been trying to avoid politics lately (national, anyway. still keeping up on state, damn Keating to Hades), but here's a quick in-and-out:

there are those who argue that, by calling Florida for Gore before polls closed, the television networks caused thousands of GOP voters to give up and not cast their votes. but wouldn't that also keep Gore voters from going to the polls. they thought their candidate had already won. why bother voting then? and, if you were serious about casting your vote and heard during polling hours that the opposition candidate was winning, wouldn't you run right out and vote, just in case it might help?