NYT: REPUBLICAN CHALLENGES ELECTION BASED ON EXIT POLLS

[geo]

Hi all,

This is on the Ukraine Presidential election, but quotes a Republican Senator from Indiana as challenging the results based on exit polls. I will try to edit the article down once I can find a link, but it look like I might need to register first.

Warmly,

George

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REPUBLICAN CHALLENGES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BASED ON EXIT POLLS
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
from the New York Times

An international election observer mission - from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Parliament, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the Council of Europe - released a preliminary report on Monday declaring that the election did not meet democratic standards.

The observers' findings were seconded by Republican Senator Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Citing the disturbing fact that official results diverged sharply from a range of surveys of voters at polling places, Lugar said, "A concerted and forceful program of election-day fraud and abuse was enacted with either the leadership or cooperation of governmental authorities."

Other prominent Western observers were unsparing in their criticism of the state's conduct of the election.

"Fundamental flaws in Ukraine's presidential election process subverted its legitimacy," the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, sponsored by the Democratic Party in the United States, declared in its preliminary report. The institute, cited "systematic intimidation, overt manipulation and blatant fraud" that were "designed to achieve a specific outcome irrespective of the will of the people."
-- New York Times

From GregPalast.com: This reporter was unable to reach Senator Lugar regarding the inconsistency of official election results and exit polls in the USA; the intimidation of minority voters in Florida and Ohio; nor the failure to count two million ballots cast, half by African-American voters, in America's first post-democratic election held earlier this month.

Eastern bloc observers noted that balloting in Ohio, New Mexico and Florida did not meet Ukrainian standards, but applauded America's attempt to restore democratic institutions after the overthrow of elected government in 2000.

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[Avalux]

1. Oh the Irony!

Why does this not surprise me? What kind of bizarro world do we live in??

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

4. This Buzzflash headline says it all for me

Laugh Until You Cry: The United States on Monday threatened to review its relationship with Ukraine and to take punitive steps if the Ukrainian government fails to investigate allegations of fraud and abuse in its presidential election. 11/24

[Avalux]

5. What??

Wow. I can understand the Repugs doing this though. It's actually quite clever; if they protest loudly about the Ukraine, people will think "how could they possible have done anything wrong in this country"?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

8. It is part of their Orwellian agenda.

[geo]

6. Sparked an idea....

Hi Ommm,

Your post just gave me an idea... maybe our letter writing efforts can be aimed somewhat overseas in the same veign. Other countries could demand, based on at least the statistical evidence and misc. accounts of voting mishaps, that we clear up the confusion in the results. Exit polls are RARELY wrong, and it is a stretch to say they could be this wrong two elections in a row, and only under certain circumstances.

What do you all think? Should we kick up our efforts to write foreign media and officials? If we each spent about an hour or two writing letters/e-mails we could have quite an impact. They might be even more motivated than our own media and officials to demand fairness, accountability, transperency in our election process.

Warmly,

George

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

9. Hello George!

The Foreign media is already onto it. The Guardian has already had a couple of articles. There was also a news release from AFP which is the French wire service about the GAO investigation. It's not unlike the people from overseas being attuned to the odd circumstances around 9/11 and many knew about the false claims of WMDs and Iraq. It is more important to get Americans to know about how their country has not only been through one coup, but now two.

[geo]

10. Hello OmmmSweetOmmm,

Hi again,

I couldn't agree more with your assessment, and am glad to hear about the coverage abroad.

Thanks for the update! :)

Warmly,

George

[Generator]

2. I saw that too! Oh the rich irony

Not to get all "new agey" but it's like the universe is giving us clues to pay attention to.

Rigged election-false exit polls.

[keepthemhonest]

3. how can they write that about the Ukrane

but they won't write it about america.

Change the names the story is still the same

[Roger_Otip]

7. change ukraine to america

and one or two other things and it's amazing how similar the two are:

http://www.legjoints.com/AmericanElectionFraud/cnn-ukraine-usa.html
http://www.legjoints.com/AmericanElectionFraud/nyt-ukraine-usa_1.html