What did Brokaw know and when did he know it?

[deminks]

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Brokaw_Rove_revealed_how_Bush_would_1023.html

Veteran jounalist Tom Brokaw reminisced on Wednesday about President Bush's unexpected reelection victory in 2004 and how Karl Rove had confidently explained to him the preceding weekend just where they would pull it out.

(snip)

Brokaw told the Daily Show's Jon Stewart that both the Obama and the McCain campaigns are currently well aware that Obama holds a substantial lead. "But I remember," Brokaw cautioned, "four years ago, John Kerry on a Wednesday night before the election said to me, 'Tom, no incumbent president who is under 50% at this stage has ever been re-elected.'"

"And on Friday, Osama bin Laden came out with a tape," continued Brokaw. "On the weekend I went down to interview the president, and Karl Rove and company took me through the map, how they were going to win in the southeastern corner of Ohio and how they were going to be competitive in other areas. And I came back and I, uh, 'I think they're going to pull this one off.'"

(snip)

Voting activist Bob Fitrakis has described the events in Ohio more skeptically, writing, "In investigating the 2004 election in Ohio – examining pollbooks, talking to pollworkers and election officials, as well as reading local newspaper accounts – we could find no data of a late surge to the polls by born-again Christians. What we did find is certified voting totals in areas favoring Bush that didn’t match the number of voters who officially signed-in on the poll sign-in sheets."

It is clear that Brokaw's offhand remark will give election activists like Fitrakis much to ponder.

(end snips)

Video of Brokaw on the Daily Show where he made this revelation is at the link.

I'm pondering.

[Eric J in MN]

1. If Rove told poll workers in heavily Republican precincts...

...to fake their totals, he wouldn't have told Tom Brokaw that he did so.

[SpiralHawk]

4. ...unless, of course, Rove was an arrogant Republicon Homelander. In which case,

he figures he's got a Golden Pardochute when he needs it, and so he can run his mouth bragging how corrupt the Bush republicons really are. Smirking all the way at the American people.

This, too shall pass.

[aquart]

2. Like I said then, the Miracle of the Religious Bigots was the cover story.

[AndyTiedye]

5. This Year it's the "Bradley Effect"

which is pretty much the same thing.

[MrModerate]

3. My take on Brokaw's comments is that . . .

Rove showed him their messaging and GOTV plans and how they'd triumph using legal tools. It's highly unlikely Rove laid out his voter suppression and voter fraud strategies for a national newsman.

[fascisthunter]

6. Very Good.... Maybe Brokenjaw can Tell Us