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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.
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