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CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.
>>> GOOD EVENING.
THE VOTES ARE IN AND TEXAS
GOVERNOR GEORGE W. BUSH HAS BEEN
CERTIFIED THE WINNER IN FLORIDA
BY SECRETARY OF STATE KATHERINE
HARRIS.
SHE'S ALSO AWARDED THE GOVERNOR,
THE STATE'S ELECTORAL VOTES.
THAT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE HIM THE
NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
BUT THE GORE CAMPAIGN CONFIRMED
IT WILL CONTEST THE ELECTION,
BEGINNING IN FLORIDA COURTS
TOMORROW.
THERE REMAINS THE HEARING BEFORE
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT ON
FRIDAY.
THE CERTIFIED RETURNS GIVE
GOVERNOR BUSH 2,912,790 VOTES.
THE VICE PRESIDENT, 2,912,253
VOTES, A DIFFERENCE OF JUST 537
VOTES.
TO BEGIN OUR REPORTS TONIGHT,
KELLY O'DONNELL IN FLORIDA,
CLAIRE SHIPMAN WITH THE VICE
PRESIDENT IN WASHINGTON, DAVID
GREGORY IN TEXAS WITH THE
GOVERNOR.
KELLY, WE BEGIN WITH YOU IN
TALLAHASSEE.
>> Reporter: TOM, KATHERINE
HARRIS BROKE WITH CUSTOM
TONIGHT.
SHE DESCRIBED IT IN AN
UNDERSTATED WAY, IT WAS BECAUSE
OF THE GREAT INTEREST.
WHILE THE SUPREME COURT HERE IN
FLORIDA SET TONIGHT'S DEADLINE,
HARRIS ALSO MAINTAINS THAT SHE
WAS RIGHT, UNDER FLORIDA LAW,
SHE SHOULD HAVE CERTIFIED THE
EARLIER VOTE, THE ONE THAT
DOESN'T INCLUDE THE HAND
RECOUNTS.
BY EITHER COUNT, BUSH IS AHEAD.
THREE SIGNATURES MAKE IT
OFFICIAL, CERTIFYING WHAT THEY
DESCRIBE HERE AS A RAZOR-THIN
ELECTION FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT
JOB IN THE WORLD.
THE NARROW EDGE GOING TO THE
TEXAS GOVERNOR.
>> IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS
OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, I
HEREBY DECLARE GOVERNOR
GEORGE W. BUSH THE WINNER OF THE
25 ELECTORAL VOTES FOR THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> Reporter: THE BUSH LEAD DOES
NOT INCLUDE PARTIAL HAND
RECOUNTED TOTALS SENT FROM PALM
BEACH COUNTY.
THEY MISSED THE DEADLINE, WITH
BARELY 1,000 VOTES LEFT TO
TALLY.
BUT REFUSED TO STOP.
THEY'RE OUTCOMES WILL BE KNOWN
BUT NOT OFFICIAL.
TONIGHT, KATHERINE HARRIS,
SAYING THE CERTIFICATION WAS
DONE WITH INTEGRITY AND
INDEPENDENCE.
>> THAT OUR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
HAS TRIUMPHED ONCE AGAIN.
AND THIS IS A VICTORY IN WHICH
WE CAN ALL TAKE A GREAT DEAL OF
PRIDE AND COMFORT.
THE TRUE WINNER IN THE ELECTION
IS THE RULE OF LAW.
>> Reporter: FOR THE STATE
CANVASING BOARD, THE WORK IS
DONE.
>> YOGI BERRA ONCE SAID, IT'S
NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER.
IT'S OVER.
WE HAVE A WINNER AND IT'S TIME
TO MOVE ON.
>> Reporter: PENNSYLVANIA
SENATOR OR LYNN SPECTER IN
FLORIDA TODAY, URGING THE VICE
PRESIDENT TO LET A CERTIFIED
VOTE STAND.
>> WHEN THE TALLY IS COMPLETED
AND AS IT APPEARS GOVERNOR BUSH
WILL HAVE THE LEAD, I THINK
THAT'S THAT.
