# GW Bush Wins In A LANDSLIDE!!!!!!!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 11, 2000, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494 "2000-10-11T02:34:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 8

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Freedom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Freedom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freedom)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/141 "2000-11-08T03:37:36Z")

</div>

The media sucks. Whoever decided to call FL, PA and MI to Gore so early are full of shit.  
I’ll be back later to take any lumps I have coming my way.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/142 "2000-11-08T04:08:58Z")

</div>

Yeah Freedom, did you notice how they held off on obvious Bush states as VA and OH and several other southern states (“too close to call???”), while slapping a Gore sticker on FL within 10 minutes of the polls closing?

And how about that MO judge allowing polls to stay open in Democrat-heavy St. Louis, while the more Republican areas were shut down. What a crock! Luckily, the appellate panel saw through that one.

There seem to be forces about trying to assure a Gore victory by hook or by crook. There is _no excuse_ to call a state unless there is no doubt. That FL thing was a debacle. Even if Gore ends up with it (not likely), it shouldn’t have been called so quickly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/143 "2000-11-08T04:16:49Z")

</div>

**divemaster** I was led to believe that _all_ state polling places were allowed to stay open, not just St. Louis. I don’t know why yet, so I’m witholding my opinions until I find more information.

Bush is leading FL by about 110,000 votes, but this is CNN.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/144 "2000-11-08T04:17:59Z")

</div>

Florida was called 50 minutes BEFORE the polls closed in the second time zone. That no doubt had the effect of causing many Floridians not to vote.

Does anyone know if those voters would have been predominantly Gore or Bush?

The fascinating thing here is that it’s quite possible that Florida will decide the next president, and if the vote there is close you could have the first President elected by a mistake in the media. Unless you’re a conspiracy buff, in which case the consulting firm that called the election could be guilty of election tampering.

I have no idea if an early call would have helped Bush or Gore.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/145 "2000-11-08T04:25:27Z")

</div>

Also Voter News Service (the exit pollers) didn’t want the networks to call Florida when they did!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/146 "2000-11-08T04:31:07Z")

</div>

No, it was just St. Louis. And the appellate court wouldn’t touch it. The reason they had to was because of the enormous demand for more time. The more rural areas (republican) could handle the votes. Doesn’t seem to matter much, as Bush locked it up.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/147 "2000-11-08T08:26:12Z")

</div>

Freedom2: W-RONG!!!

I seem to recall some brilliant political sage telling you you were crazy weeks ago. In fact, I’m pretty sure that same political sage had Bush winning with a scant 274 electoral votes in an IMHO thread _months_ ago.

Not to toot my own horn, but … HONK!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/148 "2000-11-08T08:37:51Z")

</div>

Well, Oh Freedom, come and eat your “crow pie”, we have a side order of 'sour grapes" for you. But, since it is very likely that Bush has won, there is unlikely to be much opportunity for Gore bashing anyway.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/149 "2000-11-08T08:55:23Z")

</div>

Holy cow!!! I never thought I’d be pulling an all-nighter for this election. This whole thing looks like it will be decided by on the order of a few thousand votes in Florida! Sometimes, every vote does count.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/150 "2000-11-08T09:22:59Z")

</div>

Since we’re still counting votes at 4AM, you have automatically lost the bet. We’ve got a big helping of crow for you.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Eggs\_a\_la\_Ted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Eggs\_a\_la\_Ted](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eggs_a_la_Ted)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/151 "2000-11-08T09:48:04Z")

</div>

96% of the vote counted

```auto

Florida

Bush - 2,902,733
Gore - 2,902,509
Nader - 96,560
Buchanan - 17,318

Popular Vote

Gore - 47,123,818
Bush - 47,063,088
Nader - 2,546,089
Buchanan - 430,176

```

That’s pretty close.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/152 "2000-11-08T12:45:50Z")

</div>

Freedom2 said:

> [@](#):
>
> I’ll be back later to take any lumps I have coming my way.

Consider yourself lumped.

I’d look up that post you made in another thread where you said that Bush would absolutely kill Gore, but pointing it out to you here should be enough.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Freedom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Freedom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freedom)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/153 "2000-11-08T14:49:40Z")

</div>

I hereby consider myself:  
Lumped, eating crow, eating sour grapes and chastised. I think gore is a swell fellow. I hereby resolve to never try and predict the future again. I will not bitch about gore until April 15th.

At least I can still complain about Hillary.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Freedom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Freedom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freedom)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/154 "2000-11-08T14:51:00Z")

</div>

BTW…Thank you Ralph Nader.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/155 "2000-11-08T15:11:23Z")

</div>

And thank you Al Gore, for not getting enough people to want to vote for you…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/156 "2000-11-08T16:13:29Z")

</div>

The long debate on this thread notwithstanding, don’t you think this close race has a lot to do with the centering of the two parties?

It’s getting harder and harder to find differences between Republicans and Democrats. This is how America likes it, apparently. Witness Buchanan and Nader.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/157 "2000-11-08T17:06:36Z")

</div>

Boy… that’s some landslide that Bush got.

_cough_

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH  
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH  
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH  
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA  
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

{edited to fix sidescroll. --Gaudere}

[Edited by Gaudere on 11-08-2000 at 11:23 AM]

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Freedom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Freedom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freedom)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/158 "2000-11-08T17:43:49Z")

</div>

🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494/159 "2000-11-09T12:07:44Z")

</div>

…but you may wish to reexamine the polls that you used to base your results on. You may be interested in this article '[grading the polls’](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45950-2000Nov8.html) (second item). The one poll they listed that was particularly off turned out to be the Battleground poll. (Maybe they should reweight their party ID). Though they don’t include Rasmussen’s Portrait of America poll, I will.  
That one was **spectacularly** wrong.

```auto

Bush 48.9
Gore 39.8
Browne 0.8
Buchanan 1.0
Nader 4.3
November 4-6

```

(Bush +8.1)

I’d question their methodology, very thoroughly. Unfortunately, that would skew RCP’s composite numbers substancially (PoA 30%/Battle 30%/Gallup 10%/ABC-WP 10%/Zogby 10%/IDB-TIPP[sup]\*[/sup] 10%).

Hey Daniel, David, Chance, Connor, et. al., if you want some fun reading check out [RCP’s prediction](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Polls/polls-Electoral_11_06_EC.html) on the day before!

Some choice quotes:

> [@](#):
>
> The real debate is not who is going to win the election, but whether Bush will win 308 electoral votes or 474 electoral votes. The media’s fantasy of Bush winning the popular vote and losing the electoral college is not going happen. The worst case scenario for a Bush victory will be a 2-3 point win in the popular vote and 10-20% more than the necessary 270 EC votes.  
> …  
> We continue to see a landslide of over 400 electoral votes and a Bush win by 7-10 points. We will have to wait until tomorrow to see whether the “tightening polls” may have worked to save Illinois, California, Minnesota and a few others for the Vice President.

Yes, they seriously predicted California for Bush!

* * *

[sub]Question: What does IDB-TIPP stand for?[/sub]

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gw-bush-wins-in-a-landslide/36494.md?page=7)
