Nate Silver Goes Off on Politico – The Best Post-Election Interview I’ve Heard Comes From ESPN

Last updated on: December 1, 2012 at 8:53 am by Tim Suttle

Nate Silver Goes Off on Politico – The Best Post-Election Interview I’ve Heard Comes From ESPN 2012-12-01T08:53:27-07:00 Tim Suttle

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’ve never even heard of the BS Report with Bill Simmons from ESPN radio. I have no idea how he got Nate Silver to open up like he did (they are both sports numbers guys and talk like they are friends), but this interview was amazing. For one thing, Silver went off about Politico, (without mentioning Dylan Byers). His long quote is below. It’s a similar critique to what John Stewart always makes of 24 hour cable news, but still it was fun to hear Silver make it.

I always think that what is so unique about Silver’s commentary is that he comes at politics (and I think at life), from such a completely different angle. As a statistician he doesn’t look through the same lenses as everyone else. He is not beholden to ideologies from the left or the right. He makes people on both sides of the aisle mad at him. This is part of why I think Silver is such an interesting case, because I think this is how Christians should be. Silver’s allegiance is to the numbers and analysis. The Christian’s allegiance is to the gospel and the Kingdom of God. If you are doing this well, it will make people on both sides of the aisle mad at you.

During the last few weeks of the election, Silver was being attacked daily for his predictions. (Just read the comments section here at Paperback Theology in the days leading up to the election.) There’s one fascinating exchange when he says that he doesn’t really respect the apologies that came after the election from those who slammed his method and called him a fake.

“I’m kinda not big on apologies. I mean I think apologies make sense …under two circumstances, right? If you really have some one off mistake… I went to Vegas and some x and y happened. I’m sorry honey, it will never happen again, and you are sincere about that. Or you’ve had a repeated mistake, and you really change in your philosophy, in your outlook on how you are doing things. But these guys are going to be making the same partisan kind of comments four years later.”

Silver’s critique of politico was interesting as well.

“What’s remarkable for me is that you had some journalist for Politico who tweeted out “All Nate’s doing is averaging polls and counting electoral votes right? That’s the secret sauce?.” Well, yeah, and the fact that you can’t comprehend that very basic thing, that says more about you than it does about me, right?… Politico is a “who won the day” kind of thing, right? They’re trying to cover (politics) it like it’s sports but not in an intelligent way at all. They want to create noise, basically. Their whole thing is you have to have a lead story about some gaffe that a candidate made on the campaign trail … In politics, you can have a whole month where nothing of any import- whatsoever happens. But you still have to have Politico produce a paper seven times a week…”

If you have a minute, I highly advise clicking here and listening to the whole thing. If you want to just hear the political part, start in at about 48 minutes.

Previous Post

November 30, 2012

A Few Thoughts on the Fiscal Cliff - Here's My Prediction

Next Post

December 3, 2012 Monday Morning Confessional

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category abortion corruption Donald Trump elections Empire Entertainment Ezra Klein ideology Justice Lacan politics race Sports Ta-Nehisi Coates Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 March 2026 September 2025 March 2025 June 2024 January 2024 December 2023 May 2023 February 2023 October 2022 April 2022 March 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 September 2020 July 2020 June 2020 March 2020 September 2019 July 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 August 2010 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the Hebrew name for the book of Genesis?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Torah Shema Bereshit Elohim