The exit polls often do not line up with the actual count, either.  In a third world country, that is grounds for a riot.  Here, it's business as usual.

by Roger (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 465 comments [22 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 at 11:29:42 AM

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Nor does she mention Rush Limbaugh’s Operation Chaos – his urging Republicans to vote in Democratic primaries, even if it means they have to switch affiliation, and vote strongly for Senator Clinton.

No, my daughter doesn't believe it for one second, which is why I no longer bring it up.  Too many other mother/daughter things to argue over.

I believe it, but then I was born with two extra genes: One for skepticism; one for cynicism.

She, on the other hand, was born with an extra gene for optimism.

Too bad we can share them; we both could use a little of both.

by Sandy Sand (198 articles, 0 quicklinks, 227 diaries, 1548 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 at 1:20:18 PM

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Maybe it's time to just let the super-delegates decide.  As long as they understand that the results of the primaries in NH, PA, NJ, TX and many other states are tainted and may or may not be an actual representation of  the will of the voters.

There were huge problems with voting in PA, beginning with the election being conducted on unverifiable voting machines, a majority of which have been de-certified in other states.   Exit polls at the time the polls closed showed the race  "too close to call."  Then the final numbers come out just favorable enough to Clinton to insure that the fight continue.

But isn't it the Republicans who run the voting machine companies that count our votes? Who would be messing with Democratic primaries?  Who really benefits from this prolonged Dem bloodletting? Well, Truthout has an article "Clinton's Win in Pennsylvania Leaves Party Reeling" "http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042308J.shtml" David Lightman reports for McClatchy Newspapers, "Hillary Clinton's Pennsylvania victory means that the Democratic Party's eventual nominee will be badly bruised and could have a tough time rallying the party in the fall."

As long as the media and the Democratic Party and the Democratic candidates remain quiet on the issue of election failures and as long as they refuse to do anything about the situation, the chances of a Democratic victory in November, against a very weak and  unstable Republican, are very low, whatever the American people may want.

by Allegra Dengler (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 1 comments) on Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 at 3:16:40 PM

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by DanielleClarke (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 18 comments) on Thursday, Apr 24, 2008 at 7:27:12 AM

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I keep thinking that sometimes people have to hit rock bottom before they can change. Maybe countries do too.

by Colleen McLean (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 3 comments) on Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 at 9:10:09 PM

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cut the other way.

Why do we trust the hand counters? Maybe they were pulling a fast one. Maybe that's what Mr. Kennedy meant.

That may be the case -- who watched the counters? Who chose them?

Something's fishy but it may not be what you're thinking.

by fou (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 98 comments) on Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 at 10:36:51 PM

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It takes one person, operating in secret, to change a machine count without a trace. It taakes quite a bit more subterfuge and planning to change a hand count, in the open, with your neighbors around.

by GeoRip (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 47 comments) on Thursday, Apr 24, 2008 at 1:32:02 AM

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What you describe sounds like the undemocratic caucuses some are fond of -- you can't vote your heart with your neighbors and friends around intimidating you. The whole idea of the sacredness of the secret ballot is gone in those public meetings.

And I disagree -- hand counts can be fiddled with -- it may take more effort, it may not. But ballots get lost, thrown away, remarked, overmarked on purpose, miscounted, etc. There are lots of ways to do it.

by fou (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 98 comments) on Thursday, Apr 24, 2008 at 11:50:11 AM

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I'm embarrassed to realize I'd forgotten to give credit to Brad Friedman.  As usual, Brad had the goods on the voting machines being used in Pennsylvania -- and the information coming in all day on April 22nd from voters and election observers.

The Brad Blog is the place to go for the vast story of the breakdown of elections beginning in late 2004. 

And let's face it, if we don't get this election thing straightened out, the rest is moot.

by Barbara Bellows-TerraNova (25 articles, 1 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 83 comments) on Saturday, Apr 26, 2008 at 5:04:23 PM

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