Trump or Harris? How American TV plays on stress and emotion on election night

The first results of the presidential election in the United States fell overnight. For now, the advantage seems to go to the Republican camp. Our journalist followed the evening in front of American news channels.

OIt hits us every time, but this time, it seems true: the 2024 presidential election presents itself as the most uncertain electoral deadline in recent American history. Who will ultimately win, Kamala Harris or Donald Trump? Until the last moment, the two candidates ran neck and neck in the polls, increasing the pressure among Americans over the days. Some even came close to burnout according to the American Psychology Association, which revealed that 69% of them experienced this election as “a significant source of stress in their lives”.

Monday evening, on the eve of the vote, comedian Jimmy Kimmel perfectly summed up the situation in his late show : “It’s like the country is waiting for the results of a biopsy. » To accompany this wait full of bursts of anxiety, the news channels have multiplied special editions all day long, before giving way to their star sets and presenters.

22h00, CNN: “Un choix mo-nu-men-tal”

“The Americans are making a mo-nu-men-tal choice,” announces presenter Jake Tapper from his on-air outlet. Thanks for thinking a little more about our blood pressure, Jake. Fortunately, it's way too early to start announcing anything. The reporter sent to Howard University, where Kamala Harris is expected in the evening, announces that “the Democratic team’s advisors show cautious optimism,” while his colleague sent to Donald Trump's campaign headquarters in Florida affirms that the Republican candidate has “slept very little” – huge scoop – and “did not stop asking his advisors for the first projections.” Journalist John King, known for handling electoral maps like no other, warns: “We will probably have to wait to know the name of the winner. Maybe not until next Saturday like in 2020, but we might not get it tonight. » What if we had a little coffee again?

11:00 p.m., CNN: funny questions

An hour that the CNN countdown promises us the first exit polls… When the hour finally arrives, “small” disappointment upon discovering the famous figures. Instead of showing the first results, the news channel asked voters about their feelings about the country's performance. “Do you think America's best days are in the future or in the past? » or “What state are you in when you consider how things are going in the country today? » — for your information, for this last question, 43% of respondents said they “not satisfied”, et 29 % ” angry “. The anxiety goes up a notch.

11:30 p.m., CNN: the return of “electoral fraud”

It's starting. The channel announces that thirty thousand postal votes will have to be recounted in the state of Wisconsin after a problem occurred with the electoral machines. The Republicans, says the journalist, have “jumped at the chance” to talk about risks of “electoral fraud”, well helped by their leader who repeated this antiphon at each of his meetings.

In 2020, rumors of fraud relayed in a complacent manner on the air of Fox News had cost the ultraconservative channel nearly $787.5 million to avoid a defamation lawsuit with the electronic voting machine company Dominion – on imagine the journalists being a little more careful tonight. At the same time, in the pivotal state of Georgia, false bomb threats forced some offices to evacuate and close their doors for several hours. Atmosphere.

12:15 a.m., Fox News: interactive maps and magic wall

As the first polling stations close, the battle of the computer graphics artists has begun on the news channels. On Fox News, the screen is divided into two large bingo grids, with which the journalist imagines the different scenarios in the race for the 270 electors, synonymous with an absolute majority. The MSNBC channel has opened a YouTube channel entirely focused on Steve Kornacki, their young and renowned in-house expert. Before going on air on the main channel, we see him fiddling with his notes, quickly changing the batteries in his remote control, then starting to scribble his interactive maps, to explain the different dynamics in each state. On CNN, John King colors his magic wall (“magic wall”) based on the very first results, which will change throughout the night as the counting progresses. In Kentucky, Trump is thus announced with 66% of the votes… with only 3% of the ballots counted.

1:00 a.m., MSNBC: first results and excitement

On the set of journalist Rachel Maddow, the first results finally fall. Unsurprisingly, Kentucky (traditionally Republican) voted for Donald Trump, while Vermont (left-leaning) preferred Kamala Harris. Around the large table on the stage, no elected officials jumping at each other's throats, as during French election evenings, but journalists, experts, former advisors. In Philadelphia, notes one commentator, participation is higher than expected, “which could be a good thing for the Democrats”. On X, activist Amy Siskind finds herself hoping: “The results in Pennsylvania [l’un des sept États clés, ndlr] might not be that tight. »

On a local radio station, Donald Trump gives a last-minute interview to encourage citizens to vote before the polls close. Sign of a certain excitement? The results of the other races are starting to fall in – Americans are also voting to elect a new House of Representatives, renew a third of the Senate, choose eleven governors, vote on numerous referendums… In Indiana, Republican Governor Mike Braun is thus announced the winner (but we're not going to lie, we'll find out his name this evening).

1:45 a.m., Fox News: hypnotizing… and failing curves

In a sequence called “Voters' choice”, the channel brought together a panel of representative voters to question them on their expectations – did they vote in advance, like 84 million of their fellow citizens? what are their most pressing concerns? –, the most captivating moment of which undoubtedly remains these curves which depict live their support (or rejection) in the face of the broadcast of the most offensive speeches of the two candidates. Faulty visual rendering, questionable methodology… We skip.

3h00, CNN : invasion rouge

Rain of results on the antennas. After winning Florida and many Southern states, Donald Trump is declared the winner in Texas, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. The candidate has 154 electoral votes, compared to 27 for his Democratic opponent. The color red is gaining ground on John King's maps. But be careful, warns the specialist, “no one has broken the house yet”. The count in key states, on which the presidential election is based, is still underway. For now, Kamala Harris is leading the race in Pennsylvania and Michigan. But not in Georgia. In short, the situation is unclear. We are reduced to tracking down the slightest facial expression or intonation in the voice of the commentators to detect possible clues – in vain. In reality, we're starting to get tired.

4:00 a.m., Fox News: “Even the 'New York Times' says so”

“Donald Trump is achieving something tonight. Even the New York Times says it. » It is impossible not to detect a certain joy in the very right-wing Laura Ingraham, cross clearly visible on her neck, when she recounts the counting underway in the state of Virginia – in certain sectors, even better results are announced for Trump than in 2016. Even if no key state has yet been given to either candidate, the ex-president seems to be off to a good start. THE New York Times now estimates he has a 75% chance of winning the White House.

Do not turn around if you are in a queue. It's important that you vote.

MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow

4:40 a.m., MSNBC: we're still voting

Duplex from Nevada, one of the key states in tonight's election, a reporter announces that some polling stations have queues of almost three hours. In her direct style, presenter Rachel Maddow addresses viewers: “Don’t turn around if you’re in a queue. The offices will remain open. It's important that you vote. » A few hours earlier, on X, Donald Trump had delivered the same message for his Republican voters.

5:15 a.m., CNN: the issue of the “blue wall”

Head to the Democratic candidate's party, on the campus of Howard University, in Washington. The reporter has just heard from a Kamala Harris campaign official: “They say it’s the tense race they were waiting for, that they had prepared for it. » The path to Democratic victory, however, seems to be narrowing, with Donald Trump's good performance: North Carolina has just been awarded to him, then, a little later, Georgia and North Carolina – a hard blow for the Democrats. Only one serious option now for Kamala Harris: winning the “blue wall”, i.e. the three key states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.