Question: Why does CNN have the Senate as 49 R, 50 D

[jenmito]

and MSNBC has the Senate as 49 R, 48 D, and 2 I?

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

1. Hmmm MSNBC is accurate.

Is'nt it ? 2 Independents - Vermont and Connecticut.

Correct me if I am wrong.

[jenmito]

7. Maybe technically MSNBC is correct...

but the two Is said they will caucus with the Dems.? Still, everyone is saying if we win VA, the Dems. win control of the Senate. So how is that if there are only 49 Dems.?

[Redstone]

10. Ah, but Bernie's going to vote Democrat every time. This should be a lot of fun,

having him in the Senate. He's an utter lunatic (and I say that in only the most admiring and affecionate way, and that's the truth)...having him in the Senate is one of the BEST things that happened last night.

Redstone

[kenny blankenship]

2. Sanders won as a Socialist and Lieberman won as an Independent

they are just going to have to learn about the big red S.

[dysfunctional press]

3. the two indepedents will caucus with the dems...

so for the sake of senate control- they are counted as such.

[NJ Democrats]

4. Because the 2 Is are really Dems

so CNN just puts them together, although it really is 49, 48, 2.

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

5. CNN counts Sanders and Lieberman as Dems, when technically

Sanders is independent (socialist, actually), and Lieberman is a member of the looking-out-for-#1 party. They'll both caucus with Democrats (well, at least Sanders certainly will), so in terms of majority math they count.

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. I'm guessing the two indies are Sanders and Lieberthing....

... and that the Va. race is "undecided".

[PermanentRevolution]

8. CNN counts them as Dems

since that's who they'll caucus with.

Gives the overall balance of power more clearly for those who don't know who the Independents are, I guess

[Swede Atlanta]

9. Because officially that's right

There are 48 Democratic Senators and two Indepedents, Sanders (VT) and Liebermann (CT). Both Sanders and Liebermann have indicated an intent to caucus (organize) with the Democrats. So while the Democrats only have 48 seats now, from a majority perspective they have 50. Now its just up to the decision on the Webb/Allen race.

[jenmito]

13. Right, but...

does that mean that Sanders and Lieberman are OFFICIALLY lumped in with the Dems.? What if they don't caucus with the Dems. every time?

[Brotherjohn]

14. It's their choice. But re "every time", if I'm not mistaken, they need to play their hand...

... when the leadership takes power, committees get chaired, etc. They need to say "I'm going w/ the Dems" in January, and then it's settled, at least until the next term (I think)?

Did Jeffords pull his switch in the middle of a term, though? Don't remember.

[jenmito]

15. Thanks...and I think Jeffords DID switch in the middle...

I hope Lieberman doesn't pull one of those. He said he wouldn't, but he seems just selfish enough to do it.

[RoccoR5955]

11. Maybe

Just maybe MSNBC is counting Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman as Independents?

[jenmito]

12. Yeah, but even MSNBC says if we win VA the Dems. win the majority.

So what's up with that?