46.
Data nerds on social media have spent the better part of two days wondering why the networks won’t just make a call. The outcome hasn’t been in doubt. Biden needed only to win Nevada and Pennsylvania to lock things down; the writing’s been on the wall in NV since early Thursday and the outcome in PA was so assured given the drift in mail ballots there that Decision Desk HQ called it 24 hours ago. Biden’s remarks last night were scheduled at 8 p.m. ET in the belief that a call would be made before then and he could address the country as the apparent president-elect. But the networks held off. So he stalled, postponing his remarks past 8, to give them a little more time, and they still wouldn’t call it. So he spoke and gave another vague “we’re confident we’re headed towards victory” speech instead. Why wouldn’t the networks pull the trigger earlier? There are some innocent possible explanations for that and some less innocent ones. But let me just post the news here first and then I’ll come back with some updates to flesh it out. JOE BIDEN DEFEATS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP The Associated Press declares Joe Biden the winner of a grueling campaign for the American presidency.
