking.

 
 
 
pat wilson
Professor Participates
2.3  pat wilson  replied to  Snuffy @2    2 years ago

We should know 11/15. He has a "big announcement" !

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
2.3.1  Snuffy  replied to  pat wilson @2.3    2 years ago

Yeah.  I hope he folds his tent and just goes away but I don't think that will happen.  He was posting last night about all the "wins" for people that he "picked".

"174 wins and 9 losses, A GREAT EVENING," the former president exclaimed on Truth Social, his social media site, on Tuesday night.

While his winning the Republican nomination is not IMO a sure thing he definitely has a leg up on a lot of his competition.  And IMO if he wins the nomination, I believe that just about anybody with a 'D' after their name stands a good chance of winning the general. His time has come and gone except he refuses to accept it.

But as they say in the big city, we will see it when we see it.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
2.3.2  devangelical  replied to  Snuffy @2.3.1    2 years ago

there's still plenty of time for him to fall off his ego and seriously hurt himself... /s

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
3  Vic Eldred    2 years ago

I watched both Fox News and MSNBC. MSNBC actually called the races much quicker, but as far as who had the best narrative it was Marc Thiessen. He called the results and indictment of the GOP. He pointed out that they had Inflation, rampant crime and an open border as issues to bash the Biden administration and for whatever reason the American people said "No thanks!"

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Principal
3.1  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  Vic Eldred @3    2 years ago

I watched NBC and found no commentary which is what I want. What they did do, is talk about the exit polls and what was important to people. Obviously, the economy was a big issue, but so was the Dodd decision and somewhat on crime. Oddly very little on open borders. 

The American people want moderation. They are tired of people letting one man influence an entire party. That is truly what is on the ballot. 

 
 
 
Jack_TX
Professor Quiet
3.1.1  Jack_TX  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @3.1    2 years ago
The American people want moderation.

Amen.

 
 
 
Ozzwald
Professor Quiet
3.1.2  Ozzwald  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @3.1    2 years ago
The American people want moderation.

They also do not want a party of finger pointers.  A party that likes to blame everyone else but accept no responsibility for themselves.

 
 
 
Split Personality
Professor Guide
3.1.3  Split Personality  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @3.1    2 years ago
The American people want moderation.

and abortion rights and marijuana apparently ( in some unexpected places )

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
3.1.4  devangelical  replied to  Split Personality @3.1.3    2 years ago

I can't believe they sell hemp in texas, as the real thing... wtf?

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
3.2  devangelical  replied to  Vic Eldred @3    2 years ago
Inflation, rampant crime and an open border as issues

the voters already knew who created those problems, hence the election outcome we have...

 
 
 
Nerm_L
Professor Expert
4  Nerm_L    2 years ago

I didn't waste my time watching the talking heads trying to turn the election into a game of footsie ball.  Four months ago I predicted that Republicans would obtain a majority in the House and Democrats would retain the Senate.  The absolute best Republicans could hope for was a 20 seat majority in the House and a 2 seat majority in the Senate; both those absolute bests seemed highly unlikely four months ago.

Democrats (and their supporters in the press) chose a strategy of dividing the country.  Obviously that strategy was successful.  The American people have chosen sides and are fighting each other.  What that means is it doesn't matter who controls Congress; nothing is going to get done.  A divided country is to Biden's advantage because he can claim authority to do whatever he damn well pleases.  It would be foolish to believe that Biden won't become more authoritarian during his remaining two years.  Expect President Biden to become King Biden.  And, no, Biden won't be able to win reelection.  

Bottom line is that the Federal government is becoming more irrelevant.  During midterms, every single election is a local election.  Federal elected officials using the Federal government to meddle in all these local elections will ultimately diminish the value of democracy.  The talking heads don't know and don't care about democracy; they're attempting to remain relevant in an increasing irrelevant political environment.  There isn't a national narrative for midterm elections.  The talking heads in the press know that but lie to the American electorate anyway.

 
 
 
Sunshine
Professor Quiet
4.1  Sunshine  replied to  Nerm_L @4    2 years ago

Well said Nerm.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
4.2  devangelical  replied to  Nerm_L @4    2 years ago

thanks for sharing the official kremlin position.

 
 
 
Nerm_L
Professor Expert
4.2.1  Nerm_L  replied to  devangelical @4.2    2 years ago
thanks for sharing the official kremlin position.

The official Kremlin position would seem to be encouraging the American people turn against each other and divide the country.  How is that different from Democrats' (and Biden's) closing arguments before the election?

 
 
 
shona1
PhD Quiet
4.3  shona1  replied to  Nerm_L @4    2 years ago

Morning...I am with you Nerm on watching elections...I would rather watch paint dry, brush the cat, count Koalas in trees..

I sure as hell won't be watching our State election here in three weeks time...a nightmare that comes true every four years..😵‍💫😵‍💫

 
 

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