N ATIONAL/WORLD
THE CAMPAIGN CONTINUES
Recount in Florida1
to determine who
wins White House x
The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 20, 2004 --5B
Nov. 7, 2000
From Staff and Wire reports
After an apparent victory for Texas
Gov. George W Bush early this morn-
ing, Vice President Al Gore retracted
his concession around 3:30 a.m. when
the results in Florida narrowed to a less
than 1 percent margin and Democratic
officials in the state contacted the
Gore's campaign.
Regardless of the outcome in Flori-
da, the election appears to be the clos-
est in history.
As of 4:30 a.m., with 96 percent of
precincts reporting nationwide, fewer
than 70,000 votes of about 95 million
cast separated the Democrat and
Republican candidates.
"The race is simply too close to call.
Until this is resolved, the campaign
continues," Gore campaign chairman
Bill Daley told the crowd in Nashville.
Bush campaign officials had not
addressed the media or the crowd in
Austin, Texas, at press time.
Gore conceded the election to Bush
in a phone call at 2:30 a.m., but after
the Florida margin narrowed, Gore
retracted his phone call just as he was
seemingly poised to address supporters
and accept defeat.
It was an incredible political specta-
cle by any standard.
TV networks projected Bush the win-
ner, igniting GOP celebrations in Austin.
An hour later, the conclusive vote they
cited in Florida had tightened.
Supporters in Nashville chanted,
"Recount!"
Republicans maintained precarious
control of Congress as the GOP bid to
hold the House, Senate and presidency
for the first time in 46 years.
In the most dramatic election in
decades, it all came down to Florida.
AP's analysis showed the narrowest of
margins with final votes still being
tallied in several Democratic counties.
The networks projected a Bush victo-
ry that would put him over the top and
that sparked gloom in the Gore camp
in Nashville and triumphant cheers in
Texas.
A Bush victory would give America
its second father-son presidents after
John Adams (1797-01) and John Quin-
cy Adams (1825-29).
Bush was said to be poised to claim
his prize.
Florida would give Bush 271 votes
in the Electoral College, one over the
majority needed to claim the presiden-
cy. Just thousands of votes separated
the two candidates in Florida out of
almost 6 million cast, and the margin
was sure to require a recount.
Several states were still to close to
call. With Florida officials continuing
their tally, the New York Times said
Bush had won and congratulated him
on "the amazing political feat of leap-
ing to the White House after only six
years in public office."
With the election so tight, Democ-
rats were sure to second-guess Gore's
refusal to involve President Clinton in
his campaign. They also were sure to
rue the day that Green Party candidate
Ralph Nader entered the race and
siphoned off Gore votes in several key
states.
Florida had been the epicenter of the
campaign and Tuesday night was
chaotic. At one point news organiza-
tions said Gore was the winner, but
they backtracked as more votes were
counted and Bush eased ahead.
Republicans retained control of the
Senate - if narrowly - and looked
likely to keep a small majority in the
House as well. Bush or Gore, the
next president will be submitting his
first-year agenda to a deeply divided
Congress.
Gore won big battlegrounds in Penn-
sylvania, Michigan and California
while Bush claimed Texas, Ohio and a
string of smaller states, including
Gore's Tennessee and Bill Clinton's
Arkansas.
Green Party candidate Ralph Nader
had just 3 percent of the national vote,
but did well enough in to potentially
tip several states to Bush.
Ever confident, Bush went out for
dinner and awaited final returns. When
the news media called Florida for Gore
in midevening, Bush said, "I don't
believe some of these states that they
called, like Florida."
Regarding the vice president, Bush
said, "I've run against a formidable
opponent." Gore, awaiting returns in
Nashville, wasn't heard from until his
calls to Bush.
REMEMBERING 9/11
Students still unite,
pray o
Sept. 12, 2003
By Mona Rafeeq
and Evan McGarvey
Daily Staff Reporters
As candles flickered across the
Diag, members of the campus commu-
nity bowed their heads to commemo-
rate the second anniversary of the Sept.
11, 2001, attacks.
"The September 11 vigil was a place
for all members of the University com-
munity to come together, to remember
and to reflect on these tragic events,"
said MSA President Angela Galardi.
The vigil was sponsored by the
Michigan Student Assembly.
Although last year's program did not
include music, Music School senior
Darnell Ishmel sang the national
anthem at last night's vigil.
LSA freshman Theresa Bomer said,
"(The national anthem) is very impor-
tant because it's not just the campus
coming together, it's the entire nation."
The decision to sing the national
anthem was controversial, said Court-
ney Skiles, MSA communication chair.
But "the committee felt that it was
expected to be sung tonight," Skiles
said.
LSA junior Deborah Kim, a member
of the vigil-planning committee, said
the anthem should be included. "Even
though it talks about war, the song
symbolizes freedom," Kim said.
The vigil began with an introduction
from Galardi followed by remarks
from University President Mary Sue
rpeace
Coleman.
"Some moments in our lives are too
deep for words," Coleman said, adding
that she believes that being in the com-
pany of others is a great comfort.
Following Coleman, Ann Arbor
Police Chief Daniel Oates took the
podium. Oates, a former member of
the New York City Police Department,
spoke on the conflict between national
safety and personal freedoms.
"It is a mark of our society, our free
democracy, that we can wrestle with
this question," Oates said.
Black Student Union Speaker
Boatemaa Ntiri was the last of the
evening's speakers. Ntiri, an LSA senior,
reminded the audience that the events of
Sept. 11 were everyone's loss.
"The 9-11 attacks were colorblind ...
did we forget that the race that suffered
the greatest loss was the human race?"
Ntiri said.
As Ntiri's speech finished, Taps was
played and candles were lit by commu-
nity and religious leaders.
The flame was passed from student
to student until the entire Diag was
aglow.
MSA officers commented that the
turnout was much lower than last
year's vigil.
LSA freshman Amber Janis said, "I
think that it's really good that they are
making an active effort and remember-
ing September 11."
"But, I am still sad that more stu-
dents will come to Saturday's football
game than came here," she added.
U of M CREDIT UNION
Congratulates Graduates
One chapter in your life is ending. But you don't have to say goodbye to
U of M completely - join the U of M Credit Union, voted the best bank
or credit union by Michigan Daily readers in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Keep your account open even if you move away. Our services make it
easy to stay in touch:
#LJ-Ce11hr tr#s~
rdC l 4
. .