Election 2000: Gore Takes His Case for Patience to the American People
LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: The political spotlight that has been shining on Florida is shifting from ballot-counting rooms now to various courtrooms. There is a lot of litigation to try to keep up with. Before we give you a recap of what happened last night, here is a quick summary of what we expect today. Attorneys involved in Palm Beach County's butterfly ballot case must turn in their legal briefs to Florida Supreme Court by 5:00 p.m. this afternoon. Some voters are asking for a revote in Palm Beach County because they say the ballot was too confusing. The initial briefs relating to Friday's U.S. Supreme Court hearing also are due this afternoon. In that case, the Bush campaign is challenging the legality of Florida's manual recounts. And Florida lawmakers are planning a special joint committee of the legislature this afternoon. They plan to talk about the state's voting irregularities, including inconsistent counting standards and the overseas absentee ballot controversy. This as there is growing talk the legislature may be forced to intervene and name its own slate of electors for Florida, if all the court cases have not been resolved by December 12th. Now with the public's patience beginning to wear thin with each passing day, Vice President Gore may be facing an uphill public- relations battle. Well, Gore took his case straight to the American people last night. CNN's John King reports.</s>JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The vice president says it all boils down to this.</s>VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is America. When votes are cast, we count them, we don't arbitrarily set them aside because it is too difficult to count them.</s>KING: This nationally-televised address was an appeal for patience, as the Democrats make the case in the Florida courts that Gov. Bush was declared the winner before all the votes were counted.</s>GORE: Our country will be stronger, not weaker, if our next president assumes office following a process that most Americans believe is fair.</s>KING: The vice president's appeal came amid mounting evidence the public is growing tired of the uncertainty. Fifty-six percent of those surveyed in a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll say it is time for Mr. Gore to concede, and 57 percent say they disapproved of his decision to contest the Florida election. The Gore challenge says the statewide results should be declared invalid because more than 10,000 ballots in Miami-Dade County that registered no presidential vote in the machine count were never reviewed by hand; because Nassau County ignored its recount results and sent the state totals more favorable to Governor Bush; and because the official statewide total short changes the vice president by ignoring 372 additional votes turned up during recounts in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade Counties.</s>GORE: That is all we have asked since election day, a complete count of all the votes cast in Florida, not recount after recount, as some have charged, but a single full and accurate count.</s>KING: This conference call with Democratic congressional leaders was a show of party solidarity and part of the vice president's effort to convince the American people his challenge has a chance.</s>GORE: If every vote is counted, there are easily more than enough to change the outcome and decide the election in our favor.</s>KING: But top Gore advisers acknowledge they need a breakthrough in the courts soon. (on camera): As convinced as the vice president is that he carried Florida and that he should be the next president, aides concede it will be difficult to maintain political support for the legal challenge unless there is evidence in the courts in the days ahead that it has at least a decent chance of success. John King, CNN, Washington.