Given that Bush has benefited from the exact type of recounts that they are asking for in Miami-Dade. (He picked up 183 votes in Polk county I believe after the machines spit them out.)
Yeah, I’m a Democrat. Wanna make something out of it? (We get a little testy in the midwest.)
Green party here, and my candidate did say they should flip a coin.
The margin of error here is simply too close to ever know who truly won.
no. if he really cares about the people and the country and the democrats are truly different from the republicans (not so in the UK where labour and conservative are getting harder to define as having seperate stand-points), then he should fight this to the end. 4 years of opposition rule? no self respecting dog of a politician should let go of the squeaky toy just because he’s been lifted from the floor.
Should he? Yes. After all, he lost.
But, if I were in his shoes, I would keep fighting. Since he has already lost, he has nothing to lose. He can only gain.
Besides, he’s probably terrified at the prospect of having to find a real job.
Democrat here, and no, I don’t think Gore should concede.
Wildest Bill, being the conservative that you are, would you want Bush to concede if Gore had taken the state by such a statistically insignificant amount and there were questions over the validity of votes made and votes possibly not counted, or not counted correctly? Would it be “whining” then? Somehow I doubt it.
Esprix
Independent voter here, tho in this election, I voted for the Greens.
No, he shouldn’t concede 'til the question of properly counted ballots has been answered. And the action of the mob scene in Palm Beach County and the Election’s Commision office needs to be investigated.
This Nebraska democrat doesn’t like it when candidates try to convince to skip the foreplay and “get on with the important business of being president” Let’s at least finish counting the ballots before jumping into bed with someone !
Gore should not throw in the towel.
But I do think this butterfly ballot argument is silly.
When Miami Dade decided not to recount, Gore lost what chance he had of overturning the election. And after seeing the fiasco in Broward and PB counties, I am starting to agree with Bush that hand counts are subjective and thus unfair.
Gore should gracefully exit stage right. Er, left.
Aw Contrary, Pundit. Check out the Seminole county (and one other) mess. When absentee ballots sent out by Republicans were returned without neccesary info, they were stacked up and consigned to be destroyed. Republicans were invited to come in, sit down and make the corrections themselves on several thousand ballots, more than enough to tip the balance. Such action is, under FLorida law, specifically illegal, and the ballots null and void. If Gore gets a fair shake from the court on that one, he wins Florida. Please note that the Dems did not get any such opportunity under precisely the same circumstances. Cozy, no? Nudge nudge, wink wink, demand closure…
Two things also (not to get too hijacked) - some of the legal action, although perhaps encouraged by the Democrats, was initiated by frustrated voters; and the Republicans are contesting re-counted ballots in New Mexico after the state was declared for Gore (there’s a Great Debates thread about it around here somewhere), so two can play at that game, sport.
Esprix
Martin County has what seems to be the same situation.
No, Gore should NOT concede. It seems likely that more Florida voters wanted him than Bush, although you may disagree and want to shut that possibility off. Don’t forget his clear lead in the Electoral College outside of Florida, not to mention his popular-vote lead.
What’s that I hear about “stealing the election” ?
Gore should now concede. Hes is now saying that people who didn’t vote for any presiden’t are the reason why the election is still going. People who didn’t vote should now be included hes saying.
The numbers are so close and there are too many discrepancies to stop the count and say with any certainty who won.
and Squink, a Nebraska democrat? Is that possible?
Hell no, he should not give up! It is important to hold the Repugnican’s feet to the fire for as long as possible. With any luck, we can get the whole Florida election nullified, forcing the legislature to certify a slate of electors with no basis in the electoral process. Then, Armey, DeLay and Lott will have to ram it through Congress, and they will be held accountable in '02. Dubya will be a lame duck from the day he takes office. We may lose the battle, but By God we will win the war!
oh, if Al wins, nevermind.
I would like to express my feelings in song.
We have nothing to fear but Fear Itself and people like him. No matter who wins, 1/2 the voters will be disappointed. Why make it hard for the winner? Does it serve any purpose to hold the GOP’s feet to the fire? Does it help the country to have be a “lame duck from the first day”?
Absolutely! If you’re going to take the White House by coup, we would like the House and Senate back as soon as possible, please. Thank you.
I voted for Gore, and I think he should concede – between all the screwups Dubya is sure to make, the revelations of the assorted scandals in his checkered past, and (hopefully) the revelation of the true results in Florida, it’ll make the next four years a humongous embarassment to the GOP…
Election stats that the media won’t report:
Counties won by Gore: 677
Counties won by Bush: 2,434
Population of counties won by Gore: 127 million
Population of counties won by Bush: 143 million
Square miles of country won by Gore: 580,000
Square miles of country won by Bush: 2,427,000
States won by Gore: 19
States won by Bush: 29
Professor Joseph Olson of the Hamline University
School of Law in St.Paul,
Minnesota has produced another interesting new
statistic. Professor Olson
looked up the crime statistics for all of these
counties and came up with
this:
Average Murder per 100,000 residents in counties won
by Gore: 13.2
Average Murder per 100,000 residents in counties won
by Bush: 2.1
Ah … those Gore voters. This country needs more of
them, right?