I THINK ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
>> Reporter: BUT CERTIFICATION
SIMPLY RESTARTS THE CLOCK FOR
GORE, HIS LAWYERS OUTLINING THE
NEW BATTLEGROUND, THE CONTEST
PHASE.
AT LEAST THREES IN THREE
COUNTIES.
THE MOST VOTES AT STAKE IN
MIAMI-DADE.
>> VICE PRESIDENT GORE HAS WON
THE POPULAR VOTE, NO MATTER WHAT
HAPPENS.
VICE PRESIDENT GORE HAS WON THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE NO MATTER WHAT
HAPPENS.
IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT
IF WE B BIEVE THE CASE TO BE,
VICE PRESIDENT GORE WON THE VOTE
HERE IN FLORIDA, THAT THAT NOT
BE NULLIFIED BECAUSE SOME OF
THOSE VOTES ARE NOT COUNTED.
>> Reporter: WITH TONIGHT'S
CERTIFICATION, THE GORE TEAM'S
CONTEST NOW TAKES THE DISPUTED
BALLOTS AWAY FROM THE LOCAL
CANVASING BOARDS AND MOVES IT TO
A JUDGE HERE IN LEON COUNTY.
O, IF THINGS GO AS THE GORE
TEAM WOULD LIKE, MIGHT HANDLE
EACH OF THOSE BALLOTS AND MAKE
AN ASSESSMENT THAT COULD CHANGE
THE OUTCOME.
TOM?
>> THANKS VERY MUCH.
NBC'S KELLY O'DONNELL TONIGHT.
>>> WHILE NEITHER CANDIDATE IS
TREATING THIS AS THE FINAL STEP
BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL CHALLENGES
COMING TOMORROW BEFORE THE
SUPREME COURT SCHEDULED FOR
FRIDAY, GEORGE W. BUSH IS
SCHEDULED TO APPEAR THIS EVENING
IN AUSTIN.
NBC'S DAVID GREGORY IS THERE
TONIGHT.
DAVID?
>> Reporter: TOM, THIS IS
CERTAINLY THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT
GOVERNOR BUSH HAS EAGERLY
AWAITED.
AIDES SAID HE ALWAYS BELIEVED
THAT CERTIFICATION WAS THE END
OF THE LINE, THE END OF THE
ELECTION, ESPECIALLY AFTER ALL
OF THE RECOUNTS THAT HE HAS
WITNESSED AND GONE THROUGH IN
FLORIDA.
AGAIN, WE WILL HEAR FROM BUSH
HIMSELF SHORTLY.
HIS TOP REPRESENTATIVE IN
FLORIDA HAVING DECLARED THAT
IT'S TIME FOR THE WILL OF THE
PEOPLE TO BE ON.
>> WE'VE HAD COUNT AFTER COUNT
AFTER RECOUNT.
WE'VE HAD POSTPONEMENTS.
EVERY TIME THERE HAS BEEN A
COUNT, GUFER BUSH AND SECRETARY
CHENEY HAVE WON.
>> Reporter: TONIGHT, THE
CELEBRATION HERE WILL BE MUTED.
TOP AIDES BELIEVING THAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE NOT QUITE
PREPARED FOR GOVERNOR BUSH TO
COME OUT AND PROCLAIM HIMSELF
THE VICTOR.
THEY STILL WANT TO SEE HOW THIS
IS EVALUATED BY THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
THEY KNOW WITH A LOT OF THE
LEGAL CHALLENGES AHEAD, THAT
MIGHT BE CONSIDERED PREMATURE.
CHEERING, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE,
OUTSIDE THE GOVERNOR' MANSION IN
AUSTIN, WHERE PROTESTERS HAVE
GATHERED.
AND INSIDE CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS
THOUGH THEY WANT TO KEEP THE
CELEBRATION MUTED, THERE WERE
CHEERS AND APPLAUSE OUT IN FRONT
OF THE OFFICE OF KAREN HUGHES.
AGAIN, WE WILL HEAR FROM
GOVERNOR BUSH.
>> THANKS FOR MUCH.
DAVID GREGORY TONIGHT.
>>> AS FOR VICE PRESIDENT GORE,
HE'S NOT EXPECTED TO SPEAK UNTIL
TOMORROW.
