Reply #3: They were ready with their bag of tricks in 2000, too

[gratuitous]

In Jeffrey Toobin's book "Too Close to Call," the Republicans had their talking points all lined up, and all the talk radio personalities primed in case Bush won the popular vote and Gore took the electoral vote (the precise opposite of what eventually happened). They were set to file suits in courts all over the country, backed by the popular windbags all over the airwaves, to denigrate a Gore presidency and to question his legitimacy at every step and every turn.

Needless to say, those plans were junked as soon as Bush was awarded the presidency by the Supreme Court, and we were treated to all sorts of talk of "mandates" and "the voice of the people" which was redoubled after the 2002 mid-term and the 2004 general elections. If we fail to turn these crooks out of office this time, they will be unstoppable. There will be no reasoning, no appeal to bipartisanship, and the last two years of the Bush administration will make the first six years look like a warm-up session.

So get out and vote, mofos!