[NYTr] Amazing how poorly mainstream news is reporting Venez referendum

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

[More than an hour ago, Reuters reported "Govt-connected sources" told
them unofficially that 3 exit polls indicated a win for the YES vote. 
AFP on Google, meanwhile, is claiming there WERE no exit polls, even
4 hours or so after polls officially closed, and that the race is very
tight.  Google's news site for the AFP story meanwhile says the story
itself is 16 HOURS old. WTF??  And the Opposition is rousting
their voters out of the house to go down to observe the "counting"
so Hugo can't pull a fast one, or something.  Here's AP from the Intl
Herald Trib. It's offically dated Dec 2, though its URL is dated Dec 3
and in Paris where the Trib is published, it is December 3. Maybe clocks
have started to run backwards in Venezuela's honor. The Venezuelan news
sources have little info that's new, and we'll try now to look for
espanol news. As with the bizarre reports from the Chavez recall
referendum, there seems to be lots of chaff being blown around. At least
AP quotes the Vice President, along with other "anonymous" sources.
Contrary to the AFP report, VP Rodriguez is quoted as saying some
polling places were still open 5 hours after the official 4 pm closing
time because of long lines.  -NY Transfer, 12/2/2007  22:24 EST]


AP vis International Herald Tribune - Dec 3, 2007
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/03/news/Venezuela-Constitution.php 

Tight race in vote on Chavez's constitutional changes, 
vice president says

The Associated Press
Sunday, December 2, 2007

CARACAS, Venezuela: Hugo Chavez sought to cement his power and end
presidential term limits in a vote Sunday that the government said was
too close to call.

"The result of the referendum is close," Vice President Jorge Rodriguez
said from Chavez's campaign headquarters. "We will respect the result,
whatever it is — even it's by one single vote."

He said some polling stations were still open where lines remained
nearly five hours after the official close.

Caravans of Chavez's supporters took to the streets honking horns and
blaring celebratory music as they anticipated victory, but opposition
leaders did not concede and called for their supporters to closely
monitor the ballot count.

Opposition leader Julio Borges also said the results were very close,
likening it to a photo finish.

Two pro-Chavez officials told The Associated Press earlier that their
exit polls show a victory for the reforms, but an opposition campaign
official said its poll shows Chavez headed for defeat. All spoke on
condition of anonymity because of election rules barring the early
release of results.