US Presidential Election Florida Recount

US Presidential Election Florida Recount

The 2000 presidential election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore was a close race that nearly brought the two parties to arms over the rightful victor. At the beginning of the presidential campaign, Gore was considered the most likely candidate to win the race, and Bush was designated the underdog. However, after several debates worked in Bush's favor, Gore lost his favored position, and he eventually lost the presidency over a handful of votes. Gore won the popular vote but not the Electoral College vote, losing the election 271 to 266. Green Party candidate Ralph Nader was blamed for taking three percent of the popular vote away from the Democratic Party, which may have made the difference in the final result.

After the votes were cast on November 8, 2000, the Florida Division of Elections reported that Bush had received 2,909,135 votes, and Gore had received 2,907,351 votes, with Bush winning by 1,784 votes. Because this margin only amounted to one-half percent of the votes cast, a machine recount was required by law, still showing Bush as the victor. Gore then requested a manual recount of votes in Miami–Dade, Palm Beach, Volusia, and Broward counties, which the Florida Elections Canvassing Commission said still resulted in a win for Bush. However, Gore claimed that there were nine thousand ballots from Miami–Dade County that machines did not read correctly because of incomplete punching, or hanging chads, and they were not manually tabulated; therefore, there was some doubt as to the outcome of the election. However, a manual recount was found to be unconstitutional because other counties in Florida had counted votes using machines, and this could cause unequal results. On December 12, 2000, the Supreme Court stopped the Florida recount with its ruling on Bush v. Gore, and Gore unhappily conceded to Bush on December 13.

Florida Secretary of State Republican Katherine Harris, in charge of state election procedures, had been Bush's state campaign cochair; and the governor of Florida, Republican Jeb Bush, was George W. Bush's brother. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who presided over the hearings that determined the fate of the recount, and the other four justices who voted to end the recount, were all Republican. These coincidences made Bush's eventual election, despite voting irregularities, seem a travesty of justice. Racial disparities in the voting system of Florida's predominantly African American counties also resulted in a high number of spoiled ballots from blacks that were subsequently discarded from the election, and many African Americans had been purged from the ballots on the basis of some disqualifying factor that was often in error. These problems had plagued the election in Florida from the start, and the recount fiasco only served to magnify the inequities. A total of ninety percent of African Americans voted for Al Gore in the 2000 election. It is probable that, if the African Americans in Florida had been able to properly vote, they would have voted for Democrat Al Gore, and he would have won the twenty-five Electoral College votes for Florida, thus winning the election of 2000. Al Gore's concession speech follows:

Good evening. Just moments ago, I spoke with George W. Bush and congratulated him on becoming the forty-third president of the United States, and I promised him that I wouldn't call him back this time. I offered to meet with him as soon as possible so that we can start to heal the divisions of the campaign and the contest through which we just passed. Almost a century and a half ago, Senator Stephen Douglas told Abraham Lincoln, who had just defeated him for the presidency, “Partisan feeling must yield to patriotism. I'm with you, Mr. President, and God bless you.” Well, in that same spirit, I say to President-elect Bush that what remains of partisan rancor must now be put aside, and may God bless his stewardship of this country.

Neither he nor I anticipated this long and difficult road. Certainly neither of us wanted it to happen. Yet it came, and now it has ended, resolved, as it must be resolved, through the honored institutions of our democracy. Over the library of one of our great law schools is inscribed the motto, “Not under man but under God and law. That's the ruling principle of American freedom, the source of our democratic liberties. I've tried to make it my guide throughout this contest as it has guided America's deliberations of all the complex issues of the past five weeks.

Now the US Supreme Court has spoken. Let there be no doubt, while I strongly disagree with the Court's decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome, which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College. And tonight, for the sake of our unity of the people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession. I also accept my responsibility, which I will discharge unconditionally, to honor the new president elect and do everything possible to help him bring Americans together in fulfillment of the great vision that our Declaration of Independence defines and that our Constitution affirms and defends.

Let me say how grateful I am to all those who supported me and supported the cause for which we have fought. Tipper and I feel a deep gratitude to Joe and Hadassah Lieberman, who brought passion and high purpose to our partnership and opened new doors, not just for our campaign but for our country. This has been an extraordinary election. But in one of God's unforeseen paths, this belatedly broken impasse can point us all to a new common ground, for its very closeness can serve to remind us that we are one people with a shared history and a shared destiny. Indeed, that history gives us many examples of contests as hotly debated, as fiercely fought, with their own challenges to the popular will.

Other disputes have dragged on for weeks before reaching resolution. And each time, both the victor and the vanquished have accepted the result peacefully and in the spirit of reconciliation. So let it be with us. I know that many of my supporters are disappointed. I am too. But our disappointment must be overcome by our love of country. And I say to our fellow members of the world community, let no one see this contest as a sign of American weakness. The strength of American democracy is shown most clearly through the difficulties it can overcome.

Some have expressed concern that the unusual nature of this election might hamper the next president in the conduct of his office. I do not believe it need be so. President-elect Bush inherits a nation whose citizens will be ready to assist him in the conduct of his large responsibilities. I personally will be at his disposal, and I call on all Americans—I particularly urge all who stood with us to unite behind our next president. This is America. Just as we fight hard when the stakes are high, we close ranks and come together when the contest is done. And while there will be time enough to debate our continuing differences, now is the time to recognize that that which unites us is greater than that which divides us. While we yet hold and do not yield our opposing beliefs, there is a higher duty than the one we owe to political party. This is America, and we put country before party. We will stand together behind our new president.

As for what I'll do next, I don't know the answer to that one yet. Like many of you, I'm looking forward to spending the holidays with family and old friends. I know I'll spend time in Tennessee and mend some fences, literally and figuratively. Some have asked whether I have any regrets, and I do have one regret: that I didn't get the chance to stay and fight for the American people over the next four years, especially for those who need burdens lifted and barriers removed, especially for those who feel their voices have not been heard. I heard you, and I will not forget. I've seen America in this campaign, and I like what I see. It's worth fighting for, and that's a fight I'll never stop.

As for the battle that ends tonight, I do believe, as my father once said, that no matter how hard the loss, defeat might serve as well as victory to shape the soul and let the glory out. So for me, this campaign ends as it began: with the love of Tipper and our family; with faith in God and in the country I have been so proud to serve, from Vietnam to the vice presidency; and with gratitude to our truly tireless campaign staff and volunteers, including all those who worked so hard in Florida for the last thirty-six days. Now the political struggle is over, and we turn again to the unending struggle for the common good of all Americans and for those multitudes around the world who look to us for leadership in the cause of freedom.

In the words of our great hymn, “America, America”: “Let us crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.” And now, my friends, in a phrase I once addressed to others, it's time for me to go. Thank you and good night, and God bless America.