Newsweek recalls 125,000 copies of its souvenir Madam President issue

Everyone from pollsters to pundits got the result of the US presidential election wrong.

But few can have made it in such an expensive manner.

Newsweek and a partner that prints up special commemorative issues has been forced into an embarrassing recall, after it sent out 125,000 copies of its Madam President issue designed to celebrate Hillary Clinton's win.

From the Editors: 2 special edition covers for 2016 election outcomes were produced by a Newsweek licensee, Topix Media, and not by Newsweek pic.twitter.com/MwC4RytGbC

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) November 7, 2016

Although Topix Media had also prepared a Donald Trump version it thought it was safe to dispatch only the version detailing "Hillary Clinton's historic journey to the White House", as the cover put it.

"Like everybody else, we got it wrong," Tony Romando, chief executive of Topix Media, told The New York Post.

The edition appeared on shelves on Tuesday but was hastily withdrawn.

"All wholesalers and retailers have been asked to return any issues they have as we need to clear room for [150,000 copies of] the President Trump issue," said Mr Romando. "We expect it to sell very well as there is obviously a great demand."

He said only 17 copies were sold.

Hillary Clinton signs a "Madame President" edition of @Newsweek for a supporter backstage (photo by @sullyfoto) pic.twitter.com/gQUzNBPVUh

— Liz Kreutz (@ABCLiz) November 8, 2016

The front cover went viral as soon as it was publicised, with some Trump supporters - apparently oblivious to the alternative version - claiming it showed collusion between the mainstream media and the Clinton campaign.

Mrs Clinton was even spotted signing a copy at an eve of election event in Pittsburgh.

Mr Trump's shock win stunned even the network news journalists as they grappled with vote tallies late on Tuesday night.

America's leading professional association of pollsters has launched an inquiry into how they could the result so wrong.