The Haze of Election Night, BBC, The Washington Post & the Media
About a month before Election Day, a BBC producer called and said they were interested in talking to the chairman of the Democratic Party for the largest county in Virginia because Virginia was the first important state where the polls would close and it would be happening right when people were going to sleep in Great Britain. He wanted to know if I would be willing to make time to go on the air. I told him sure.
By the time Election Night rolled around, I was caught up in a million things and I partly forgot about it. I had been invited to Governor Kaine’s suite early in the evening. While I was up there, I was focused on trying to talk to him and some of his staff for a few minutes when my mobile went off. I didn’t recognize the number and given that votes were just starting to be counted, I took the call worried about what fire I needed to put out.
It was Giles from BBC waiting to put me on the BBC American Election Special. He said are you ready?
I put my beer down, went outside and the most secluded place I could find was the 7th floor hallway. People were yelling across the atrium to me to say hi. Others kept walking by me wanting to talk while I’m trying to go on national British television…. It seemed like there wasn’t anywhere anyone could go to get a second alone. Click on this link below to listen to my BBC interview.
Scott Surovell Election Night BBC Interview
As the night wore on, I went to the FCDC suite to get a good internet connection and television to see our returns. I was getting more and more steamed about the fact that no one was calling Virginia (given how close Virginia was with so much of Fairfax County out).
Around 9:45 p.m., a Washington Post reporter called me wanting to know why Fairfax County’s numbers were so slow coming in. The reporter also wanted quotes before deadlines which were looming. One of the really wierd things I was asked to do that night was to give a quote in the event we won Virginia and to give a quote if we lost Virginia in case I couldn’t be found later. I ran my mouth a mile a minute about winning.
Next, the reporter asked me for a quote they could use if we lost Virginia – I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t think of anything. I said given the turnout numbers from Fairfax County I’d seen around 6 p.m. that was simply inconceivable. While we were discussing it, Fox News called Virginia. We both had places to be and got off the phone.
The funny thing about the whole experience is that aside from The Washington Post, I practically had to flag down the other local reporters that night. None of them had taken the time that BBC had to make sure we found time that night to talk. Maybe it’s my job to seek them out, who knows. It’s my impression that the local television reporters had no clue who FCDC was (and still don’t). It’s amazing to me how little time the broadcast media puts into their local political reporting.
So there you have it. Today, I may be better known in Great Britain than my native Northern Virginian. Hopefully, the euro will get down soon so I can get over to see my fans. Ce la vie.
