How badly did CNN get the election?

"Trump's ghost will haunt the GOP -- and possibly kill it"

"It's all over for Donald Trump"

This was a column penned by a chief CNN political analyst and historian about 4 weeks before the election. He mocked Trump's upcoming landslide defeat in the election, encouraged Hillary Clinton to redirect some of her campaign funds to Congressional races, predicted a takeover of the Senate by the Democrats, and speculated about a small chance that the Democrats could take back the House and strip Paul Ryan of his position as Speaker of the House.  And he declared the Republican Party as being dead (again) and would be living in the shadow of Trump's ghost for the near future.

Of course in the actual election:

1. Trump won the presidential election by a considerable margin.
2. Hillary Clinton spent every dime of her $2 billion campaign budget (the largest in world history) and still lost.
3. The Republicans maintained their majority in the Senate, 51-48.
4. The Republicans maintained their majority in the House, 239-193.
5. The Republicans grew their majority of governorships from 31-18-1 to 34-15-1.

So practically overnight, we went from nearly every political pundit predicting Democratic takeover of the White House, Senate, and governorships and a collapse of the Republican Party to the GOP winning the White House, Senate, House, and governorships.

(CNN) — It's all over for Donald Trump. He'll lose on November 8 and probably lose big, going over the cliff edge with his supporters like Thelma and Louise.

The question is, what kind of Republican Party will Trump and his fans leave behind? A divided, demoralized party -- with grim future prospects.

They might lose more than just the presidency. Some Democrats are urging Hillary Clinton to aim at long-shot electoral votes in states such as Arizona and Georgia, and even redirect cash to congressional candidates.

Democrats have the advantage in Senate races; they could overturn the GOP control of the House. So it's not inconceivable that Paul Ryan -- the closest thing the Republicans have to moderate leadership -- loses the speakership.

Trump is one of those men who makes sure he wins even as he loses.

Read more:  CNN - Trump's Ghost will Haunt the GOP