Kerry Looks to Avoid Gore Recount Errors

[LTR]

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kerry, bracing for a potential fight over election results, will not hesitate to declare victory Nov. 2 and defend it, advisers say. He also will be prepared to name a national security team before knowing whether he's secured the presidency.

In short, the Democratic presidential candidate has a simple strategy for Nov. 3 and beyond: Do not repeat Al Gore's mistakes.

The Democratic vice president prematurely conceded the 2000 race to George W. Bush in a telephone call, then had to retract his concession after aides said Florida wasn't lost. He never declared victory, an omission Kerry's advisers — many of whom worked for Gore — now believe created a sense of inevitability in voters' minds about Bush's presidency.

Gore didn't plan for the legal showdown, though few could have predicted it before Election Day. And he watched as Bush seized political advantage during the 36-day recount by publicly discussing a transition to the White House

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041021/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_day_after_strategy_12

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. Good!

I love hearing this.

[JitterbugPerfume]

2. Gore was blind sided

how could any one have known to what depths of deception the Bush people would go?

[olddem43]

3. Ain't gonna happen this time - I am prepared to

volunteer to join an "angry mob" if needed, to counteract similar Rover tactics.

[Moderator]

4. Duplicate topic--Please continue discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=918623