FL-13, Why Has The MSM Ignored The FL-13 Story? Wed 12/27/2006

This diary is part of a continuing series of diaries to focus attention on the FL-13 missing votes.

It has troubled me that the MSM has ignored the FL-13 story for over a month.  At first, I thought there was not enough action, but along came court hearings, petitions to Congress, and more.

Now I believe it is because they are afraid to report on vote and voter suppression issues.  They ignore, or bury, any real stories about our failed voting system.  They tend to only see all election stories as partisan stories.

I predict they will return to the story soon. Not as a voter suppression story, but when it can be framed as a partisan one. Reporting only around the time Congress will decide (January 4, 2007).

more and links after the fold

Story Continues Being Ignored By MSM (newspapers)(not counting stories without any original information)
Washington Post - No (non AP) story since 11/29/06
New York Times - No (non AP) story since 11/26/06
Houston Chronicle - No (non AP) story since 12/7/06
Chicago Tribune - No (non AP) story since 11/21/06
Huffington Post - No story since 11/30/06?
Loa Angeles Time - No (non AP) story since 12/17/06

Links

great link to vote counting news stories, updated daily
Voting news articles at VotersUnite.org

donate
Christine Jennings Recount Fund

Special Sarasota Herald Tribune Page, with Story and Background Links, Would Get my Vote for Pulitzer Prize
Special 13th Congressional Sarasota Herald Tribune Page

No compromise, sign the Move On Petition
Move On Petition: Congress must call for a re-vote in Florida

Stories, Diaries and Editorials

FL-13, Plea to Every Member of Congress: Read The Jennings Election Protest, Mon 12/25/2006
FL-13, Will A Single House Member Stand Up For 18,000 Voters? Sun 12/24/2006 Update
FL-13, "Nothing Off the Table" Nancy Pelosi, Sat 12/23/06
FL-13. CQ's 3 choices for Congress. Which do you want Congress to do? Fri 12/22/2006 Update
FL-13, Jennings Contests Election in U.S. House of Representatives, Th 12/21/2006 Update
FL-13: FL Republicans thinks problem is that voters were "blind, drunk or on drugs" 12/21/06
FL-13, Christine Jennings won by as much as 3,100 votes, Wed 12/20/2006 Update
Tune In: Christine Jennings (FL-13 recount) on Lou Dobbs Tonight 6PM 12/19/2006
FL-13 Monday 12/18/2006 Update
FL-13: Carl Hiassen lays the smackdown, Sun 12/17/2006
FL-13 Sat 12/16/2006 Update
FL-13 18,000 Missing Votes, Noon to 1 PM Daily Protest Idea
FL-13 Democrats Giving Up the Local Media War? Not fighting back?
Sarasota Diaries
FL-13: RALLY FOR A REVOTE LIVEBLOG
FL-13: Fireworks ahead
Jennings, Voters Describe Voting Machine Failures in Sarasota County
FL-13 Bumper Stickers? Keep The Issue Visible!
ACLU sees clear case for a revote in disputed District 13 election
Story quote for the Democrat: won by at many as 3,100 votes
if it hadn't been for the undervote in the only county she carried, Jennings would have won by 3,100 votes.
Call to Action from Bradenton Herald

Background Reports. Laws, Polls, & Document Links
Full Text of Jennings "Notice of Contest" to Congress
Goofy Florida State Election "Test" of election equipment
Federal Contested Election Act
Only 3% of dKos readers want Congress to seat the Republican in Poll
11/3 (3 days before Election Day) Email by Sarasota Election Supervisor Admitting Problem

Christine Jennings Links
Christine Jennings for Congress's diary
Christine Jennings for Congress web site

Other Links
Florida Democratic Party Web Page (FL-13 updates)

YouTube Videos
Lou Dobbs interview, meet the candidate and the case attorney, 12/19/06, 6+ minutes
ABC News Story, Great Background Info, 11/22/06, 2+ minutes
Sarasota ReVote Rally Set to a Wonderful & Catchy Voting Song by Ellen Bustel - 12/3/06, 4+ minutes
SARASOTA RECOUNT:Part 2-"Machines always count better..." - you get a feel for the persons involved, 8+ minutes
Sarasota Election Day Video shows anmolies on that day

8 days until Congress Must Decide What to do.

