Politics: Clinton pulls an upset … or did she hack the vote?
The polls have been wrong before.
Not only does Hillary Clinton’s narrow victory in the New Hampshire primary run contrary to polls conducted by the media and by the candidates themselves, they also seem to run contrary to exit polling.
So … either all the polls were wrong, or Sen. Clinton’s crying acts convinced enough voters she was a human being after all and caused a 15 percentage point swing in the from one day to the next.
Or, as this anti-electronic voting blogger suggests, there’s something fishy going on:
While I have no evidence at this time — let me repeat, no evidence at this time — of chicanery, what we do know is that chicanery, with this particular voting system, is not particularly difficult. Particularly when one private — and a less than respectable one at that, as I detailed in the previous post — runs the entire process.
I should also note that some 40% of New Hampshire’s precincts are hand-counted, which equals about 25% of the votes. I’ve just spoken to Bev Harris of BlackBoxVoting.org who seems to share my concern, as have other folks who follow this sort of thing. Harris noted that it will be interesting to compare numbers of the hand-counted precincts with those counted on the hackable Diebold op-scan systems.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Congratulations to Clinton and McCain. They deserved their victories in NH.
“While I have no evidence that anything I’m writing is true, I thought I’d just crap it out on the Web so other bloggers can pick it up.”
Who needs newspapers when we have watchdogs like this guy?
Its not the least bit, believable. There is no way, that these two puppets magically won the event. I smell something rotten, the media.
NH: “First in the nation” (with corporate controlled secret vote counting)
By Nancy Tobi
81% of New Hampshire ballots are counted in secret by a private corporation named Diebold Election Systems (now known as “Premier”). The elections run on these machines are programmed by one company, LHS Associates, based in Methuen, MA. We know nothing about the people programming these machines, and we know even less about LHS Associates. We know even less about the secret vote counting software used to tabulate 81% of our ballots. People like to say “but we use paper ballots! They can always be counted by hand!”
But they’re not. They’re counted by Diebold. Only a candidate can request a hand recount, and most never do so. And a rigged election can easily become a rigged recount, as we learned in Ohio 2004, where two election officials were convicted of rigging their recount. (Is it just a funny coincidence that Diebold spokesman is named Mr. Riggall?)
We need to get the count right on election night. Right now, nobody in New Hampshire, except the programmers at LHS Associates and Diebold Election Systems, knows if we are getting it right or wrong. Our state officials and representatives know this. They learned all about it when computer security specialists Harri Hursti and Bruce Odell testified before the legislative subcommittee on e-voting in September 2007 (Hursti’s testimony is shown in this video). Scientific reports about the vulnerabilities and risks with Diebold optical scanners have been available since 2003.
We love our state. It takes courage and strength to admit where we are going wrong and to fix it. May our state officials and representatives find that courage and strength soon. Before we lose the other 19% of our votes.
Click the link to view the BlackBoxVoting.ORG video that explains it all.
Authors Website: http://www.democracyfornewhampshire.com
Authors Bio:
Nancy Tobi is cofounder, former Chair, website editor for Democracy for New Hampshire (DFNH), and Chair of the NH Fair Elections Committee. Nancy has seen DFNH grow from 25 members when founded in February 2004 to what is now the Granite State’s largest grassroots organization, recognized as an influential player in New Hampshire and national politics.
Nancy is the author of numerous articles on election integrity, including “The Gifts of HAVA: Time to Ask for a Refund,” “What’s Wrong with the Holt Bill,” “We’re Counting the Votes: An Election Preparedness Kit,” and “Hands-on Elections: An Information Handbook for Running Real Elections, Using Real Paper Ballots, Counted by Real People”.
Nancy’s focus on federal election reform has resulted in groundbreaking research, analysis, and reporting on the ramifications of federal acts and agencies to the integrity of the American Republic and its particular form of representational democracy
Rotten is in the media? Is this media here?
I may have to rename this link in my browser favorites/bookmarks to something more descriptive.
NPR was talking about the odd discrepancy between the polling, particularly women voters, and the results. They indicated that everything else was right on target except women voters. They didn’t suggest any foul play but did note the discrepancy.
