# Who Will Call the Election for Biden/Trump First? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 4, 2020, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785 "2020-11-04T21:47:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/21 "2020-11-06T18:40:29Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > It’s maybe worth mentioning that in part the cable networks and the broadcast networks are the same thing. Indeed, thanks. I watch network news so infrequently that I literally have no idea who the anchors are at this point. ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/22 "2020-11-06T19:10:54Z")
Oh, agreed. I am surprised none of the networks have followed suit, though, the fat lady has already taken her bow and gone back to her dressing room at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/23 "2020-11-07T16:33:19Z")
I turn away from the TV for three minutes. When I come back, both MSNBC and CNN had called it for Biden. I don’t know who was first, but it wasn’t Fox of course… 😪 ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/24 "2020-11-07T16:36:38Z")
^^^Speaking of FOX, they kept Arizona as a Biden win, unlike CNN and MSNBC. In fact, the White House had been bitching about that to FOX News. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/25 "2020-11-07T16:57:50Z")
Yes, noted. Btw, when I said “of course”, I didn’t mean to say there was no way Fox would call it first, just that it was obvious that they hadn’t at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/26 "2020-11-07T17:13:35Z")
FOX News has announced they will not refer to Biden as President Elect until all legal battles have played out. I presume they want to avoid calling the election for the same reason. Or perhaps so they do not have the overtly hypocritical stance of calling the election but refusing to call the winner the next POTUS. (Yes, I know it is FOX but we may be entering a new era.) ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/27 "2020-11-07T17:14:21Z")
Oh, I know. They were one of the last ones to call it (if not last). I just thought it was interesting that they are the only ones who gave AZ to him so early. ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/28 "2020-11-07T17:17:06Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I turn away from the TV for three minutes. When I come back, both MSNBC and CNN had called it for Biden. I don’t know who was first, but it wasn’t Fox of course… 😪 CNN called it first. Immediately switched to FOX just to see, then MSNBC. CNN held the ground for only minutes before MSNBC was onboard. FOX reported that print sources were calling the election for Biden. The host and guest agreed that due to Pennsylvania it was likely over - - - but that they were going to wait to see what the courts said before making a call themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/29 "2020-11-07T17:23:29Z")
By-the-way, I still have this last reel of a horror movie vibe going on. It seems we are safe and daylight has finally arrived. The sinister music is gone, we come out from hiding and start to realize we survived it after all. (But the scary monster isn’t dead - I just know it is alive and it is close. Way too close for comfort.) ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/30 "2020-11-07T17:28:20Z")
FOX and USA Today have Biden at 290 (they’ve given him AZ and NV). The way it’s looking, I think it will turn out that way. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/31 "2020-11-07T17:33:14Z")
Associated Press just gave Penn to Biden, and declared him the winner. ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/32 "2020-11-07T18:11:40Z")
> [@TheCuse](#): > > FOX and USA Today have Biden at 290 (they’ve given him AZ and NV). The way it’s looking, I think it will turn out that way. > [@Sitnam](#): > > Associated Press just gave Penn to Biden, and declared him the winner. Have any of you ever seen a scary movie??? He is not dead, there will be another set back. He will reach out of the soft ground of a grave and snatch your arm, he will be around the other side of the barn, he will pull the ax out of his head and chase you with it!! He will have his hand picked Justices overturn a decision, or throw out ballots, and EVERYTHING is getting recounted. What is more, a recount of seven or eight million ballots that show a difference of fifty or so will be considered grounds to invalidate the entire election. States will be asked to send competing slates of Electors! It is not over! Do not buy into the false narrative that anything is resolved at this point, where is your sense of PTSD? You do remember the last four years don’t you? Every time a term ending event happened the Trump monster survived and grew stronger. Until federal marshal’s drag his body out of the seat of power and metaphorically dismember it and bury it in separate plots of consecrated ground, with a spike through it’s heart and the head hundreds of miles distance the monster is not dead. Soon Trump is going to lurch out onto the White House lawn wearing a goalie mask and carrying a chainsaw, with a cape, fangs, and pale skin and knives for fingers! He may also be wearing a yellow fisherman’s slicker and hat. Associated Press my ass! Try to remember who you are dealing with! (Gee, I hope I don’t appear paranoid!) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785/33 "2020-11-07T18:18:59Z")
I don’t know if the reporting was wrong or if the news desk decided to ignore the directive but Fox tv folks are calling Biden “President-elect” since the call was made. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-call-the-election-for-biden-trump-first/924785.md?page=1)