12/19/08

News Roundup for 12/19/08

Close up of Bush tearing up
'I could've screwed up so much more...'


-Headline of the day-
"Bush: I might not give a farewell address because I don’t want it to be too ‘emotional.’"

You assume the emotion Bush would be overcome with would be sadness, but you'd hope it would be regret. Emotions expected from the American people would be relief and nearly orgasmic joy. Speaking with C-Span's Steve Scully, Bush said of giving a farewell address, "Thinking about it. Thinking about it. A lot of Presidents have, and I’m giving it serious thought. I don’t want it to be — you know, kind of a real emotional goodbye. If I give it, it’s going to be trying to leave behind some lessons learned."

Yeah buddy, don't try to BS us. We know you too well. You haven't learned any lessons. (Think Progress)


-Soft cells-
Pew research has gone back through their campaign polling and found that excluding cell phone numbers from their polling threw the results 2.3% in John McCain's favor. According to the report, "An analysis of six Pew surveys conducted from September through the weekend before the election shows that estimates based only on landline interviews were likely to have a pro-McCain tilt compared with estimates that included cell phone interviews." The problem; McCain voters skewed older and were less likely to have cells, while young voters are less likely to have landlines.

"Ultimately, polls that accounted for cell-only young people hit much closer to the final numbers among 18 - 29 year-olds on election night," we're told. Of course, at this point, this is all pretty much academic -- the election is over and 2.3% would be within any poll's margin of error anyway.

But many out there were freaking out that polling wasn't including cell numbers and it turns out those people were right -- even if freaking out wasn't exactly called for. On the other hand, McCain's core demographic of 100-150 year-olds was grossly under-represented, since no polling was done by telegraph.

Live and learn. (Future Majority, via reddit)


-I live in a snow globe...-
...and someone just shook the living crap out of it. According to the report, "Residents are heeding the call to stay home and off the roads Friday, even as the major winter storm has basically ended. But the wind have picked up, moving the 8-10 inches of snow into drifts." The storm has passed, but conditions are getting worse, not better. Drifting snow is a major bitch -- you clean it up and it comes right back. I've been out there three times chasing the snow off my sidewalk.

Worse, I've still got some War on Christmas shopping left to do.

So anyhoo, that's why millions were disappointed when there wasn't a morning post at my media empire. Sucks to be you.

And me. At least I've got hot cocoa... (Capital Times)

2 comments:

  1. "McCain's core demographic of 100-150 year-olds was grossly under-represented, since no polling was done by telegraph."

    That, my friends, is pants-pissing hilarity you can believe in.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unfortunately, the biggest lesson learned, as of this writing, is that you can trample the Constitution, kill over 4,000 brave American kids and maim over 30,000 others for life, and generally just do what you please, and walk away clean. High crimes and misdemeanors ring any bells?

    For shame. On Congress, mostly, but on all of us too.

    ReplyDelete