Reply #4: Probably Not [View All]

[bluestateguy]

It likely would have unfolded this way:

1) Court allowed the recounting.

2) There would have been more haggling over counting standards, possibly leading to a state recount. Every procedural decision would have been made by K. Harris in favor of the Republicans.

2a) Gore was gaining votes in Miami-Dade when the counting was stopped, BUT we don't know, or I don't know, if the Cuban precincts had been recounted yet.

3) Let's just say that Gore came out on top. OK, so what? Then the Republican FL legislature would have appointed their own electors and there would have been a contested slate of electors from Florida. Harris would have certified the legislature's electors.

4) It then would have gone to the House of Representatives. They likely would have certified the legislature's slate. They had the votes and it was that simple.

Gore was at a disadvantage from the beginning. The machinery of government was in control of Republicans at all the important levels. Had Gore made it is strategy from the beginning to call for a statewide hand recount he would have been in a much stronger position legally and politically. The Bush team would have been hard pressed to resist that approach. Gore may or may not have come out on top. It would have depended on the county counting standards. Then there were the overseas absentee ballots that were certified even though they lacked postmarks, a clear violation of Florida law. Still, demanding that these ballots, most of whom were cast by military personell, be discarded was a politically untenable position to take, and one that was just ripe for Republican demagoguery. Of course, had Ralph Nader honorably withdrew from the race in October none of this would have happened. He chose not to do that, however. The race in Florida would nopt have been close enough to steal. It seems that Mr. Good Government never lifted a finger when all of this Tomfoolery was going on.