Clinton wins by 9.3% (Round to 9%)

by David Safier

If the numbers are there, they can be spun how you want them. The press is saying, “Hillary by 10%” because Clinton has 54.6% — round up to 55% — and Obama has 45.3% — round down to 45%.

Fair enough.

But if we subtract her unrounded number from his, we get a 9.3% difference, which, since it’s under 9.5, gets rounded down to 9%.

So, very legitimately, Clinton won Pennsylvania by 9%, or, if you prefer, a hair under 10%.

And, by the way, I’m not just playing with numbers. If it fit the media story, the headlines would be “Clinton a Hair Under 10%.” But they like the horse race. It’s good for ratings, and it’s good for ad revenues. So “Clinton by 10%” it is.

But I say, it’s Clinton by 9%, and I’m sticking to it. My hope was that Clinton would win by less than 10%, and that’s what the numbers show.

You’re off the hook, Mike. As I said, under 10, and I cover my own expenses, including taking Barack and Michelle out for dinner last night. I’m a gentleman, a man of my word.