It was a soothing Saturday. Whereas Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have been making their remaining arguments to the nation, many Individuals seemingly have been taking a deep weekend breath earlier than what figures to be an extended, exhausting and tense week. Perhaps they did some yard work, or watched a bit of faculty soccer, or simply frolicked at their favourite autumn spots.
Then we acquired one remaining blockbuster second within the type of a ballot out of, of all locations, Iowa. Sure, Iowa. This state appeared so pink that each candidates, believing that Iowa was firmly in Trump’s column, haven’t even bothered to marketing campaign there.
The extremely revered and historically dependable Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll confirmed Harris main Trump 47% to 44% amongst seemingly voters. (The distinction was throughout the margin of error.)
Pollster J. Ann Selzer, president of Selzer & Co., instructed The Des Moines Register’s Brianne Pfannenstiel, “It’s onerous for anyone to say they noticed this coming. She has clearly leaped into a number one place.”
The shocker despatched different pollsters and pundits frantically looking for explanations. Was the Iowa ballot correct? Has there been a shift towards Harris that hadn’t been accounted for in different polls? Is that this a last-hour surge for the vp that is likely to be a touch at what we may see nationally?
Or is the ballot merely an off-target outlier?
Trump’s group rapidly dismissed the ballot, whereas Harris supporters have been energized by it, claiming it was an indication of what we may see on Election Day.
It appeared that Harris’ sturdy efficiency within the ballot was largely resulting from older girls, who contemplate girls’s rights a pivotal difficulty.
In the meantime, the final set of polls by The New York Times and Siena College, which got here out on Sunday, just about fall according to what most polls and pundits are saying: As we method Election Day, this race for the presidency is in a lifeless warmth. It’s really a toss-up.
The Instances/Siena ballot has Harris barely up in Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Georgia. It has Trump up in Arizona. The 2 candidates are tied in Pennsylvania and Michigan. All the polls are throughout the margin of error.
In different phrases, within the swing states that can resolve this election, neither candidate can say with any diploma of certainty that they’ll win.
The New York Times’ Lisa Lerer and Ruth Igielnik wrote, “Each candidates have a number of pathways out there to seize the 270 Electoral School votes required to assert victory, assuming that polls usually are not dramatically underestimating the help for one or the opposite. In such a detailed race, even a small systemic polling error may tip the competition decisively in both route. However there are indicators that late deciders are breaking for Ms. Harris: Among the many 8 p.c of voters who stated they’d solely just lately selected their vote, she wins the group by 55 p.c to 44 p.c.”
Then once more, Lerer and Igielnik be aware that Trump appears to be gaining floor within the essential state of Pennsylvania, which, if received, offers a much less tense path for both candidate to 270 electoral votes.
Statistician and ballot professional Nate Silver summed it up effectively in a post on X, writing, “Morning mannequin replace. NYT swing state polls good for Harris however not nice. Morning Seek the advice of swing state polls good for Trump however not nice. It’s a pure toss-up.”
Ever marvel in regards to the detailed technique of how the Pulitzer Prize-winning PolitiFact fact-checks claims made by political candidates and pundits?
Properly then try the newest episode of “The Poynter Report Podcast,” which debuts right now. I converse with Katie Sanders, the editor-in-chief of PolitiFact. We discuss how PolitiFact does its job, preparing for the much-anticipated Lie of the Yr, and which claims have come up most frequently throughout this presidential marketing campaign. (Hear on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music, and don’t overlook to depart us a ranking and assessment.)
Sanders additionally is prepared for what could possibly be a tumultuous days and weeks forward relating to claims of a rigged election, notably if Trump loses.
Sanders instructed me, “We’re making ready as a result of we’re already seeing it. I might say, since early voting began, we’re seeing claims about mail-in voting being fraudulent.”
Sanders stated PolitiFact is already speaking to election officers who elevated safety in anticipation of what may occur within the subsequent few weeks.
Sanders added, “So I feel our eyes are fairly open due to what we went via in 2020 the place we had weeks, if not months, of fact-checking very particular claims across the nation affecting numerous precincts via deceptive video, deceptive tweets. It sort of feels like Whac-a-Mole, actually, but it surely’s already began.”
This is from Ed O’Keefe, CBS’s senior White Home and political correspondent: “Remaining weekend earlier than America’s massive resolution. Pondering particularly right now of the colleagues out on the highway, up early, staying up late, catching planes, renting vehicles, and speaking to on a regular basis individuals to get solutions. It’s a privilege to be a journalist in a free society, and weekends like this are particularly why. Protected travels everybody.”
Last week in this newsletter, I criticized the editorial board of the Poynter-owned Tampa Bay Instances for not making an endorsement for president.
I needed to notice that Tampa Bay Times columnist Stephanie Hayes did offer her endorsement of Kamala Harris in a column over the weekend.
Hayes first, nonetheless, criticized the Instances’ editorial board by writing, “I nonetheless suppose we made a foul name, missed a first-rate alternative to signify the pursuits of Floridians as Donald Trump seeks energy that might put the storm-ridden state in additional hazard.”
Hayes added, “Our editorial board ought to have endorsed a candidate for president, particularly, Kamala Harris. Whereas I’d quite be writing about wine pairings for leftover Halloween sweet (pinot noir mellows the sharp edges of a Reese’s bar), I’ll go forward and write the endorsement I might have appreciated to see.”
