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the kicker

Dropping in real time

The cable nets are carrying the House’s bailout vote live–as the Nay votes tick up, the Dow drops down. It’s very dramatic, and I’m not afraid...
September 29, 2008

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The cable nets are carrying the House’s bailout vote live–as the Nay votes tick up, the Dow drops down. It’s very dramatic, and I’m not afraid to say, very frightening.

Of course, speculation immediately turns to Pelosi & Co. holding the clock open and twisting arms to get the bill over the top.

“So we should ignore that thing down in the corner that says zero?” asked a CNBC anchor, of the House’s live camera feed, where the clock has, at least for appearances shape, run out.

“Yes!” responds John Harwood, the network’s politics hand.

The market isn’t ignoring it, though.

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Clint Hendler is the managing editor of Mother Jones, and a former deputy editor of CJR.