A commentator on Charlie Rose noted that polls tend to be several points off when black candidates are involved, and theorized that people say they will vote for the black then don’t do it. In Hillary Clinton’s case there may be another explanation: the women who voted for her were at work and could not be polled. In addition, the unflattering photo you used was sexist. For a real view of how women are treated in politics see the New York Times solumn of 1/8/08 athttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/opinion/08steinem.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gloria+steinem&oref=slogin
That’s because women don’t know how to use machines. It’s a good thing us men own everything.
/tongue in cheek
Oops, correct that link to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/opinion/08steinem.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gloria+steinem&oref=slogin
Hmm!
Clinton 9 delegates
Obama 9 delegates
Edwards 4 delegates
seems like a tie to me
Yeah, I have noticed the delegate counts too. I think Edwards might stay in the race on the off chance that he could force a brokered convention and he could play kingmaker.
I think when Billary tried to cry, and could not do so, it showed the American people that she is indeed iron, and cannot be emotionally compromised, and will never perjure herself or lie under oath about anything at all.
I wanted to see a tear. Cheek was dry. Was that a mist evaporating poignantly in her left eye? I’m not sure. I’m no body analyst.
Crying usually gets my wife a tenderloin at Khouri’s on University. I like their gyros a lot. Best hummus on earth, too!
Has anyone checked out what the percentages were for each county in NH? It was much closer than they are reporting. Obama had her by a great margin in a lot of counties.
Hacking into ballot boxes: Who do you think she is George W. Bush?
aol sez: “Hacking into ballot boxes: Who do you think she is George W. Bush?”
I sez: It is funny how some people credit W with a huge network of deep undercover operatives who can magically change ballots but not think far enough ahead to plant a 55 gallon drum or ‘yellowcake’ or cannisters of mustard gas in Iraq during the war so the Army could “find” WMD’s after the invasion.
BDS is treatable. You just have to realize you need help.
“In addition, the unflattering photo you used was sexist.” — Elaine Hopkins.
Journal Star managers used to criticize me for using “goofy-looking” pictures of President Bush on wire pages. I think I finally convinced them that old sourpuss always looks goofy. Hillary may have the same problem.
Hey Elaine, IRON MY SHIRT and please explain if it would be sexist to use an unflattering picture of a man. Well, not if I am a white man and it is a picture of a white man. But if OJ, then I am racist. Unflattering of a homosexual….well unless I am gay, then that would be homophobic. By this rule, then anything critique that you have of Bill is sexist and “..exist against the Rotund. Seriously, how could those guys not be plants, just like the previous q/a plants and the planted jokes on letterman. Further,
I think you are all missing the bigger issue. Are there actually FLATTERING photos of Hillary Clinton that exist???
Billy, can you quit posting that pic of Hillary, please? It startles me every time you post it!
Weren’t “those guys” from a radio pulling a stunt? The same thing was done to some feminist protesting against that men only golf course…Augusta?
Here’s a funny piece from Columbia Journalism Review about CNN’s breathless coverage of Tuesday’s primary:
http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/pundits_savants_and_gurus_oh_m.php
The Hart systems used here in Peoria have been called into question lately too. I posted on my site on this last month.
Read todays article in the WSJ by bret Stephens titled “Great (American) Expectations”. He says Obama wants to close the great American racial divide while Iowa, a state 94% white elected him while in Kenya, the Luo tribe hacked to death hundreds of blacks from the Kikuyu tribe.
Goes on on black Africa on a daily basis.Maybe he should go there to “end the great divide” he constantly talks about.
Hmmmmm.
Merle,
What the fudge are you talking about?
Merle sez: “Maybe he (Obama) should go there (Africa) to “end the great divide†he constantly talks about.”
That comment is completely wacko.
The article Merle refers to sez (in the first paragraph):
“Barack Obama, still fresh from his victory in Iowa last week and confident of another in New Hampshire tonight, has as his signature campaign theme the promise to “end the division” in America. Notice the irony: The scale of his Iowa victory, in a state that’s 94% white, is perhaps the clearest indication so far that the division Mr. Obama promises to end has largely been put to rest.”
Let me repeat the killer line – “t the division Mr. Obama promises to end has largely been put to rest.”
Wow, racism was cured and nobody told me? Anyone one who believe that must be completely naive on the subject of race relations.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Merle Widmer…
Anon: Magic? I doubt you’d need magic with your bro as Govenor.
