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Election 2000: An interview with a "Real Person"

In an effort to interject some rationality into the election mess, I decided to interview a socially liberal friend of mine. For your reading ease, I'm in blue, and my friend, known as "Hippie" to protect his right to privacy, will be in yellow. This is not meant to be an accurate record of liberal thought, or any of that, but to show a real person's opinions on the critical election matters. With out further hot air, the interview.

Q1: Who do you believe won the Presidential election?

A1: At this point, Bush ...

Q2: Should Al Gore concede this election now? If not now, how about if he loses the contest?

A2: I think he's right in requesting the hand recounts, but if those should still come up Bush, he should concede ... in any case, I think his clock is ticking ...

Q3: That really didn't answer my question. In case you missed it, there is a trial occurring in Leon County, which is to decide whether Gore gets those recounts. If he loses, should he concede right away?

A3: If he loses that trial, I would say yes, he should concede at that point ...

Q4: Would you say that a Bush presidency would be legitimate?

A4: For a short time at least, yes ... I think that Americans will give him less time to prove himself than other presidents have historically had though ... if he makes a couple major screw-ups in his first year in office though, I think some people will question his legitimacy ...

Q5: What is your opinion on the Electoral College?

A5: I think it should stay around, if this is a question of keep it/ditch it ...

Q6: Well, it wasn't just that. Should the Electoral College be reformed at all?

A6: No, I don't think I'd reform it at all ...

Q7: Are you aware that Maine and Nebraska don't use a winner take all system for their electors?

A7: Yeah, I knew that ... actually, change my answer to the last question, I'd change ME and NE to winner-take-all ...

Q8: What new Constitutional Amendments do you feel would be in the best interest of the nation?

A8: Hmmm ... I'm not really sure about that ... I do think something needs to be done to clarify the Ninth Amendment, make it more clear which powers are reserved to the states and which powers are reserved to the federal government ... ever since the New Deal, those lines have been blurred ...

For example, I don't think it's the federal government's place (namely Congress) to pass federal laws to overturn judicial decisions made in state courts ...

The obvious exception to that would be a state law in direct conflict with a federal law ... I'm talking about places where the law is ambiguous or undefined, if the state wants to cover those ambiguities with a law, it's not the federal government's place to get involved ...

Q9: What is your opinion of the Florida Supreme Court's verdict that Bush has appealed, with regards to changing the rules after the election?

A9: Explain the circumstances of that a bit more, so I can give a better-informed answer to that question ...

Q10: The Florida Supreme Court (aka "State Court") ruled on an alledged conflict in the Florida election code in such a way that the deadline for certification was delayed 12 days, and reduced the Secretary of State's discretion to almost nothing, according to critics. Would you consider this a "changing of the election code" or "a resolution of a conflict between the need for recounts and the need for finality"?

I apologize for the vagueness, but I feel that to give any more information would remove any sense of impartiality to the question.

A10: I would call it the latter ... it is the Court's job to interpret the law, and that was its interpretation ... I don't believe it changed the law, only interpreted its meaning ...

Q11: Have you heard any of the testimony before the US Supreme Court or before Judge N. Sanders Sauls?

A11: No ...

Q12: So I'll avoid asking about those issues. Do you feel Bush has been too aggressive on his transition efforts?

A12: In the beginning, yes, it was presumptuous of him to assume that he'd won the day after the election ... but now, I don't think so, given all the rulings, counts, etc. that have gone in his favor ...

Q13: Who is the public figure you've gained the most respect for since the election?

H: Are there any set choices on that question, or just anybody?

M:Well, I'd prefer it were someone involved with the election, whether as an observer, a reporter, or somehow involved more centrally, either as a candidate, a lawyer , or a judge. But use your discretion.

A13: I'd have to say the justices of both the Florida and U.S. Supreme Courts, as a group ... they haven't backed down an inch from any of the fiery rhetoric being spouted by both sides' lawyers ...

Q14: AL Gore has repeatedly said that "all the votes must be counted". If you were in his situation, and said the same thing, what would you mean by it?

A14: I'd mean that all of the hand recounts (Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Broward) should be completed and added into the vote totals ...

Q15: So you don't think it was hypocritical for the Gore campaign to ask that Nassau County certify a recount that missed 212 votes that favored Bush by 52? That was one of his contest requests.

A15: Well, if you're trying to ask, would I think that was hypocritical if I were Gore, yes, I would ...

Q16: Well, there have been a lot of accusations that Gore is counting 3 counties, not all of the vote. What do you think this election has shown us, as a nation?

A16: That both sides will ruthlessly pursue the prize of the White House, and that politics is even sleazier and slimier than we all thought ...

Q17: What about the nation, as a whole? What has it told you about the citizens of the United States?

H: Well, they're obviously very patient (no huge outcry to end this) when it comes to government ...

M: Anything else?

A17: Not particularly ...

Q18: What do you think the public is looking for in government, for the next 2 years? It looks like the nation is split evenly between conservative and liberal ideals...

A18: I think the public will be looking for both sides to work together, as cliched as that sounds ... I think the last thing they want is more divisiveness in government ...

Q19: Just one question after this. Who lost the most respect in your book through this ordeal? Same rules as before...

A19: Kathy Hughes, Bush's press secretary ... I don't know which was worse, her rhetoric or her annoying voice ...

Q20: Interesting choice. Last question. Of the 3 largest third parties, which one do you think would be the most constructive if achieving major party status? The Green Party, Libertarian Party, of the Buchanan-ized Reform Party?

A20: The Libertarians by far ... both Nader and Buchanan are seen by the American public as too far away from the center, and additionally, I think a lot of Americans would appreciate the ideals of Libertarians ...