This is really way too funny.
On Thursday evening, CNN's Soledad O'Brien ran a focus group at Ohio State University moments after Joe Biden and Sarah Palin finished their vice presidential debate (video embedded right).
As she asked attendees who they felt won, she used a stunning form a new arithmetic to conclude that Biden had "by a significant margin" (as noticed by Creative Minority Report, h/t NB reader Patrick Archbold):
Soledad asked them immediately after the debate, "How many thought Joe Biden won the debate tonight?"
I'd say about half the hands go up. O'Brien then inexplicably says, "So, looks overwhelming." Then she asks who thought Palin won. Again, about half the hands go up and she describes it as "small hands." Then she quickly declares Biden the winner and calls it a day.
Hey, how about a roll call, Soledad? Now to my eye, it looks pretty evenly split. I counted 12 for Biden and 11 for Palin.
Now, from my eye, I see about 28 people on screen not including O'Brien. In the transcript that follows, O'Brien said there were a total of 32 people present.
Of the 28 on screen, I also count 12 for Biden. That means that even if all four out of view voted for Biden, the total would be 16. How could that be "overwhelming" as O'Brien said, when it would only represent half?
I also see 11 hands for Palin. Yet, O'Brien said, "So small handful. Joe Biden wins by a significant margin there."
Amazing. Partial transcript follows:
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been absolutely fascinating to get a sense of what resonated and what did not resonate and what they take away from this evening.
So let's begin, folks, if we can. Thirty-two people, roughly again, Wolf, broken down, registered independents, registered Democrats, registered Republicans. So basically evenly.
Show of hands, who do you think won the debate? If you think Joe Biden won the debate, raise your hands. OK, that looks overwhelming. Let's now do if you think Sarah Palin won the debate, raise your hand. So small handful. Joe Biden wins by a significant margin there.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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New Math
October 4, 2008 - 21:12 ET by TheAssessorIt's the new math she learned on capitol hill. You don't have to be bright to count, you only have to be a politician. Adds up to any sum you want, take away a trillion here and there.
"I have a bracelet too" ..Barak Obama, Political Sociopath
I think that is the same
October 5, 2008 - 08:16 ET by kgI think that is the same math they teach at our schools. They has poll tabulation lessons on "Blue Day For Obama".
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
I'm sure she also counted
October 4, 2008 - 21:19 ET by DaBirdI'm sure she also counted all the hands of the CNN crew with her and back at the studio that voted Biden the victor.
Soledad, meet Mika.
October 4, 2008 - 21:28 ET by motherbeltSoledad, meet Mika.
See Noel...
October 4, 2008 - 21:37 ET by killbill2We're stupid AND blind ;)
I swear, it won't be long
October 4, 2008 - 21:41 ET by ThisnThatI swear, it won't be long now before all pretense is dropped by the MSM. What do I mean? Well, today, the MSM has a pre-formed answer and goes thru the motions of trying to make it look semi-fair by holding a fake poll. In the future, they will simply announce the poll result without bothering to take the poll.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
Many moons ago while in
October 4, 2008 - 21:48 ET by BuffNBoneMany moons ago while in pilot training my roommate and I went to carnival in a dusty West Texas town. The way Soledad did the tally and reported the results reminded me of the carny who took my roommate's money in a game of chance. He counted and cleared the board in the blink of an eye and then said I win, you lose.
"Fighters are fun but bombers make policy"
She can't help it...she
October 4, 2008 - 21:54 ET by bigtimerShe can't help it...she works for the left and their addition machine.
Repeat it often enough...it's a fact.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Soledad...
October 4, 2008 - 21:58 ET by killbill2totally reminded me of this...
http://www.youtube.c...
Counting Chads
October 4, 2008 - 22:39 ET by JoelCTPeople, come ON. It is obvious she was stuck on stupid in the year 2000. It was like the people counting chads, remember?
"Let's see, that lady really only put her hand up 3/4s of the way for Palin, so it is obvious she really wants Biden. And that black lady, no way she wants Palin, so she is obviously confused, I'll apply a little Affirmative Action here. That man who raised his hand for Sarah, he just has the hots for her, once he calms down he'll realize Biden's thinking is closer to his."
So to her, there were only one or two hands up for Palin. So, 30 for Biden, 2 for Palin. She spoke the truth!
Joel, you forgot.......
October 4, 2008 - 23:16 ET by TheBigBThe people who raised their hands for Palin had "little hands", so they didn't count as much, either.
Artillery lends dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
Well, duh...
October 6, 2008 - 07:49 ET by mikefisk...aren't conservatives three-fifths of a person in Democrat political construction? That makes it 12 to 6.6, a wide margin indeed :)
Noel
October 4, 2008 - 22:50 ET by Jerry MackGlad that you posted this. I was watching when it happened. Agree with a previous contributor. They are s.o.s.
Quiz Show Scandals
October 4, 2008 - 23:43 ET by maggieqpublicFrom an earlier post-VP debate thread...
Wikipedia…
The American quiz show scandals of the 1950s were the result of the revelation that contestants of several popular television quiz shows were secretly given assistance by the producers to arrange the outcome of a supposedly fair competition.
Here you presented yet another example of fabricated MSM programming.
BLAHAHAHAHH!! Ok show
October 4, 2008 - 23:57 ET by GregEBLAHAHAHAHH!!
Ok show of hands, who thought Bidok that's overwhelming whothoughtpalinwonokjoebidenwinsletsmoveon.
She said it was overwhelming
October 5, 2008 - 01:12 ET by d1carterShe said it was overwhelming for Biden before the hands were even raised....no need to count
Good work Noel. From the
October 5, 2008 - 06:48 ET by Roger the ShrubberGood work Noel.
From the camera angle of the clip, I counted about 9 for Biden, about 9 for Palin. It's a landslide!
Follow up on this if you could.
October 5, 2008 - 09:20 ET by Redrowan2000I saw this propaganda piece also. I didn't quite catch the hand count but what struck me was a follow up question by her on "who would now vote for Obama?' If you can show this it is stunning to see how many wouldn't. I might be wrong but I could have sworn maybe only 10 at most raised their hands to this question. Of course this didn't raise any eyebrows with Soledad? Soledad? isn't that the name of a prison in Calfornia? Oh yeah black racist radical George Jackson, "Soledad Brother" was neatly shot down their during a prison escape. Nothing else I can remember Soledad being famous for. HMMM!
"Don't let the bastards grind you down."
Red
The Media Is Dead
October 5, 2008 - 12:48 ET by New Jersey ConservativeSean Hannity is correct. This is the year the media died. What else can anyone say after seeing Soledad O'Brien say that it is overwhelming that Joe Biden won the debate. Keep in mind that this has to be a left leaning audience group to begin with.
The Media Is Dead
October 5, 2008 - 12:52 ET by New Jersey ConservativeSean Hannity is correct. This is the year the media died. What else can anyone say after seeing Soledad O'Brien say that it is overwhelming that Joe Biden won the debate. Keep in mind that this has to be a left leaning audience group to begin with.