KAREN HUGHES

	November 13 , 2000
	After these excerpts of statements made by Karen Hughes, Bush's director of communications, Theodore Olson, the attorney who argued George W. Bush's case against the Florida's hand-count in federal court today, outlines the Texas governor's view on the situation.

JIM LEHRER: Now the Bush positions. Neither Governor Bush nor his chief legal representative former Secretary of State James Baker made public statements today, but earlier this evening his director of communications, Karen Hughes, spoke to reporter in Austin. KAREN HUGHES, Bush Communications Director: It's becoming increasingly clear that Vice President Gore's campaign simply wants to keep counting votes until they like the results. The Vice President's remarks today are troubling. All week the Vice President and his campaign have said that Florida's laws should be followed, yet today the Vice President essentially said we should ignore the law so that he can overturn the results of this election. According to Florida's laws, counties have until 5:00 PM tomorrow to certify the results of an election that took place now almost a week ago. The Vice President now wants to waive that law so Democrat officials in Democrat precincts can try to overturn the results of this election-- results which were confirmed not just by one count but by two fair and accurate counts. The people of Florida, as I said earlier, deserve to have their votes counted fairly and accurately, not selectively or subjectively. The Gore campaign says it wants a fair and accurate count of votes. The only way that is now possible is to accept the results of the recount of Florida's votes, along with the final count of the overseas absentee ballots that are due in by law by Friday. Governor Bush has agreed to abide by that fair and accurate count, no matter what it might be. And Vice President Gore should do the same. I'll take a few questions. REPORTER: Are you prepared to appeal the federal court ruling this morning? And if the 5:00 deadline tomorrow is abandoned, will the Bush campaign litigate or petition to open up counties such as Duval? KAREN HUGHES: Carl, on the first part, the lawyers in Florida, I understand, are discussing that. There have not been any decisions made as to whether to appeal the federal court's ruling this morning. What was the second part? REPORTER: If the 5:00 deadline is not kept for tomorrow and the recount to be certified, and if it's extended, will the Bush campaign seek to open up other counties for recounts? KAREN HUGHES: Well, Carl, obviously we have to make those decisions at the time things happen. We continue to hope that Florida... that the law will be upheld. The law is very clear according to our lawyers. It says that the vote shall be certified by 5:00 PM on Tuesday.