CLAIRE SHIPMAN IS COVERING THE
VICE PRESIDENT FOR US TONIGHT.
>> Reporter: TOM, THE MESSAGE
LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE GORE
CAMPAIGN TONIGHT, ONE WE'RE
GOING TO HEAR REGULARLY OVER THE
NEXT FEW DAYS.
THIS IS NOT OVER AND THE VOTES
MUST BE COUNTED.
AS YOU MENTIONED, GORE IS GOING
TO MAKE THAT TO THE PUBLIC
TOMORROW.
HE'S GOING TO POINT OUT THREE
POINTS, FIRST, IT'S A LEGAL
PROCESS THAT HE'S PURSUING, ONE
THAT IS SANCTIONED BY THE
FLORIDA SUPREME COURT.
TWO, HE HAS AN OBLIGATION TO THE
VOTERS TO SUPPORT.
AND IT COULD BE A PROCESS THAT
WOULD HAVE A QUICK END.
GORE WILL EXPLAIN HIS DECISION
TO CONTEST THE ELECTION IN A
SPEECH.
AND TONIGHT, HIS RUNNING MATE
JOE LIEBERMAN OFFERS A PREVIEW.
>> HOW CAN WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN
THAT EVERY VOTE COUNTS IF WE ARE
NOT WILLING TO MAKE A GOOD-FAITH
EFFORT TO COUNT EVERY VOTE?
BECAUSE OF OUR BELIEF IN THE
IMPORTANCE OF THESE FUNDAMENTAL
AMERICAN PRINCIPLES,
VICE PRESIDENT GORE AND I HAVE
NO CHOICE THAN TO CONTEST THESE
ACTIONS AS PROVIDED UNDER
FLORIDA LAW.
>> Reporter: DESPITE HIS
DETERMINATION, GORE MADE A
CRITICAL DECISION TODAY.
HE WILL KEEP HIS FIGHT NARROWLY
FOCUSED ON COUNTING THE VOTE.
HIS AIDES HUDDLED WITH GORE AT
HIS HOME FOR A STRATEGY SESSION
ON HOW TO PROCEED.
THEY DECIDED, WHILE GORE WILL
FIGHT FOR RECOUNTS AND OVER
THOSE DIMPLED CHADS, HE WILL NOT
SEEK A LEGAL REMEDY, AT LEAST
FOR NOW, ON THE ISSUE OF
BUTTERFLY BALLOTS IN PALM BEACH
T OR ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN
SEMINOLE COUNTY.
HE AND MANY OF HIS AIDES THINK
THE PUBLIC, SOME GATHERED
OUTSIDE GORE'S HOME TODAY, WOULD
NOT SUPPORT THAT SORT OF BROADER
LEGAL FIGHT.
AND THEY WORRY THAT EVEN
DEMOCRATS ON CAPITOL HILL MIGHT
START TO PULL SUPPORT.
RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, GORE'S
ADVISERS CONTEND DEMOCRATIC
SUPPORT IS SOLID.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT,
THE TEAM IS HARDLY OVERCOMFORT.
THEY HAVE TO THREAD A VERY TEENY
NEEDLE.
ONE TOP AIDE SAID, IF WE DON'T
GET SUPPORT FROM THE LOWER
COURTS ON A RECOUNT
IN MIAMI-DADE, IF WE GET A BAD
RULING FROM THE U.S. SUPREME
COURT, THIS WILL ALL BE OVER.
VERY QUICKLY.
WE'LL HEAR MORE ON ALL OF THAT
FROM AL GORE TOMORROW, WE'RE
TOLD ABOUT NOON EASTERN TIME,
TOM?
>> THANKS VERY MUCH.
NBC'S CLAIRE SHIPMAN TONIGHT.
>>> AS WE HAVE HEARD, PALM BEACH
COUNTY MISSED THE DEADLINE FOR
REPORTS THE RESULTS OF ITS HAND
COUNT BY TWO HOURS.
IT TURNS OUT IT WAS A CRUCIAL
TWO HOURS.
JIM AVILA JOINS ME NOW.
