Politics

MSNBC declares Obama winner of the Wisconsin recall

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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“Tonight, the really big winner in the Wisconsin recall election is President Obama,” MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell said at the top of his Tuesday program after parent network NBC called the race for Gov. Scott Walker over Democrat Tom Barrett.

Over the past several months, the left-leaning hosts at MSNBC have put a lot of emphasis on the Wisconsin recall, saying it was important for current Walker to be defeated in order to maintain the American middle class.

“John Heilemann, I said at the top of the show that President Obama big winner tonight because in the exit polls we saw today that, they were asked, ‘Who would you for president today?’” O’Donnell explained. “Fifty-three percent in Wisconsin, 53 percent say President Obama. Only 42 percent say Mitt Romney. That is — if not the recall outcome — that outcome for President Obama has to be very encouraging.”

Later in the program, O’Donnell said he was basing his declaration off the exit polling for the Wisconsin recall, which some have said leaves much to be desired.

Heilemann took the unconfirmed exit polling data and called it “very encouraging.”

“Very encouraging, Lawrence, and something that the campaign in Chicago sent out as a news release as soon as the earliest exit polls showing the president with the lead came through. They think that Wisconsin is a state that’s pretty solid for them. It’s been blue for a long time.”

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