CBS News’ Mark Knoller is the unofficial statistician of the White House press corps, keeping one eye on the numbers no matter how high they may climb, from President Obama’s rounds of golf to days elapsed between Hillary Clinton’s press conferences.
One set of numbers he can do without is CNN’s ubiquitous countdown clock, which the network drags out at any opportunity. Who doesn’t remember biting their nails as CNN counted down the seconds until an asteroid would pass within 3.6 million miles of earth? Nobody? How about the Confederate flag coming down from the State House grounds in South Carolina?
We get it. There are primaries tomorrow. STOP THE COUNTDOWN CLOCKS!!!
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 6, 2016
Amen to that.
— Celinda (@Clzsez) June 6, 2016
Does anyone outside of CNN take the network’s clock seriously? The New Republic recently declared it “the single most infuriating object in the 2016 election,” while the Washington Post accused it of “bait-and-switching American political junkies.”
Get ready for SUPER TUESDAY 5, everyone! Countdown clock already on. #2016 pic.twitter.com/L03KzI7dsZ
— Emily C. Singer (@CahnEmily) June 5, 2016
The suspense! It’s too much!
– oh I know – CNN had yesterday – only 44 hours! I not seen it used as much since Disney ads saying new Hanna Montana 26 hrs
— Lisa Stein (@RhoneGallagher) June 6, 2016
CNN countdown clock alert: 25 hours and counting until Super Tuesday coverage
(seems like you should at least wait until its < 24 hrs)
— Victoria McGrane (@vgmac) June 6, 2016
https://twitter.com/norunnyeggs/status/739826198688206848
Free of charge, here are some suggested guidelines for the clock-happy news networks:
Unless you're launching a manned mission to Mars, we don't need a countdown clock.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 6, 2016
One more exception to the countdown clock: it's okay to make sure Golf gets off the air in time on Sundays.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 6, 2016
Must be tough being an adult these days. You rock sir!
— Roger O. Thornhill (@MortimerBrwstr) June 6, 2016
Someone has to be the adult in the room. Hold that thought, though:
As of this morning, I'm following @OscarTheGrouch. Feel a certain kinship.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 6, 2016
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