What was sturdy about Hayes’ column was what the Instances’ editorial board didn’t do: It made an endorsement via the lens of what it meant for the readers of the Tampa Bay Instances — that being Tampa Bay residents, particularly, and Floridians, usually.
Donald Trump, talking at a rally in Lititz, Pa., on Sunday. (AP Photograph/Evan Vucci)
In the identical speech on Sunday wherein he stated he shouldn’t have left the White Home after dropping the 2020 election, Donald Trump made a remark about members of the media being shot.
Trump instructed a crowd in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, that he wouldn’t thoughts if somebody shot on the media. He was speaking in regards to the bulletproof glass put in for his speeches since an assassination try at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, final July.
Trump stated, “I’ve this piece of glass right here. However all we have now actually over right here is the pretend information, proper? And to get me, any individual must shoot via the pretend information. And I don’t thoughts that a lot. I don’t thoughts. I don’t thoughts.”
The Washington Post’s Hannah Knowles and Meryl Kornfield wrote, ‘The viewers roared with laughter.”
Trump marketing campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung launched an announcement defending Trump’s feedback. Cheung stated, “The President’s assertion about protecting glass placement has nothing to do with the Media being harmed, or the rest. It was about threats towards him that have been spurred on by harmful rhetoric from Democrats. The truth is, President Trump was stating that the Media was at risk, in that they have been defending him and, due to this fact, have been in nice hazard themselves, and will have had a glass protecting defend, additionally. There may be no different interpretation of what was stated. He was really searching for his or her welfare, way over his personal!”
Yeah, I don’t suppose Trump was searching for the media’s welfare. He really stated he wouldn’t thoughts if somebody needed to shoot via the media to get to him. Cheung’s assertion can be laughable if the subject wasn’t so critical.
Of their story for the Publish, Knowles and Kornfield wrote that Trump veered off-script much more than typical in that specific Sunday speech. They added, “The previous president dwelled notably lengthy on private grievances, insults and baseless claims that the election could also be rigged towards him.”
Let’s take a break from political information for some sports activities media doings. Though this one is kind of contentious as effectively.
Philadelphia 76ers star middle Joel Embiid acquired right into a heated verbal argument with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes that finally turned bodily when Embiid pushed Hayes.
Embiid has been recovering from a knee damage and has not performed this season. However there was some confusion about how badly Embiid is damage and the timeline of his return. It has led to questions on Embiid’s dedication and conditioning. The Athletic’s David Aldridge, Tony Jones and Sam Amick noted, “Hayes has written a number of columns within the final week-plus which have been harshly essential of Embiid, chiding him for his poor conditioning coming into the season after enjoying within the Olympics, and knocking Embiid for his quite a few absences over time.”
In a single column, Hayes alluded to Embiid’s son and late brother, writing, “Joel Embiid persistently factors to the beginning of his son, Arthur, as the foremost inflection level in his basketball profession. He usually says that he desires to be nice to depart a legacy for the boy named after his little brother, who tragically died in an vehicle accident when Embiid was in his first 12 months as a 76er. Properly, with the intention to be nice at your job, you first have to point out up for work. Embiid has been nice at simply the other.”
That paragraph was taken out of later variations of the column that ran on-line, however the injury was accomplished. Embiid confronted Hayes after the 76ers recreation Saturday night time. Embiid instructed Hayes, “The subsequent time you deliver up my lifeless brother and my son once more, you will see what I’m going to do to you and I’m going to need to … reside with the implications.”
The Associated Press’ Kevin Cooney wrote, “Embiid continued, with a number of cases of profanity within the subsequent few sentences. Hayes provided an apology, which Embiid didn’t need. ‘That’s not the (expletive) first time.’ Embiid stated. Embiid later stated that he doesn’t care what reporters say. ‘However you do,’ Hayes answered.”
Embiid then finally pushed Hayes within the shoulder. Hayes didn’t react.
A spokesperson for the NBA stated the league was conscious of the incident and was investigating.
- Vice President Kamala Harris made a cameo in the course of the cold open on “Saturday Night Live.” In the very best line, former solid member Maya Rudolph, who has been enjoying Harris this season, instructed Harris, “I’m going to vote for us.” Harris stated, “Nice. Any likelihood that you’re registered in Pennsylvania?” Rudolph stated, “Nope, I’m not.” To which Harris replied, “Properly, it was price a shot.”
- In the meantime, the Trump-appointed commissioner of the FCC says Harris’ look on “SNL” violates the “equal time” rule and that Trump can request equal time on NBC. Variety’s Todd Spangler has more.
- The Los Angeles Instances’ Stephen Battaglio with “Close polls, likely legal challenges: How TV networks will handle another election week.” Chris Stirewalt, political editor for cable community NewsNation, instructed Battaglio, “If the polls are correct, we’re in for an actual doozy.”
- My Poynter colleague Alex Mahadevan, director of MediaWise, with “ChatGPT rolls out a Google competitor with a skewed view of the news.”
- The Related Press’ Altaf Qadri with “An AP photographer captures the power of a mixed martial arts punch in a single frame.”
Have suggestions or a tip? E-mail Poynter senior media author Tom Jones at [email protected].
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