[UPDATED: Fixed Broken Links to NY Times Response!]
By Brad Friedman on 11/24/2004, 11:39am PT  

Have to do some travelling here in the next few hours, so will be shortly out of the loop. There's several brewing items I'd like to comment further on, but for lack of time, I cover them quickly now and hit in more detail later as time allows:

  • The irony of the current situation in the Ukraine over the last couple of days has been almost too much to wrap my brain around. Thus, I haven't mentioned it until now. As of this morning, the U.S. Government's official position is that the election was not legitimate due to "numerous and credible accusations of fraud". While no fraud has actually been proven, the position seems to be based on the fact that the Exit Polls showed the opposition candidate leading by 11%, but the Kremlin-backed incumbent candidate ended up "winning" in the Final Results by 3%. Sound familiar? As I say, the irony is almost too much for my brain to process here for the moment. Not to mention that I've already seen more coverage in the Mainstream Media about possible fraud in the Ukraine Election than I have about the U.S. Election. A velvet revolution seems to be brewing now in the streets of Kiev...anybody up for one in the United States?
  • Another official government investigation into the alleged Voter Irregularities has been announced by a congressional committee. I was able to find word about that investigation only from the Newhouse News Service as of late last night. Perhaps it's getting more coverage in the Ukraine.
  • Finally this morning, the Email campaign encouraged on the BRAD BLOG (nice constructive item here and angry reactionary one here) to the NY Times has had enough of an effect to receive a reaction from their "Public Editor" (the NY Times' version of an ombudsmen), Paul Okrent. His reply --- a pretty lame and apologetic one as you'll see when you read it --- is posted online here. I'll most definitely be speaking to his reply later tonight when I'm settled back in, as I have more than a thing or two to say in reply. But the good news for the moment, as you'll note when you read his response, is that we've gotten their attention! Keep those Emails going! managing-editor@nytimes.com; executive-editor@nytimes.com; national@nytimes.com; editorial@nytimes.com; oped@nytimes.com; public@nytimes.com; letters@nytimes.com; magazine@nytimes.com; QandA@nytimes.com; washington@nytimes.com; TheBradBlog@cville.com?Subject=Investigate and Report On Voter Irregularity, Mistabulation and Fraud NOW!">Here again are the addresses to write to to encourage them to investigate and report on the many irregularities that have been found in our elections. (I know we don't live in the Ukraine, but still, alleged fraud in our elections would seem to be at least as trouble as alleged fraud in Kiev.)

    • As I've said, I hope to give each of the above items their proper due later tonight, hopefully along with more breaking news. In the meantime, safe travels to those of you moving about the country for Thanksgiving!

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