Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.
>>> THE
LAST
STAND FOR
AL
GORE.
COURT DECISION TODAY THE
FLORIDA LEGISLATURE IS GETTING
INVOLVED.
IT IS ALL HEADING BACK TO THE
STATE SUPREME COURT.
LOOKN CAPITOL HILL
SENATE.
MORE WOMEN THAN EVER.
WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
>>> "IN DEPTH," THE COST OF
STAYING WARM THIS WINTER IS WAY
UP.
PLUS THE POWER CRUNCH THAT IS
STEALING CHRISTMAS.
>>> AND SPECIAL DELIVERY.
TWO GIANT PANDAS FROM CHINA.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.
>>> GOOD EVENING.
BUSHIDA TONIGHT,
TEAM REMAINS CONFIDENT IT WILL
PREVAIL WHEN THE RECOUNT
CONTROVERSY MOVES BACK TO THE
STATE SUPREME COURT TOMORROW.
BUT THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED
STATE LEGISLATURE IS TAKING NO
CHANCES.
IT'S NOW SCHEDULED A SPECIAL
SESSION TO NAME ELECTORS JUST IN
CASE THE PROCESS IS STALLED OR
THE STATE SUPREME COURT RULES
AGAINST GOVERNOR BUSH.
ALL THIS ON A DAY WHEN VICE
PRESIDENT GORE DID WIN ONE LEGAL
BATTLE WHILE CONTINUING TWO
OTHERS.
WE BEGIN ONCE AGAIN TONIGHT WITH
DAVID BLOOM WHO IS STILL IN
FLORIDA.
DAVID?
THEeporter: TOM,
IN TALLAHASSEEE
BROUGHT DOWN THE HAMMER TONIGHT,
ESSENTIALLY TELLING VICE
PRESIDENT GORE THAT UNLESS HE
WINS A CLEAR-CUT UNCONTESTED
VICTORY IN THE COURTS IN THE
NEXT WEEK, THEY'LL AWARD THE
STATE'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS TO
GOVERNOR BUSH.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE DEMOCRATS
ARE SEETHING TONIGHT.
A SENIOR GORE ADVISER TELLING
NBC NEWS "THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WILL NOT ACCEPT THE DECISION BY
FLORIDA GOVERNOR JEB BUSH AND
HIS FRIENDS IN THE FLORIDA
DECISIONRE TO TAKE THE
PEOPLE AND THE
INDEPENDENT COURTS."
IN ONE TALLAHASSEE
COURTROOM, TWO TRIALS UNDERWAY
TODAY WHICH COULD RESULT
IN 25,000 ABSENTEE BALLOTS BEING
THROWN OUT, THROWING THE FLORIDA
ELECTION TO VICE PRESIDENT GORE.
THAT PROSPECT, HOWEVER SLIM, IS
SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE TO GOVERNOR
BUSH AND THE REPUBLICANS WHO
CONTROL FLORIDA'S STATE
LEGISLATURE.
SO TODAY EVEN AS HUNDREDS
OF PRO-GORE DEMONSTRATORS RALLY
OUTSIDE THE STATE CAPITOL,
REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ANNOUNCE
THAT THEY WILL HOLD
AN EXTRAORDINARY SPECIAL SESSION
OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE,
BEGINNING FRIDAY.
UNLESS ALL OF THE COURT CASES
ARE RESOLVED, REPUBLICANS SAY,
THEY WILL NAME A PRO-BUSH SLATE
OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS
NEXT WEEK.
>> OUR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY WILL
BE TO PUT FORTH A SLATE
OF ELECTORS THAT IS UNTAINTED
AND ENSURES THAT FLORIDA'S
25 ELECTORAL VOTES COUNT IN THIS
ELECTION REGARDLESS FOR WHOM
THEY VOTED.
>> Reporter: BUT DEMOCRATS
CHARGE THAT THE REPUBLICAN
CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE IS
EFFECTIVELY MOVING TO TRY
TO DENY VICE PRESIDENT GORE
THE PRESIDENCY UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> SADLY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I
BELIEVE THIS IS ORCHESTRATED AND
THE ONLY THING MISSING FROM THE
PROCLAMATION TODAY WAS THE
POSTMARK FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS.
>> Reporter: IN TALLAHASSEE
TOMORROW, THE FOCUS SHIFTS TO
THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT.
