Media says Falk, electors say Van Hollen

A prime example of why the media has no business dabbling in the art of fortune telling. Exit polls are about as reliable as tarot cards.

When WTMJ4 projected Gov. Jim Doyle would win another four years with less than 10 percent of precincts reporting, I became alarmed. I'm sure the station was sitting on pins and needles until the Associated Press also declared Doyle the winner a few hours later.

TMJ also projected Kathleen Falk Wisconsin's next attorney general. The Falk campaign said it was "cautiously optimistic" about the projections and numbers coming in, despite being at least two percentage points behind J.B. Van Hollen until 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Then, behold! All of the numbers came in and Van Hollen will sit as the state's top cop.

As I said before, in the interest of clarity, accuracy and pragmatism, the numbers will take form and meaning once all the numbers are in.