Here’s a tough one: who are you watching on November 4th for your election returns?
Yes, PBS is soothing and smart. If volume is an issue for you, they’re a logical choice. They’ve never let you down before, at least since they fired Cokie Roberts.
OTOH, if you like volume, you can’t pass up MSNBC, where someone throws the coverage to Chris Matthews for a brief comment and we all hang on like the guy in the old Maxell ad. As a cable news outlet, they’ll have all the bells and whistles, such as interactive maps, carefully balanced roundtable debates, Chuck Todd crunching numbers, and Pat Buchanan selling out his party in front of a national audience. They can even call on Tom Brokaw to administer sage, grandfatherly wisdom to Matthews if (OK, when) he goes too far. Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow are the antidote to a decade of conservative braying.
Next, there’s Fox News. When you’ve suppressed your gag reflex, stop and consider this: will they go quietly into that good night? No. They will rage, RAGE, against the dying of the light. Some possibilities: Bill O’Reilly arguing at 9:30 Pacific that 95% of the returns in Pennsylvania are in fact misleading, and the state ”still leans McCain.” By 11pm, a 100% chance of blamestorming. This has huge unintended comedy potential. I’m setting my TiVo to Faux, for the highlights at least.
Finally, speaking of comedic potential, there’s Comedy Central. Nobody has brightened up the darkest days like these folks. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will be hosting all night. This is an irresistable combo, and that’s even before you factor in champagne and unlimited giddiness. Once it looks like Obama has it sewn up, this will be where the Kool Kids hang out.
So many choices. Anyone know where I can get a bulk discount on TVs?
yeah, of course the problem is hearing all 6 at once. I think the solution is to tivo a ton of coverage and enjoy it in small bites, daily, over the next several months.
Election results will never be the same to me without Tim Russert.