SCENE FROM A
MESS: A ballot is examined in Florida
Dec. 12, 2000
End of the Endless Election
By John F. Dickerson
At
about 10 o'clock on the night the Supreme Court handed down the 5-4
decision that put him in the White House, George W. Bush was already in
bed, keeping his usual early hours. In Virginia, his top political
adviser, Karl Rove, was also in pajamas, monitoring the cable news
channels. Hearing the news on one station, he raced to phone the
Governor's mansion. "It's over," Rove said.
"Congratulations, Mr.
President." Bush turned on his TV. After 35 days of court reversals,
hanging chads and false endings, the Texas Governor wasn't ready to
start receiving salutes. "What are you talking about?" he said. Analysts
on CNN seemed to be saying Al Gore still had a chance. "I'm not hearing
the same thing you're hearing," Bush said. "I tell you what I'm going to
do. I'm going to call a lawyer." Bush dialed Jim Baker, his father's
Secretary of State, who was leading the recount battle in Florida. But
even the seasoned lawyer couldn't provide a quick answer. The Supreme
Court opinion could be fully understood only by reading the back pages
of the filing. When Bush called, just the first pages had dribbled out
of the fax machine. After agonizing moments, Baker got the full ruling
and confirmed that George W. Bush would be America's 43rd President.
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