Alright, it seems that the “missing” ballots turned up. Now I’m suspicious of the opposite form of fraud: ballot stuffing. How can so many ballot boxes (3 or 4) be misplaced? These things are pretty big, and they’re the center of attention of the entire electorial staff. Am I mistaken that it’s rather suspicious that several pro-Gore areas conveniently overlooked a bunch of votes? Is it possible that someone used the time that they were “missing” to cast a few thousand votes of their own?
The very sort of questions which could conceivably cause a judge to throw out the election results and order a special election.
Actually, she is a Republican. The Attorney General, who is also deeply involved in the process, is a Democrat.
My wife and were joking about Jeb’s whereabouts all last night. Nobody said where he was. Presumably he was in FL, which laid all sorts of opportunities to conspiracy-theorize or tails off to pass the time… 
Regarding the missing ballot boxes: There are records indicating how many registered voters showed up. If that number turns out to be lower than the number of votes cast after the missing boxes are added in, that will be clear evidence of ballot-stuffing. And it will be checked out thoroughly.
Of course, I had my suspicions when CNN reported that Bush was “working the phones” after Florida’s polls closed. Who the hell was he calling that could change the outcome, hmm?
Umm, people in states where the polls were still open perhaps?
I just heard this on CNN: the uncounted ballot box from Dade County did not contain any votes. It was full of election supplies. I assume this means blank ballots, pencils, and “I Voted” stickers. But apparently not anything that will effect the election.
I know a lot of east-coast Democratic phone banks were switching over to calling West Coast voters after the polls closed there, so I don’t think it’s inconceivable that the Republicans would be doing the same.
I also think Jeb would be pretty busy in general last night: his brother was running for Prez (gotta call him every few hours to buck up his spirits and check in) and he probably had some duties related to the election.
But if you’re looking for conspiracies, I’m sure you’ll find some. Hey, where were Henry Kissinger and Queen Elizabeth last night?! (obligatory Lyndon LaRouche reference)
If there are any major irregularities (major in the sense as few as 2000-3000 votes)… a BIG if…
Then a special election is not only likely but preferable to spending the next four years arguing about a stolen election.
Obviously Gore (and other losers like Robb) blew their election by underestimating their opponents and refusing to go negative early.
Gore should have run a commercial early on featuring Medal of Honor winner Sen. Bob Kerry’s denunciation of Bush’s “war” record and his “service” in the MS National Guard.
Bush’s boozing should have been out in front from the start - though I think W would have handled his reform quite well.
America has been through close elections and election scandals before and the outcome was never pretty. Andrew Jackson formed the Democratic Party after losing the Presidency in the Congress despite winning most popular votes. The Tilden/Hayes election confirmed in most southern minds that the GOP was nothing more than an occupying force and that blacks must be barred from voting altogether.
Nixon’s refusal to contest the 1960 election got him no respect from either the press or the Democrats and laid the ground for both his political paranoia and desire for revenge.
How likely are their irregularities in the Florida vote. Very unlikely, I think but with it this close, it wouldn’t take much. I’m reminded of a scene just before the election in Florida in which state agriculture workers, acting with basic gestapo tactics barged onto private property and cut down homeowners’ citrus trees on the theory they “might” be diseased. No court order, no due process - though no doubt perfectly legal.
The defining characteristic of the new Bush GOP: Private property rights are valued on how much you have.
I’m pretty sure he was in Austin with the rest of the family.
Yeah, the Trib had a pic of paterfamilias George, W, and Jeb hanging out in Austin. W was the one with a phone in his hand. Actually, this photo was enuf to convince me I am glad I am not in politics. All 3 of these rich guys are hanging out, watching the tube, AND THEIR WEARING TIES!!
As far as “what kind of a state …?” My favorite Florida memory is when their electric chair, affectionately called “Old Sparky” malfunctioned, resulting in flames shooting out of a prisoner’s head. A day or so afterwards a state level official said, “If you’re thinking about committing murder, you might want to think twice about doing it in Florida, cause we’ve been having problems with our chair.” I almost wet myself just thinking about it!
Link to really cool news story
James E harris? !0k Gore votes right there.
[note: I fixed the link. -manhattan]
[Edited by manhattan on 11-08-2000 at 06:44 PM]
http://www.abcnews.com/sections/politics/DailyNews/ELECTION_WatchdogPart6001108.html
I’m willing to conceed that Bush won Florida…Jeb Bush that is. I guess Pater’s expeience rigging third world elections REALLY came in hanyy. Someone get a rope!
Okay, this is the first I’ve heard about this. The vote counts I’ve seen (off the CNN website) don’t even show James E. Harris, let alone with over 10,000 votes (which would have him breathing down Buchanan’s neck for fifth place, especially if Pat really got 3,000 or so votes in Palm Beach County because some twit can’t design a ballot to save her life and a bunch of retirees wore their driving glasses instead of their reading glasses in the voting booths.) Anybody have any more info on this one?
Not only is Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth a Democrat, he happens to be the chairman of Al Gore’s Florida campaign. Looks like we can come up with wacky conspiracy theories on both sides.
Guinastasia:
I think the Bushes, all Bushes, are capable of anything. I wouldn’t put any deceit past them. But I don’t suspect Jeb in this case. If he had rigged the results, you’d think both:
a) that he would have stayed in Florida on Election Day to supervise the rigging, and
b) that the margin of victory for big brother would have been much wider.
Has anyone heard about the socialist candidate James Harris getting a ton of votes in Volusia county?
Here is the CBS news story. The following paragraphs are about two thirds of the way down.
*Another possible balloting quirk was in Volusia Country, where James E. Harris, an obscure Socialist candidate, polled 9,888 votes out of his statewide total of 10,471.
State Democratic Party officials raised concerns that a computer error may have caused the outsized ballot for Harris in Volusia County, south of Daytona Beach on Florida’s East Coast. In other counties, Harris received 0, 1, or 2 votes.*
I have not heard this anywhere else and the recount of that county shows no change. What gives? Is the CBS report wrong or are there really that many socialists in one FL county?
From Reuters (through Lycos),
Now that’s a Democrat quoted, and you don’t know how many of those 19,000 were punched (Buchanan, Gore) vs (Bush, Buchanon) vs others. But still, 19,000 votes disqualified due to a confusing ballot, in an election where the latest difference between Gore and Bush is 799 votes, is huge.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/pol/elect/2000vol.htm
http://www.volusia.org/11-8c-00.htm
Harris-8 votes.
http://elect.cbsig.net/campaign2000results/election/index.html
10,469 state wide.
Thanks yamo1. I figured if the CBS report was accurate it would be popping up all over the place.