The network programmers must have seen this coming.
Before the appropriately-named “The Biggest Loser” on NBC and “Last Man Standing” on ABC, Brian Williams, Diane Sawyer and, over on CBS, Scott Pelley anchored special reports calling the Florida primary for Mitt Romney. The cable and broadcast channels were all able to call the state at 8pm when the last of the Florida polls closed. At the time of the call Romney had 48% of the vote to Newt Gingrich’s 31% with 56% of the precincts reporting. FOX, which didn’t air a special report, instead aired “Glee” which is probably what Mitt Romney is feeling right now.
While CNBC produced a 2-minute special report at 8pm, before joining a documentary in progress, Fox Business Network remains in live coverage of the results. Merrill is at Fox Business right now getting a behind-the-scenes look at the coverage. Look for her report tomorrow.
Romney took to the stage in Tampa at 8:33pmET. “A competitive primary does not divide us, it prepares us,” he said.