Statements About Election 2000

STATEMENTS FROM GOVERNOR GEORGE W. BUSH, SECRETARY JAMES A. BAKER III, KATHERINE HARRIS AND BOB CRAWFORD IN REACTION TO THE CERTIFICATION OF THE FLORIDA VOTE SUNDAY 11/26/00

Statement by Governor George W. Bush:

The last nineteen days have been extraordinary ones. Our nation watched as we were all reminded on a daily basis of the importance of each and every vote. We were reminded of the strength of our democracy - that while our system is not always perfect, it is fundamentally strong and far better than any other alternative.

The election was close, but tonight, after a count, a recount and yet another manual recount, Secretary Cheney and I are honored and humbled to have won the state of Florida, which gives us the needed electoral votes to win the election. We will therefore undertake the responsibility of preparing to serve as America's next President and Vice President.

Full Statement

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Statement by James A. Baker III:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Shortly after I arrived here some 19 days ago, I said here in this very room that the election process in - Florida and in the country as a whole - needed to conclude with fairness and finality.

I suggested that everyone step back, pause, and think about what was at stake. I warned that there might be no reasonable end to the process of counts, challenges and contests if it slipped away from us.

Full Statement

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Statement by Agriculture Commissioner Bob Crawford
Democrat Member of Florida's Election Canvassing Commission:

Thank you, Madam Secretary. Let me first commend you on the job that you and your office have done during these last almost three weeks since the
election.

This has been a tough election. It has not always been pretty. But we got the job done, and we got it done right. People called me and say--particularly from out of state--and say what's going on down in Florida, and I have to keep reminding people, the only thing that's
going on here is that we've got a razor-thin election for the most important job in the world.

And that's all it is. After all the jokes, after all of the anguish, we've just got a close election. And any state that had to go through this would've had the same problems, I think, that we have had.

But I think it's over. It should be over. And maybe that's the important word there, "should." You know, Yogi Berra once said, ``It's not over till it's over.'' Well, it's over, and we have a winner, and it's time to move on.

There's one thing that I am sure of and that is both sides have enough legal talent to keep this tied up through Christmas. But one thing the lawyers can't do for us and one thing the courts can't do for us: They
can't bring this country together again.

And while we have a winner tonight and we have a loser tonight, it's going to take both of these gentlemen to bring this country together again, and I hope we can get on with that work soon.

And I'm proud of the job that we've done here in the state.

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Statement from Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris during the certification of the votes:

Before we proceed, I wish, briefly, to review why we are here tonight. It was and it remains my opinion that the appropriate deadlines for filing certified returns in this election are those mandated by the legislature. And it remains my opinion that the proper returns in this election are the returns that were certified by those deadlines.

The Florida Supreme Court, however, disagrees. The court created a new schedule for filing certifications and conducting election contests rather than implementing the schedule enacted by the legislature, and that is the schedule that we're following tonight.

Full Statement

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STATEMENT FROM JAMES BAKER IN REACTION TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION 12/9/00 THAT STOPPED HAND RECOUNTS OF UNDERVOTES IN FLORIDA

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

I have just spoken to Governor Bush, and of course we are pleased by the United States Supreme Court's decision this afternoon to stay the mandate of the Florida Supreme Court, and to grant our petition for a writ of certiorari.

This means that the partial manual recount system created yesterday by the Florida Supreme Court will not now proceed. As the three dissenting justices of the Florida Supreme Court emphasized, their four colleagues risked violating federal law and the United States Constitution by developing an alternative and flawed recount system.

It's just simply not fair to change the rules after the game has been played.

Thank you very much.

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