Tuesday, June 7, 2016

AP/NBC Clinton declarations force CNN and Fox to make even bolder announcements


AROUND THE BLOCK

News with a Twist

AP and NBC declare Clinton the nominee prior to any final voting

CNN and Fox react in kind with their own surprise declarations


Following the unprecedented declarations by the AP and NBC News that Hillary Clinton has won the Democratic presidential race and will be the presumptive nominee of the party, other news organizations have been scrambling to keep up.

The announcements by the AP and NBC were not based on any additional primary voting and have been derided, particularly by Secretary Clinton’s rival, Bernie Sanders, as presumptuous and devious. 

Defending the declarations, NBC News director of elections, Peter Pollinberg, said, “Look, no matter how you slice it, Clinton is going to get the most delegates, pledged and/or super so we figured let’s call it on Monday given it was a slow news day and we needed a ratings boost.”

The AP, in keeping with its traditional policy, would not respond to questions about it’s journalism or, for that matter, why it still exists.

Despite the controversy of a premature election call, both CNN and Fox News have determined that they will not be left behind.

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer announced on air early Tuesday morning that as soon as the polls close in California, it will declare that Hillary Clinton has defeated Donald Trump in the presidential election scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, 2016.

Not to be outdone, Fox News decided not to wait for the polls to close, declaring on it’s morning show, Fox and Friends, that Donald J. Trump has won the election over Hillary Clinton and will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20, 2017. 

The Fox News announcement was made by one of the myriad of blonde women on the network. She was flanked on the couch by two anonymous middle-aged men who contributed hearty guffaws and applause. It was not clear which of the many Fox blondes made the announcement.

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