VICE PRESIDENT GORE'S LAWYERS
ARGUING THAT JUDGE SANDERS SAULS
GOREEDHEN
THOUSANDS OF
DISPUTED BALLOTS.
IN COURT PAPERS FILED TODAY,
BUSH'S LAWYERS ARGUE FLORIDA'S
SUPREME COURT "SHOULD NOT SECOND
GUESS" JUDGE SAUL'S RULING
ARGUING THAT TO DO SO WOULD LEAD
TO "MASSIVE UNCERTAINTY
AND DISCORD" BECAUSE, THEY SAY,
IT'S ALREADY "ENTIRELY
UNFEASIBLE" TO RECOUNT 13,000
DISPUTED BALLOTS BY NEXT
TUESDAY'S DEADLINE.
BUT IN THEIR APPEAL, GORE'S
LAWYERS ARGUE JUDGE SAULS CLOSED
HIS EYES TO "THE MOST IMPORTANT
PIECES OF EVIDENCE IN THIS
CASE," SAYING "THE BALLOTS ARE
THE PROOF," URGING THE COURT
TO "IMMEDIATELY COMMENCE
COUNTING THE CONTESTED BALLOTS"
AND TO PROVIDE ENOUGH RESOURCES
TO FINISH THAT COUNT BY MONDAY
ARGUING THAT "FURTHER DELAYS
RISK HANDING DEMOCRACY
A DEFEAT."
VICE PRESIDENT GORE DID WIN A
COURT VICTORY TODAY, A FEDERAL
APPEALS COURT IN ATLANTA DENYING
A BUSH MOTION TO RULE THOSE HAND
RECOUNTS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
THAT MEANS THE FLORIDA SUPREME
COURT COULD ORDER A MANUAL
FAR FROM
CLEAR THAT THEY WILL.
TOM?
>> THANKS VERY MUCH, NBC'S DAVID
BLOOM TONIGHT.
>>> YOU PRACTICALLY NEED A SCORE
CARD AT HOME TO KEEP TRACK OF
THIS COURT ACTION.
AS FOR THAT SEMINOLE COUNTY
CASE, THE ONE INVOLVING ABSENTEE
BALLOT APPLICATIONS THAT WERE
COMPLETED BY REPUBLICAN PARTY
WORKERS, THAT TRIAL BEGAN TODAY.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, WHAT'S
THE PRECEDENT FOR DISMISSING
BALLOTS BASED ON PROBLEMS
WITH THE APPLICATIONS?
NBC'S CHIEF LEGAL CORRESPONDENT
DAN ABRAMS HAS BEEN LOOKING
INTO THAT.
DAN?
LEGAL ISer: TOM,
PRECEDENT.
AND IT WILL LIKELY HELP THE BUSH
TEAM.
IT'S A FLORIDA SUPREME COURT
CASE ACTUALLY CITED BY BOTH
SIDES THAT RULED ON BALLOT
APPLICATIONS AND SET THE
STANDARD FOR THROWING OUT
ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
THAT COURT UPHELD A DECISION TO
THROW OUT 13 ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
WHY?
APPLICATION FORMS HADN'T
BEEN SIGNED.
SOUNDS GOOD FOR THE DEMOCRATS,
BUT IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE.
THE COURT REFUSED TO THROW OUT
ANOTHER 16 WHERE VOTERS HAD
FAILED TO PROVIDE OTHER
INFORMATION ON BALLOT
APPLICATIONS, AND IN THE END
DECIDED NOT TO THROW OUT ALL
OF THE BALLOTS IN THAT ELECTION
DESPITE THESE AND OTHER
IRREGULARITIES.
THE DEMOCRATS ALSO CITE CASES
FROM CALIFORNIA AND ARKANSAS
WHERE ABSENTEE BALLOTS WERE
INVALIDATED, IN PART, BASED
ON APPLICATION PROBLEMS.
THE BOTTOM LINE -- IT'S UNLIKELY
A JUDGE WOULD THROW OUT
15,000 VOTES BASED ON MISSING
VOTER IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS.
BUT THE DEMOCRATS SAY IT'S
ABOUT MORE THAN THAT.
IT'S ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS BEING
FILLED IN BY REPUBLICAN
OPERATIVES.
>> THANKS VERY MUCH DAN ABRAMS
TONIGHT.
>>> BUT THE BIG FLORIDA CASE
TOMORROW WILL BE BACK
IN THE STATE SUPREME COURT --
THE LAST REAL HOPE FOR VICE
PRESIDENT GORE.
