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JIM LEHRER: Further reaction from the two campaigns on what happened
today: Vice President Gore spoke himself briefly this afternoon at the
White House.
VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE: I'll just make a very brief statement. There
is an awful lot at stake here, and what is at stake is more important
than who wins the presidency. What is at stake is the integrity of our
democracy -- making sure that the will of the American people is expressed
and accurately received. That is why I have believed from the start
that while time is important, it is even more important that every vote
is counted and counted accurately because there's something very special
about our process that depends totally on the American people having
a chance to express their will without any intervening interference.
That's really what is at stake here. And so that's what I'm focused
on, not the contest but our democracy -- to make sure that the process
works the way our Founders intended it to work.
Look, I would not want to win the presidency by a few votes cast in
error or misinterpreted or not counted. And I don't think Governor Bush
wants that either. So, having enough patience to spend the days necessary
to hear exactly what the American people have said is really the most
important thing because that is what honors our Constitution and redeems
the promise of our democracy. Now, if there's any saving grace at all
to the extra time that this is taking, it is this: Schoolchildren all
over the United States are learning a lot about how a President is chosen
in this country. They're learning a lot about our democracy. And families
are able to make the point without the fear of ever again being disputed
that it matters whether or not you vote, and every vote counts. So,
register and vote and participate in our democracy. So that's basically
all I wanted to say.
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