The Common Thread in All Those Florida Election Debacles americanthinker.com/articles/2018/… via @AmericanThinker
One thing Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis have going for them -- besides the obvious lead in vote totals -- is history. Republican presidential candidates Rutherford B. Hayes and George Bush both ended up carrying the state of FL in 1876 and 2000, 2 other prolonged elections.
Of course, other states have had past voting problems too. But Florida managed to be one of four states contested in the disputed 1876 presidential election -- eventually decided by Congress. It was the only contested state in the 2000 election -- eventually decided by the SCOTUS
The Florida mess of 2018 more resembles the 2000 presidential showdown between Bush and Gore. It’s a recount where Dems insisted that new votes could be found in Palm Beach and Broward counties, among other Democratic strongholds in the state, if they looked and counted enough.
Palm Beach and Broward are the two key counties today.
Gore reportedly said in the midst of the 2000 recount, “I’m not like George Bush. If he wins or loses, life goes on. I will do anything to win.”
Gore reportedly said in the midst of the 2000 recount, “I’m not like George Bush. If he wins or loses, life goes on. I will do anything to win.”
Similar to Gore, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum conceded defeat then unconceded. Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson never conceded, but, almost echoing Gore, Nelson’s campaign attorney Marc Elias said bluntly of the recount push, “We’re doing it to win.”
In 2000, Democratic lawyers targeted overseas absentee ballots from the military, presumed more likely to be Bush voters. Democrats threatened to sue Seminole and Duval counties in Florida, over technicalities, to stop military vote counts.
Gore campaign operative Bob Beckel thought that there was a way to capture the Electoral College without the Florida recount. He said, “I’m trying to kidnap electors. Whatever it takes.”
Beckel and the Democrats were researching the backgrounds of Republican electors across the nation in hopes of persuading them to give the Electoral College vote to Gore. However, Beckel insisted this was about lobbying and not blackmail.
These were both PR nightmares for Democrats, which previously had the upper hand in messaging by insisting every vote be counted.
Counting every vote has been a standby line for Democrats for years, but few folks believe it anymore.
Counting every vote has been a standby line for Democrats for years, but few folks believe it anymore.
Most Americans only believe that every eligible and legal vote should count -- not literally every vote. Whether it’s 1876, 2000 or 2018, the Democrats’ goal is to win and gain power. For that, @MarcEElias may deserve credit for honesty.
