THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Excitement for the candidates in the 2000 presidential election was very low. The Democrats nominated Al Gore, Clinton’s vice president, who often appeared wooden when giving speeches and stirred little emotion, even among long-time Democrats. George W. Bush, son of the former president, was the Republican nominee; in several early interviews he appeared to lack the knowledge of critical issues that might be expected of a presidential candidate. Ralph Nader ran as a candidate of the Green Party.

When the final results were tabulated, Al Gore actually received some 500,000 votes more than Bush (Nader received less than 3 million votes). However, Gore surprisingly lost his home state of Tennessee, and the winner in the Electoral College would be the winner of the popular vote in Florida. Several recounts were held there, with Bush holding on to a tiny lead. Blacks in several parts of Florida (who voted heavily for Gore.) complained that in several parts of the state they had been prevented front voting. Further recounts were planned in contested counties. By a 5-to-4 vote on February 9, 2001, the Supreme Court of the United States temporarily halted all recounts. On February 12 the court ruled, again by a 5-to-4 margin, that recounts in contested counties only was a violation of the Constitution, thus securing the election of George W. Bush. In the first months of his presidency, Bush concentrated much of his effort on domestic affairs; the events of September 11, 2001, would dramatically change the course of his presidency.