It should be apparent now that the network projection process began as a mix of polling mathematics and diplomacy (let’s avoid congressional hearings this time), and then in the wee hours of the morning, it became purely political — from the minute Mary Beth Cahill said the Kerry camp would fight for every vote in Ohio. How weird was it that all of Ohio’s votes were counted, with a 130,000-plus margin for Bush — beyond the margin of litigation — but some networks wouldn’t call the state until news bubbled up that Kerry called Bush to concede? And that others failed to call Nevada until that moment? That’s not straight-shooting, just the facts, ma’am journalism. That’s playing it very political.