by Ed VulÂliamy
The ObservÂer
As George W. Bush handÂed furÂther key govÂernÂment posts to hardÂline RepubÂliÂcan right-wingers, an unofÂfiÂcial recount of votes in FloriÂda appeared to conÂfirm that Bush lost the US presÂiÂdenÂtial elecÂtion.
Despite the deciÂsion by the US Supreme Court to halt the FloriÂda recount in the conÂtestÂed counÂties, AmerÂiÂcan media organÂiÂsaÂtions, includÂing Knight RidÂder — ownÂer of the MiaÂmi HerÂald — have comÂmisÂsioned their own counts, gainÂing access to the balÂlots under FreeÂdom of InforÂmaÂtion legÂisÂlaÂtion. The result so far, with the recountÂing of so-called ‘underÂvotes’ in only one counÂty comÂpletÂed by FriÂday night, indiÂcates that Al Gore is ahead by 140 votes.
FloriÂda’s 25 elecÂtoral colÂlege votes won Bush the presÂiÂdenÂcy by two seats last MonÂday after the Supreme Court refused to allow the countÂing of 45,000 disÂcardÂed votes. But as the media recount was susÂpendÂed for ChristÂmas, the votes so far talÂlied in Lake and Broward counÂties have Gore ahead in the race for the pivÂotal state, and hence the White House.
Gore’s lead is expectÂed to soar when countÂing resumes in the New Year and MiaÂmi votes are countÂed. In a sepÂaÂrate exerÂcise, the MiaÂmi HerÂald comÂmisÂsioned a team of politÂiÂcal anaÂlysts and pollÂsters to make a staÂtisÂtiÂcal calÂcuÂlaÂtion based on proÂjecÂtions of votes by counÂty, conÂcludÂing that Gore won the state by 23,000.
The media iniÂtiaÂtive is likeÂly to bedevÂil Bush in the weeks to come, thickÂenÂing the pall of illeÂgitÂiÂmaÂcy that will hang over his inauÂguÂraÂtion on 20 JanÂuÂary.
It has already led to a face-off between almost all the news media organÂiÂsaÂtions in the state and Bush’s presÂiÂdenÂtial team. In the most extreme examÂple of the Bush camÂp’s desÂperÂaÂtion to avoid a recount, the new direcÂtor of the EnviÂronÂment ProÂtecÂtion Agency, ChrisÂtine Todd WhitÂman, has proÂposed that the FloriÂda balÂlots be sealed for 10 years.
Bush’s spokesman TuckÂer Eskew disÂmissed the recount as ‘misÂchief-makÂing’ and ‘inflamÂing pubÂlic pasÂsions’ while his brothÂer, FloriÂda govÂerÂnor Jeb Bush, accused the papers of ‘tryÂing to rewrite hisÂtoÂry’.
MeanÂwhile, Bush made his boldÂest ideÂoÂlogÂiÂcal stateÂment yet with the appointÂment of John Ashcroft as AttorÂney GenÂerÂal.
The appointÂment is espeÂcialÂly sigÂnifÂiÂcant, because as head of the JusÂtice DepartÂment Ashcroft would be the man to bring any felony charges against PresÂiÂdent Bill ClinÂton over the LewinÂsky affair. DurÂing the scanÂdal, Ashcroft was among the loudÂest and shrillest voicÂes for impeachÂment.
There have been many calls to PresÂiÂdent-elect Bush to parÂdon his preÂdeÂcesÂsor as a sign of peace, but he made a point of rejectÂing them.
Ashcroft lost his MisÂsouri SenÂate seat to the widÂow of the state’s popÂuÂlar DemoÂcÂrat govÂerÂnor, Mel CarÂnaÂhan. From the famÂiÂly of a PenÂtaÂcostal minÂisÂter, he is an outÂspoÂken social conÂserÂvÂaÂtive and an ally of the extremÂist Pat RobertÂson.
Ashcroft repÂreÂsents a host of milÂiÂtant comÂmitÂtees and activist groups, of which the ChrisÂtÂian CoaliÂtion is most promiÂnent. He is an oppoÂnent not only of aborÂtion but even — as he said in one speech — of dancÂing.
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