Who decides when an election is over?
Dear reader:
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听When the presidential race was 鈥渃alled鈥� last Saturday for former Vice President Joe Biden, I was sitting with a few other reporters in an Italian restaurant near the Trump National Golf Club in northern Virginia. We, the White House 鈥減ress pool,鈥� weren鈥檛 invited to accompany President Donald Trump into his club. But when it came time to leave, we got to see what he saw from inside the motorcade 鈥� crowds of Biden and Trump supporters, holding signs, waving flags, making noise.
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听Scenes like this played out around the country, all based on the announcements of news media 鈥渄ecision desks鈥� that call elections. But President Trump has not conceded the race, nor has his administration 鈥渁scertained鈥� that Mr. Biden is the 鈥渁pparent successful candidate.鈥� Such a legal designation has existed since 1963 to help with an orderly transition,
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听Here鈥檚 the issue: The election, technically, isn鈥檛 over 鈥� as many readers have pointed out. Votes are still being counted, court challenges are in progress, most states have yet to certify results, and the Electoral College hasn鈥檛 met. That happens Dec. 14.
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听Mr. Trump has the right not to concede the election. But he isn鈥檛 just sitting idly by, waiting for final results. He鈥檚 actively promoting, via social media, the idea that the election was stolen. Twitter labels his 鈥渄isputed,鈥� but his message is still breaking through. A Politico/Morning Consult poll taken Nov. 6-9 found that don鈥檛 believe the election was 鈥渇ree and fair.鈥� To many Americans, the president鈥檚 behavior poses a threat to democracy.
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听The challenge for the mainstream media, repeatedly dubbed 鈥渇ake news,鈥� is profound. This year, media outlets have gone out of their way to explain how they declare election winners, as with The people who work at decision desks are green-eyeshade data scientists committed to getting it right, not partisans projecting a desired outcome.
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听In the meantime, before the 2020 election fully resolves, here鈥檚 some advice from my old friend Bob Carolla, a former aide to retired Democratic Sen. George Mitchell of Maine.
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听鈥淚f I learned anything from George Mitchell as a lawyer and legislator,鈥� it鈥檚 this, Mr. Carolla writes in an email. 鈥淚f a person is being reasonable, be reasonable and flexible. If they are unreasonable but within their rights, be patient but firm and keep advancing steadily.鈥�
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听He concludes: We are passing through a 鈥淕reat American Civics Lesson.鈥�
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听Let us know what you鈥檙e thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.
