ABC reporter Jake Tapper contended on Wednesday's "Good Morning America" that John McCain can still win the presidential election and observed to co-host Diane Sawyer, "...If there's one thing the American people like doing, it's having the media say that this is all over, that one guy's going to win, especially a Democrat." [audio excerpt here]
He added, "And then they say, well, not so fast. Not so fast, media. We have a say on this on Election Day." Tapper also argued, "I would never count John McCain out. It is a very, very big hole he's in. But he can get out." Earlier this week, Tapper was one of the few journalists to highlight a false claim by the Barack Obama campaign that John McCain would "cut" $882 billion in Medicare benefits.
A transcript of the brief exchange, which occurred at 7:10am on October 22, follows:
DIANE SAWYER: Okay, so, overall, as of this morning, can John McCain pull it out?
JAKE TAPPER: Sure. I would never count John McCain out. It is a very, very big hole he's in. But he can get out. And believe me, if there's one thing the American people like doing, it's having the media say that this is all over, that one guy's going to win, especially a Democrat. And then they say, well, not so fast. Not so fast, media. We have a say on this on Election Day.