HE'S ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE
A LOWER COURT DECISION THAT
DISPUTED BALLOTS PROBABLY WOULD
NOT MAKE HIM THE WINNER.
ORAL ARGUMENTS IN THAT COURT
TOMORROW MORNING.
NBC'S PETE WILLIAMS NOW
ON THE SEVEN JUSTICES WHO WILL
SIT IN JUDGMENT AND WHAT
TO EXPECT.
>> Reporter: AS THE FLORIDA
SUPREME COURT PREPARES
FOR TOMORROW'S SHOWDOWN, IT
FACES A BIG CONTRADICTION --
GROWING PRESSURE TO GET
ITS RULING JUST RIGHT, BUT LESS
ROOM FOR LEGAL MANEUVERING
IN FASHIONING A DECISION AND,
SAYS A STATE EXPERT ON ELECTION
LAW, ADDED URGENCY
TO DECIDE QUICKLY.
>> I THINK NO SUPREME COURT
IN THE UNITED STATES HAS EVER
FELT THE PRESSURE THE FLORIDA
SUPREME COURT IS FEELING
RIGHT NOW.
>> Reporter: LEADING MANY LEGAL
SCHOLARS TO PREDICT NO DRAMATIC
COURT VICTORY FOR GORE.
>> HERE YE, HERE YE.
>> Reporter: EXACTLY WHAT
PRESSURE ON THE COURT?
FROM ABOVE, THE U.S. SUPREME
COURT, THE FLORIDA JUSTICES NOW
ON NOTICE.
THEY MAY NOT BE THE LAST WORD,
WHICH COULD MAKE THEM
MORE CAUTIOUS.
PRESSURE, TOO, FROM JUST ACROSS
THE STREET -- THE STATE
LEGISLATURE, WHICH MIGHT APPOINT
ITS OWN SLATE OF ELECTORS.
TIME PRESSURE -- SO FEW DAYS
LEFT BEFORE DECEMBER 12th,
THE LAST DAY TO APPOINT ELECTORS
THAT CANNOT BE CHALLENGED
IN CONGRESS.
AND PRESSURE FROM BELOW -- LEGAL
SCHOLARS SAY THE STRONG RULING
FROM THE TRIAL JUDGE GREATLY
LIMITS THE STATE SUPREME COURT'S
ABILITY TO REVIVE GORE'S
ELECTION CONTEST.
THE JUDGE RULED THAT THERE'S
NO NEED TO COUNT THE DISPUTED
BALLOTS BECAUSE THE COUNTY
CANVASSING BOARDS DID NOT ABUSE
THEIR AUTHORITY.
AND BECAUSE THE ELECTION RESULT,
ONCE CERTIFIED, IS LEGALLY
PRESUMED TO BE CORRECT.
>> HE REJECTED THE GORE POSITION
THAT HE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK
AT THIS MATTER AFRESH AND COUNT
THE BALLOTS ANEW.
RATHER HE WAS SIMPLY LOOKING
AT THE CERTIFICATION
WITH A PRESUMPTION OF VALIDITY.
>> Reporter: AND HOW IS ALL THIS
AFFECTING THE COURT?
THE SPOKESMAN SAYS THE TOLL IS
VISIBLE, CLEARLY SO, AT TODAY'S
ANNUAL HOLIDAY LUNCH.
I DID SEE MANY OF THE STAFF
WHO WAITED FOR THE BLESSING
AND THE CHIEF JUSTICE'S REMARKS
AND THEN QUIETLY TOOK
THEIR PLATES WENT BACK
TO THEIR OFFICES TO WORK.
SO WE HAVE A SEMBLANCE
OF NORMALCY, BUT THE TEMPO IS
VERY FAST-PACED.
>> Reporter: THE PACE SO FAST
THAT THE LAWYERS EXPECT
A DECISION ALMOST INSTANTLY,
BY TOMORROW NIGHT
OR FRIDAY MORNING.
PETE WILLIAMS, NBC NEWS,
WASHINGTON.
>>> DOWN IN TEXAS, GEORGE W.
BUSH INVITED
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, WHO WILL
LIKELY BE HIS NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISER IF HE WINS THE FLORIDA
CONTEST, TO SIT IN ON HIS SECOND
CIA BRIEFING TODAY.
HE USED THEIR PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
TO SEND OUT A WARNING
TO POTENTIAL TERRORISTS.