•  Tipjar

  8 days until Congress Must Decide What to do.

  by ca democrat on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 07:57:19 AM PDT

  •  Coninuing series? Or reposted spam diaries?

    by RonK Seattle on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 08:49:49 AM PDT

    •  This is an important issue

      and Ca Dem is right - the National Media is not running the story.

      Florida media is doing a better job, but the national MSM is taking a walk on this story.  We've got to keep the pressure on them.

      Florida Kossacks Rock

      by gatordem on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 11:45:49 AM PDT

      •  FL-13 is a big deal. Diary spam is bad.

        Seven nearly-identical diaries in eight days -- that's no way to wake people up.

        And FL-13 is not THAT big a deal, especially since control of the body doesn't depend on it, and there's nothing important happening.

        The diarist wants news organizations to join in a pressure campaign, premised in part on the dubious assumption that party leadership doesn't know what they're doing. This is not going to happen.

        Barring a newsworthy court decision, the seating issue will be settled on the Hill by two opposing teams of hard-bitten SOB's -- some elected, some staff -- who have been fighting over questioned votes since fifth grade.

        The election methods issues will be hashed out in legislatures and courts for years to come, probably with terminal impact on ballotless touch screen voting devices.

        ca dem's campaign is misguided, disrespectful, and boring.

        by RonK Seattle on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 01:58:03 PM PDT

        •  And their personal campaign

          in troll rating users who don't agree with his or her opinions, is pathetic.

          by sheddhead on Thu Dec 28, 2006 at 08:58:58 AM PDT

    •  Maybe way out there...

      in Seattle this doesn't seem important, but to us here in Florida, it's a big deal.  This case could have huge implications for the rest of the country.  I see nothing wrong with pointing it out every few days to remind Daily Kos readers that it remains unsettled.

      by Susan S on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 01:16:35 PM PDT

•  Thanks for keeping this going

  it's important, and if you keep the pressure on here, hopefully we'll keep the pressure on elsewhere.

  by Team Slacker on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 08:01:58 AM PDT

•  This is way more important

  than Edwards' announcement tour. (Or ANYONE'S '08 announcement anything, for that matter).

  IMO.

  Thanks for the post, wish it would get a few more recommends.

  by MH in PA on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 08:18:19 AM PDT

•  Here's another question:

  Why is this getting so little front page attention here?
  I think DailyKos has the power to drive the national discussion and I wonder why we aren't doing more on this issue?  

  by Radiowalla on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 08:22:31 AM PDT

•  Someone who has Nancy Pelosi's ear should keep

  this issue on the top of her agenda. She has the power to make this front-page news by refusing to seat.

  by nicejoest on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 08:39:09 AM PDT

  •  Nancy is paying attention

    to this.  Christine Jennings has filed her challenge with the House Administration Committee. Check in with the Congressional Committee Project to keep up on what's going on with the challenge.

    And we'll see what happens on January 4th.

    Florida Kossacks Rock

    by gatordem on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 11:48:14 AM PDT

•  Why?

  1. IT DOESN'T INVOLVE SEX

  2. IT DOES INVOLVE DEMOCRATS

  3. IT INVOLVES THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE

  by Nadnerb in NC on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 08:46:46 AM PDT

•  You're right ca dem.

  The MSM will only write a narrative that attacks the Dems for 'failing to heed the will of the voters', yet will disdain the incompetent voters who couldn't figure out how to make their votes register, or were too careless to notice the review screen and go back to try again to vote for Jennings.

  But it's not out of fear of reporting on "vote and voter suppression issues", rather it's out of fear for what the Republican heavy hands will do to their careers. i.e. 'access'. In this regard it is a conspiracy.

  When they start up their contrived partisan narrative they need to be barraged with the question: Where were you between November 8 and January 3? Why the conspiracy of silence? Why not keep us informed of what really transpired in efforts to determine what happened to the excessive undervotes? Why not report on the travesty of proprietary election software? Why not stand up for the citizens whose votes weren't counted? Who are you protecting, and why? Why not write stories about the Republican officials who were derelict in their duty to solve the undervote problem before November 7, when there were widespread reports already about the difficulty of getting votes for Jennings to register? Why no reports on the similar undervote pattern in Mecklenburg County, NC?

  by Halcyon on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 08:51:29 AM PDT

•  SIGN THE PETITION

  and encourage others to do the same

  by lisastar on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 09:09:57 AM PDT

•  Why Has The MSM Ignored The FL-13 Story?