>> Reporter: THE COUNTING IS
OVER AND THERE'S A BIG
DISAPPOINTMENT AMONG ELECTION
OFFICIALS HERE.
AS YOU SAY, THEY MISSED THE
DEADLINE.
THAT MEANS THAT 12 DAYS OF
MANUAL RECOUNTING THE VOTES HERE
MORE THAN 500,000 VOTES WILL BE
IGNORED WITH THE SECRETARY OF
STATE.
THAT MEANS THAT ALL OF THE HAND
COUNTING WE SAW WILL NOT COUNT
IN PALM BEACH.
LITERALLY, A RUSH TO DEADLINE.
A RELENTLESS VOTE COUNT, AROUND
THE CLOCK SINCE FRIDAY MORNING.
BUT THE WEARY PALM
BEACH CANVASSING BOARD COULD NOT
FINISH THE JOB.
AND TWO WEEKS OF RECOUNTING,
NEARLY 500,000 VOTES WILL NOT
COUNT.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE
NO OTHER CHOICE BUT THEN TO SHUT
DOWN.
THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
NEEDS TO HURRIEDLY AND GATHER
THE PAPERWORK AND PREPARE
TO FILE THE RETURNS THAT
WE HAVE.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO GET
ANYTHING IN THERE AT 5:01.
>> Reporter: THE PALM BEACH
COUNTY ELECTION BOARD BEGGED THE
SECRETARY OF STATE IN A LETTER
AND A PERSONAL PHONE CALL TO
EXTEND DEADLINE.
BUT NOT ONLY WAS THAT DENIED,
THE SECRETARY OF STATE IGNORED
THE WORK DONE HERE AND CERTIFIED
THE ORIGINAL MACHINE RECOUNT,
DELIVERED TO HER 12 DAYS AGO.
>> IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE TO
ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO SPENT A LOT
OF TIME TO DO IT.
AS YOU KNOW, WE, BASICALLY,
NEEDED ABOUT ANOTHER TWO HOURS.
WE COULD HAVE FINISHED IT OFF.
>> Reporter: SO WHAT WAS THE
FINAL VOTE HERE IN PALM BEACH
COUNTY?
WELL, THEY WON'T SAY EXACTLY AT
THIS POINT.
SAY THEY'LL FILE IT TOMORROW.
BUT THEY DID SAY THAT AL GORE,
APPROXIMATELY, GOT A NET GAIN
SOMEWHERE AROUND 200 VOTES HERE.
TOM?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NBC'S JIM AVILA TONIGHT.
>>> FIRST THING TOMORROW
MORNING, THE GORE CAMPAIGN WILL
CONTEST THE RESULTS IN SEVERAL
COUNTIES.
NBC'S LEGAL CORRESPONDENT DAN
ABRAMS JOINS ME TONIGHT
FROM TALLAHASSEE.
DON, WHAT DO WE HAVE?
>> Reporter: TOM, THIS PUTS THE
GORE TEAM IN A DIFFICULT LEGAL
POSITION.
HERE'S WHY -- THEIR STRONGEST
ARGUMENT LEGALLY IS THAT ANY
VOTES THAT HAD BEEN IN THE GORE
COLUMN AT ANY POINT SHOULD BE
PUT BACK THERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN PALM BEACH, IF
THE VOTES SHOULD COUNT, THAT
WOULD GIVE THEM 200-PLUS.
IN MIAMI, 156 VOTES THAT GORE
HAD GOTTEN, BUT LOST WHEN MIAMI
DECIDED TO CALL OFF THE RECOUNT.
IN NASSAU, 51 VOTES OR SO, THAT
GORE HAD WHEN THEY WERE TAKEN
AWAY WHEN THEY DECIDED TO
CERTIFY THEIR FIRST VOTE, AS
OPPOSED TO THE SECOND VOTE.
THOSE VOTES ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR
AL GORE.
AND EVEN HIS AIDES, EVEN HIS
LAWYERS RECOGNIZED THESE WERE
HIS STRONGEST LEGAL ARGUMENTS.