BE THAT OUGHT
AS WE DECIDE THIS ELECTION,
PEOPLE SHOULD NOT TRY TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF OUR NATION.
>>> AND ON CAPITOL HILL TONIGHT,
NO SIGNS THAT THE CLOSE MARGINS
IN CONGRESS HAVE MELLOWED
REPUBLICAN MAJORITY WHIP TOM
DeLAY.
HE WARNED PRESIDENT CLINTON TO
GIVE UP ON FINISHING THIS YEAR'S
FEDERAL BUDGET AND FREEZE
SPENDING AT CURRENT LEVELS
OR FACE ANOTHER POTENTIAL
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
DeLAY ALSO SAID HE'S BEEN
WAITING FOR 22 YEARS FOR A
A WHITEAN HOUSE
PROMISED THE GOP
AGENDA WOULD GET THROUGH,
INCLUDING A BAN ON LATE-TERM
ABORTIONS.
>>> OVER ON THE SENATE SIDE
OF THE CAPITOL, A MUCH KINDER,
GENTLER GATHERING.
A GROUP MUCH MORE UNITED
BY GENDER THAN DIVIDED
BY IDEOLOGY.
THE MOST WOMEN EVER
IN THE U.S. SENATE.
HERE'S NBC'S ANDREA MITCHELL.
>> Reporter: IT IS THE ULTIMATE
POWER KAFFEKLATSCH, VETERAN
PARTIESNATORS
WELCOMING NEWLY ELECTED
MEMBERS, ALL DEMOCRATS,
TO THE CLUB.
WITH A RECOUNT NOW CERTIFYING
WASHINGTON STATE'S
MARIA CANTWELL AS A LATE WINNER,
THE SENATE NOW HAS A RECORD 13
WOMEN OUT OF 100 MEMBERS.
IS THIRTEEN ENOUGH?
>> WE HAVE ANOTHER 66 TO GO.
>> Reporter: THEY ARE FROM ALL
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, DIVERSE
BACKGROUNDS --
AN INTERNET EXECUTIVE,
A POLITICIAN, A FIRST LADY,
A WIDOW.
ALONG WITH 61 WOMEN
IN THE HOUSE, WHICH HAS THREE
NEW WOMEN MEMBERS, THE SENATE'S
NEW WOMEN ARE GETTING A LOT
OF ATTENTION, AS THEY CRACK
THE MOST EXCLUSIVE MEN'S CLUB
IN AMERICA.
>> IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
THAT WOMEN ARE AT THE TABLE,
EVERY TABLE, NOT ONLY
THE KITCHEN TABLE, BUT EVERY
DECISIONMAKING TABLE.
>> Reporter: AND YOU THINK YOU
CAN REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT EVEN
THOUGH YOU STILL ARE A MINORITY.
>> WHEN WE DO STAND TOGETHER, I
THINK WE'RE SEEN AND WE'RE HEARD
ONLY ONLY NINE YEARS AGO WOMEN
MARCHED OVER TO PROTEST THE
SENATE'S CONFIRMATION
OF CLARENCE THOMAS AND WERE
KICKED OUT.
NOW DEMOCRAT BARBARA MIKULSKI
AND REPUBLICAN KAY BAILEY
HUTCHISON ARE POWERHOUSES
IN THEIR OWN PARTIES, EVEN WROTE
A BOOK TOGETHER ABOUT THE NEED
FOR MORE WOMEN IN THE SENATE.
>> SENATOR MIKULSKI TOOK
ON STANDARDS FOR MAMMOGRAMS
AND MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T REALIZE
THERE WERE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF MAMMOGRAMS AND SOME WERE MORE
EFFECTIVE THAN OTHERS.
>> WE'LL BE TALKING
ABOUT FINDING MORE BIPARTISAN
WAYS OF WORKING AND MOST OF ALL
TO REALLY SET A TONE OF CIVILITY
THAT I THINK THE COUNTRY WANTS
US TO DO.
>> Reporter: SO WILL ALL
THE ATTENTION HELP THEM PASS
MORE LEGISLATION REALLY
WIELD POWER?
>> YOU NEVER REALLY HAVE
A CHANGE UNTIL YOU HAVE
A CRITICAL MASS, AND HAVING 13%
OF THE SENATE AND HAVING
ABOUT THAT IN THE HOUSE IS NOT
A CRITICAL MASS.
>> Reporter: THE LEADERS
IN CONGRESS ARE STILL ALL MEN
BUT TONIGHT THE WOMEN