Texas Governor George W. Bush fought Al Gore in an agonizingly close presidential election that came down to one state and a few thousand votes. Gore called Bush with congratulations early yesterday, then called back to say he wasn't ready to concede.
There was no argument from the Bush campaign, just disbelief at the turn of events. It all came down to Florida.
``Unbelievable,'' sighed Bush adviser Karen Hughes.
It was an incredible political spectacle by any standard. ``There's never been a night like this one,'' said Gore campaign chairman William Daley, after his boss retired for the night -- unsure whether he had won or not.
At last count, Bush led Gore by 1,655 votes in the unofficial Associated Press count with all precincts reporting but an unknown number of absentee ballots yet to be counted.
The total vote in Florida was nearly six million.
Nationwide, the popular vote count was seesawing, with Gore overtaking Bush before sunrise.
Florida law required a recount because of the close margin. Election officials were unsure how long it would take, but said it took 10 days in 1996 to count overseas absentee ballots.
Neither candidate made a public statement in the astounding post-midnight election finale, but Bush campaign chairman Donald Evans said, ``We hope and believe we have elected the next president of the United States.''
Gore had called Bush to congratulate him and then gone to the war memorial in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, to make a concession speech. Instead, campaign manager Daley appeared before the crowd and said the race was not over.
``Until the results in Florida become official our campaign continues,'' Daley said to cheering supporters.
In Austin, Texas, Bush spokesman Evans told a crowd waiting for a victory speech that Bush believed he had won Florida and the presidency.
``They're still counting, and I'm confident when it's all said and done, we will prevail,'' Evans said.
Voters Tuesday chose between the son of former Republican President George Bush and the son of a former senator -- in an election that teetered between the continuation of Democratic policies and a Republican ``fresh start.''
Turnout was surprisingly brisk, with many encouraged to vote by the tight race. Curtis Gans, director of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate, estimated that 52 percent to 53 percent of Americans old enough to vote cast ballots -- more than voted in 1996, but fewer than in 1992.
The southern state of Florida had been the epicenter of the campaign and Tuesday night was beyond chaotic, in what could be the closest presidential election since John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon in 1960.
RSS