TVSquad

Of all the networks, CNN probably had the stupidest election coverage trickery (unless you count all of the stupid things people said on MSNBC). For example, will.i.am being interviewed via hologram (that wasn't even really a hologram) instead of just appearing via satellite or in the studio, and that goofy hologram graphic that Anderson Cooper had to hold. The Daily Show took that on in their "Moment of Zen" last night, while talking about CNN's Peabody Award win. (Video also here or here.)

Every single media outlet, whether it's the major networks, the cable news networks, print, radio, online, and carrier pigeon, will be covering the election tonight. And that includes us!

Starting at 7pm ET, TV Squad will be doing election posts. We'll be covering all of the networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC and Comedy Central. We'll have several posts during the night and several posts after we find out who the next President is. This could be around 9:30pm or it could be around 11:15pm. It could even be 4am, though I'm not sure how many of us will still be awake at that time.

These won't be posts that analyze state results or exit polls or voting trends or who's ahead and who's behind. We'll be doing the fun stuff, like what mistakes the anchors make, what Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have to say, what anchor on FOX News cries because Obama is ahead, and the cleanup procedure at MSNBC if Keith Olbermann's head explodes from a McCain win. Tune in tonight!

In a move that can be considered either a turn back to neutral coverage of political events or a fearful tactic to curb further criticism on their network, NBC News has decided to dump Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as co-anchors of NSNBC's election coverage. Replacing them on the upcoming debates and election night will be White House correspondent David Gregory.

Some say the decision to drop the two most popular personalities on the network from the coverage stemmed from what critics both within and without the organization feared was the channel's perceived shift to the political left (though, many have said that MSNBC has always leaned left as opposed to FOX News that leans right. Apparently, none of their shoes have the same-sized heels.). Others say their demotion stemmed from numerous complaints that came after Olbermann's rant after a 9/11 tribute video was shown at the Republican National Convention. Then there are those who feel their on-air tiffs during the coverage resembled something out of Gossip Girl.

Rumor has it that The Daily Show's Jon Stewart is in talks with the Washington Post to provide online content for the Post's 2008 election coverage. Neither Comedy Central nor the WashingtonPost.com's editor would confirm the story. As Daily Show followers may remember, Indecision 2004 was released as a DVD and garnered the show's writers and correspondents tremendous critical acclaim. Stewart's deal with the Post would have him providing written, not video, content to the site. It would be a huge coup for the paper and would make it much more difficult for Stewart to maintain his apolitical, "I'm an entertainer; I don't influence the news" claim.