More
HenchPAC NewsGEORGE W BUSH is preparing to declare himself America's President-elect tonight when final results for the bitterly disputed state of Florida are announced after 19 days of delays and recounts.
Republic of chads: a canvassing board judge examines a ballot paper
Although hand recounts had whittled Mr Bush's lead in Florida down to 590 votes by early yesterday - from 930 last weekend - it looked unlikely that his Democratic rival, Vice-President Al Gore, would make up the gap before today's deadline. Katherine Harris, Florida's Secretary of State, will certify the official result at 11pm GMT tonight. Victory in the "Sunshine State" will give the successful candidate enough votes in the US electoral college to win the closest presidential race this century.
Mr Bush is planning to visit his Texas governor's mansion in Austin today to claim his expected victory, despite outstanding legal challenges and the surprise decision of the federal Supreme Court to step into the controversy over hand-counted votes in Florida. A frantic scramble to complete the recount of votes in two Democrat-leaning counties by tonight's deadline was under way this weekend. The Gore campaign is clinging to the hope that examination of 600 disputed ballots in Broward county and a further 6,000 in Palm Beach county - where 275,000 voting cards had still to be reviewed by yesterday morning - would squeeze out enough extra votes to win.
With the arithmetic still appearing to favour Mr Bush, the Gore campaign looked likely to challenge several county results in the Florida courts this week. Whatever happens tonight, the Vice-President is not expected to admit defeat. As a precaution against unexpected gains by Mr Gore, the Bush campaign has launched challenges of its own, arguing that overseas military votes which would favour the Texas governor have been wrongly excluded.
Mr Gore's campaign was still reeling last night from the US Supreme Court's decision to break with precedent and intervene in the election. Senior advisers said he would concede if it ruled against him on Friday. The court is to hear complaints on behalf of Mr Bush that the hand recounts ordered by Florida's state Supreme Court are unconstitutional. If it agrees, Mr Bush would be the victor, even if Mr Gore managed to claw back the lead in tonight's official tally.
Gore aides took some comfort from the fact that the federal Supreme Court's intervention would buy time for their county-by-county challenges this week, easing pressure from some senior Democrats to concede defeat if he is behind tonight. They also said that a court ruling would give legitimacy to the final outcome - whoever wins.
HENCH adds: It's about damn time we get rid of Klinton/Gore.
More
HenchPAC News
[ Home ] [ News ] [ Products ]
To leave HENCH a message,
comment, or link: