The Committee of Concerned Journalists, a consortium of reporters, editors, producers, publishers, owners and academics, has surveyed its own membership about the quality of election campaign coverage this year, and the results aren't pretty. Nearly three quarters of respondents gave the press a C, D or F grade, and only 3% gave an A. By large majorities they felt the news media has become sidetracked by trivial issues, has been too reactive and has focused too much on campaign strategy rather than substance.

Regretting Al Gore's quick concession in 2000, "Democrats are already laying the public relations groundwork [for a protracted election challenge] by pointing to every possible voting irregularity before the Nov. 2 election and accusing Republicans of wrongdoing." The Kerry campaign will have "six so-called 'SWAT teams' of lawyers and political operatives ...

Within an hour after voting began in Florida, "the system collapsed in Broward County, ground zero for the 2000 fiasco in the state," comments Markos Moulitsas. He lists other allegations of election fraud and voter suppression in states including Nevada, Ohio, Wisconsin, New Hampshire and South Dakota, On his Dkosopedia website, Moulitsas is hosting a "Voter Registration Fraud Clearinghouse, where people are invited to report irregularities.