  You mean the MSM outside of FL, and mostly FL-13?  Because even here (DKos), the story is getting to be a drag, because it's the same dead horse getting hit with the same sticks.

  If something actually happened, perhaps there would be additional reporting in Chicago (and I know you'll be stunned to learn that Chicago cares more about the Bears than about politicians getting nothing done in other states, but it's true.)

  This is a perfect example of a Steven Colbert piece I saw on YouTube, faking fear about the left wingers and their (oooooh) blog protests.  If it's all going to remain virtual, it's just going to fizzle into 1's and 0's.

  If a majority of the people in FL-13 don't care enough to do something to press for a new election, what do you suggest?  Shock and awe, to force them to accept democracy?  

  by sheddhead on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 11:24:36 AM PDT

  •  That's the worst fucking

    attitude I have heard about the democratic proces in a long time around here.

    The people in FL-13 are doing everything they can short of an armed insurrection.  In Sarasota County, you know the one with the 18,000 missing votes, the voters there approved a County Charter amendment requiring future elections to be held using voter verified ballots.  FL-13 citizens are suing the state of Florida to get to the bottom of this.

    I hope the Bears win the Super Bowl, but get a fucking grip. This is important.

    What have you done today to help this situation?

    Florida Kossacks Rock

    by gatordem on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 11:52:35 AM PDT

    •  I never said it wasn't important

      I am explaining why newspapers in other cities are not reporting on it.

      by sheddhead on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 12:18:20 PM PDT

    •  Where's the link

      to a copy of the filing?

      That is never mentioned in this (or any of the other listings I've read).

      by sheddhead on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 12:21:14 PM PDT

      •  Link is above under

        Background Reports. Laws, Polls, & Document Links

        Full Text of Jennings "Notice of Contest" to Congress

        Florida Kossacks Rock

        by gatordem on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 01:21:01 PM PDT

        •  That's an interesting document

          But addressed to the US House of Representatives - and from Christine Jennings.  It's something I feel should happen.  But it's not the suit filed by the people of the city against the state of Florida.

          Is the suit you mentioned the one referred to on page 26, #35?  

          On November 20, 2006, Contestant Christine Jennings filed a complaint under Florida's election-contest statute, Section 102.168, Florida Statutes, in the Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit, in Leon County, Florida.  On November 28, 2006, Contestant's case was consolidated with a second election-contest action brought by a bipartisan group of eleeven individual voters represented by counsel from four public-interest groups.  

          by sheddhead on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 02:24:20 PM PDT

          •  Thought you were looking for the link

            to the contestation of the election results. Don't have a link to the lawsuit pe se, but it is being diaried about.

            Last I heard, the judge was going to rule on the request to have the ES&S source code examined by plaintiff's experts.  Don't know exactly when that rulng will be made.

            by gatordem on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 02:59:44 PM PDT

            •  I would be very interested in seeing

              the lawsuit.  And think it should be linked/mentioned, and not just in comments.

              by sheddhead on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 03:26:55 PM PDT

  •  Here's the grand-slam spam irony

    This series' repetitive run-down is headed with the following disclaimed indictment (emphasis mine):

    Story Continues Being Ignored By MSM (newspapers)(not counting stories without any original information)

    
    

    by RonK Seattle on Wed Dec 27, 2006 at 02:34:07 PM PDT

    •  No, the grand slam irony

      Is the "diarist" trying to limit your freedom of expression because they don't agree with you.

      I'm still liking that First amendment (within the rules of this site...).  Allows the diarist to post amazingly repetitive diaries that say nothing new, and allows us to say that.  It's a good thing.

      Uprated to balance out the troll-rating given because the diarist did not agree with you (apparently, since they didn't have the wherewithall to state what the rating was for.)

      by sheddhead on Thu Dec 28, 2006 at 08:16:43 AM PDT

    •  Uprated

      1. because the TR makes no sense

      2. because troll-and-run is a punk move.

      by kestrel9000 on Thu Dec 28, 2006 at 08:57:38 AM PDT