Interesting, did you know that in the 1980 NBC coverage, Blue was for Republican states?

[ET Awful]

:P

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25887219/#27168385

[Captain Hilts]

1. The networks alternated. But we saw the red/blue map in 2000 for so long....nt

[madokie]

2. Would it have anything to do with which party is in the whitehouse???

[trotsky]

3. Yes, the colors switched according to a rule.

Incumbent party alternated colors every 4 years. So Clinton was red in 1992, incumbent (Herbie) was blue. Clinton, because he was an incumbent in 1996, got red again, and Dole got blue. Gore, being a member of the incumbent party, flipped and got blue in 2000, and that was the beginning of the infamous "red vs. blue" meme. I doubt they'll ever change it again now.

[drm604]

4. Interesting.

I've wondered how the Republicans ended up as red. Red traditionally stood for communism.

[LiberalFighter]

5. Well they are the Red Scare!

[Cassandra]

8. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase...

better dead than red.

[patrick t. cakes]

6. i think blue fits the left better

calming, introspective, intelligent.

[KharmaTrain]

7. Coverage Was A Lot Different As Well

1980 was the first election with exit polls. Many Democrats still blame the release of these numbers caused people on the West Coast to stay home which cost the Democrats control of the Senate and several House seats.

What a difference...they actually spent most of the air time giving results rather than "interpreting" them.

The "Red State/Blue State" thing didn't come until the 90's. I still remember when the party symbol was used.

[MiniMe]

9. And that is why they can't release any results until after the polls close

Which I think is a good rule.