13 The 2000 Presidential Election
The recently concluded 2012 presidential election again proved just how impressive the data that major news networks get on election night really is. it was a far cry from the 2000 election, when a handful of prominent news outlets jumped the gun in picking the winner of Florida in what amounted to one truly wild night night of politics.
Around 8 p.m. EST, certain major news networks began calling Florida, and its 25 electoral votes, in favor of Al Gore, which would have given him the presidency. An entire nation watched live and began wondering what the world would be like under President Gore. But then CNN recanted its projection and instead gave it to Bush. The country watched in befuddlement as each network scrambled for the right information and seemed to project a new winner every 15 minutes.