NOW, IT'S A MATTER OF LAW, THE
GORE TEAM IS GOING TO HAVE TO
CONVINCE THE COURT TO ORDER SOME
SORT OF RECOUNT, EITHER IN BALM
PEACH TO TELL THEM TO DO IT
DIFFERENTLY, OR IN MIAMI TO TELL
THEM TO DO IT AT ALL.
THAT IS A DIFFICULT HURDLE.
>> WHERE WILL THEY FILE ALL
THIS?
IN A SERIES OF COURTROOMS?
>> Reporter: IN ONE COURTROOM
HERE IN TALLAHASSEE.
THERE ARE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS ON
HOW YOU GO ABOUT CONTESTING AN
ELECTION.
AND THIS COURT IS DESIGNATED AS
THE COURT FOR ALL OF THE
CHALLENGES.
>> IF THEY GET TURNED DOWN IN
LEON COUNTY, CAN THEY TAKE IT TO
THE SUPREME COURT OR NOT?
>> Reporter: ABSOLUTELY.
IF THEY GET TURNED DOWN IN THE
CIRCUIT COURT, THEY WOULD SENDS
IT TO THE APPEALS COURT, UP TO
THE SUPREME COURT.
THE FE QE IS NOT GOING TO BE A
LEGAL ONE THERE, A POLITICAL
ONE.
DO THEY WANT TO DEAL WITH THE
REPER SUGGESTIONS OF BEING SEEN
AS GOING THROUGH THE APPELLATE
SYSTEM?
>> NBC'S DAN ABRAMS TONIGHT.
>>> HANGING OVER ALL THIS,
THE BUSH APPEAL TO THE U.S.
SUPREME COURT.
NBC'S PETE WILLIAMS IS AT THE
U.S. SUPREME COURT TONIGHT.
PETE?
>> Reporter: WELL, TOM, WITH
VIRTUALLY NO LEGAL PRECEDENT TO
GO BY, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE
HOW THE SUPREME COURT WILL
RESOLVE THIS CASE.
BUT MANY LEGAL EXPERTS,
NO MATTER WHAT IT DOES NOW, IT
MAY NOT MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE.
ONE OPTION FOR THE COURT SIDE
WITH THE GORE CAMPAIGN AND LEAVE
INTACT THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT
RULING, WHICH EXTENDED
THE MANUAL RECOUNT DEADLINE.
THAT WOULD CLEARLY CHANGE
NOTHING, LEAVING THE FLORIDA
COURTS IN CHARGE.
ANOTHER OPTION --
SIDE WITH THE BUSH CAMPAIGN,
AND RULE THAT THE FLORIDA
SUPREME COURT WAS WRONG
TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE.
WHAT THEN?
LEGAL SCHOLARS SAY THEY BELIEVE
THAT WOULD LIKELY RESET
FLORIDA'S VOTE COUNT BACK
TO WHAT IT WAS NOVEMBER 14th
THAT SHOWED BUSH AHEAD BY 300
VOTES, PLUS THE TOTAL
FROM THE OVERSEAS BALLOTS
ALLOWED TO COME IN A FEW DAYS
LATER -- MORE NET VOTES
FOR BUSH.
BUT CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERTS SAY
A BUSH VICTORY IN THE U.S.
SUPREME COURT STILL WOULD NOT
LIMIT GORE'S ABILITY TO CONTEST
THE ELECTION.
BECAUSE, THEY SAY, GORE COULD
STILL CHALLENGE THE WAY
THE RECOUNTS WERE STARTED
AND CARRIED OUT BEFORE
THE NOVEMBER 14th DEADLINE.
LEADING MANY LEGAL SCHOLARS
TO SAY, THE U.S. SUPREME COURT'S
RULING MANY NOT REALLY CHANGE
MUCH.
>> WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT
THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING
TO DO.
BUT CERTAINLY THE MOST LIKELY
OUTCOMES OF THIS CASE, ARE NOT
LIKELY TO MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE.
>> Reporter: LEGAL SCHOLARS ALSO
SAY THAT GORE'S COMING LAWSUIT
TO CONTEST THE ELECTION,
HIS LAST LEGAL CHANCE
UNDER FLORIDA LAW, MAY
EVENTUALLY END UP RIGHT BACK