Why would he need to “plant” WMD’s? He had already accomplished his task: lying to the entire nation and making them believe him so as to to start a war with ” the guy that tried to kill my Dad”. Proof? Unnecessary with this administration.
Ahh, Corruption; Isn’t it a beautiful thing.
aol sez: “lying to the entire nation and making them believe him so as to to start a war with †the guy that tried to kill my Dadâ€.”
I sez: “That guy tried to kill my dad” is indeed very real. In 2000, when W was campaigning, he promised not to put up with B.S. from Saddam.
I am amazed that people don’t remember that and that he promised he would not ‘flip-flop’ or ‘waffle’ on that. W promised a hard-line with Saddam and folks are just simply amazed when a politician keeps a promise. A big part of the foreign policy issues during the debate centered around Iraq and Hussein.
So let me get this straight…a “hard line” means taking the guy out of power for something he had nothing to do with?
Hmmm…that would mean Bush is a terro…
Mouse, you have gone so far off the deep end with your defense of the WPE (worst president ever) that I’m seriously worried about you. Come see me at a Rivermen game (between fights), and maybe I can offer some assistance.
Not put up with B.S. from Saddam? Are you kidding me? What B.S. did Saddam throw at Dub-ya in the first year of his presidency? He had nothing to do with 9-11 what so ever. The Terrorists that attacked on 9-11 were actually Saudis, who were led by Osama. Let’s get your facts straight. Bush used 9-11 as an excuse to attack Iraq and anyone that thinks differently is just plain ignorant.
Any by the way, Bush is a Terrorist…and the WPE!
Saddam had nothing to do with 9-11. No one in this thread has said he was.
Saddam was dodging the UN inspections way before the 2000 election. Allowing inspectors in but them not allowing them to do the inspecting. BTW, After the invasion, they did not find WMD’s (but they did find weapons he was not supposed to have – short range surface-to-surface missiles that he had modified to increase the range).
And, yes, Saddam attempted to assassinate a former U.S. president.
As far as “Worst President Ever” – I think I recall some folks (possibly myself included) saying the exact same thing about 8 years ago about the sitting president at the time.
We are closing in on 20 years since Ronald Reagan left office and it is STILL to soon to make a solid determination of his legacy. You really can’t make a “WPE” determination, in all seriousness, while the man is still in office.
Again, let’s analyze…it was okay for folks (possibly you included) to call Clinton the “WPE” (he was far from it, btw, and history will prove THAT, too), but it’s not okay to call Bush that because it’s still “too soon” to make a determination on…Reagan?!?!?
And back to Saddam…did we go in there because he was “dodging inspections”? Did we go in there because he “attempted to assassinate a former U.S. President”? Or did we go in there because he was (incorrectly) linked to 9/11 by Bush/Cheney/Rummy/Turd Blossom?
I think you damn well know the answer to that.
I think I’ve matured a bit since then, BJ – at least I am being honest with you here.
I never saw a connection between Saddam and 9-11 and never, even for a minute, thought he did. I did think all his dodging and feinting were pretty indicative of a man with something to hide.
My reading leads me to believe he was doing that in order to foster the suspicion among the commanders of his army that he DID have WMD’s.
Anon: You need to give up your fight here. Sorry but it was no coincidence that we went into Iraq pretty close the time that we started the half-fight in Afghanistan. Little Ol’ Bush was just looking for a reason to fight. Unfortunately, he sent soldiers in to do his fighting and now more than 3,000 of them are dead. All for short range surface-to-surface missiles? How horribly sad.
Bill Clinton, the WPE? Are you serious? He was one the most fiscally conservative presidents that we have had in a long time…and History will prove that. Your buddy, Dub-ya, not only cut taxes but also increased spending exponentially AND sent us to war. You cannot get more fiscally irresponsible than that. That is just simple Economics.
Ask me in 20 years, aol.
Mouse…you’re the one dodging and feinting now.
Answer the question…why are we currently in Iraq? Not what YOU think, but what did BUSH tell us was the reason?
BJ,
UN resolutions
688
707
715
1051
1060
1284
and particularly
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iraq/cluster.pdf
which came from the UN and not the CIA.
Don’t try to have a rational conversation with guys like Stoner.
Nice contribution, Vonnie, as usual. No go play with the other children.
Mouse…that does NOT answer the question. What did Mr. Bush say was THE reason for going into Iraq in 2003? Simple answer. Go ahead, you can say it.