Lesson from 2000 Election

[kairos12]

The media loves to hang the label "sore loser" on whomever the election is not called for. If the election is close, declare victory, and let President Bleach get stuck with that label.

[Grasswire2]

1. Let's review that night briefly. It was a setup.

George W's cousin John Ellis was in charge of the Decision Desk at FOX NEWS that election night.

He prematurely called the election for W., setting up a "winner" scenario that Gore had to combat and wasn't prepared to do.

A whole public relations offensive was already prepped by Rove and ready to roll. I've forgotten the name of the lawyer who managed that PR offensive and has since talked about it, but I will try to find the name.

Rove is working for Trump now. I'm sure he has several strategies prepared, but this one -- setting the WINNER narrative in motion, is surely among them.

[kairos12]

2. That is precisely what I recall. Also my concern. The Dems need a strategy (PR) to counter

this likely move by the Reich Wing. Faux News will call the election as soon as the polls close on the East Coast. Count on it.

[Grasswire2]

4. I assume that Biden's people are older, wiser, and aware of the danger.

And Hillary has just brought it into the conversation. Good. If we talk about it as a Trump strategy now, it is less likely to work.

This is exactly the most dangerous aspect.

[brooklynite]

3. Name a "media" other than Fox that did this.

[kairos12]

6. Doesn't matter. If Faux News does it Biden will be labeled

"Soreloser" and that becomes the story. In 2000 the MSM showed endless pictures of the "Soreloserman" signs. Part of the Bush versus Gore decision was the idea that counting the votes would somehow "harm" Bush's ability to be seen as legitimate winner. This is directly connected to the relentless push that Gore was a sore loser.

[dawg day]

5. Yes-- and it has to be amplified--

"Biden won!" Biden won! WON!

Bush knew how to do that-- that born rich sense of entitlement that Trump has in exponents.

Biden's a fairly modest man, and might need help amplifying the "victory message."

But I think, unless Trump does manage to cheat on a huge scale, it's not going to be that close. I am worried about him sending troops to urban polling stations to intimidate Black voters (I don't think that will work-- there's a long history of risking their lives to vote-- but it will be terrible and dangerous and goddamnit, no one should have to risk their lives to vote).

Also that he will sue and sue and sue, and after Bush v. Gore, I have no expectation that the SCOTUS will smack him down the way a supposedly independent court should.

But... there was Bush v. Gore, and whenever Trumpians and sober concerned Susan Collins types worry about the election determination being delayed, we can remind them that the 2000 election wasn't settled for 5 weeks, and as bad as that was for the country (because Bush "won&quot , the delay didn't itself ruin democracy. Of course, Trumpers have no use for evidence, logic, experience, history, and will continue screeching that unless at 11pm on election night, it's declared a landslide for Trump, Satan has won. But others might be disquieted, so it's worth pointing out we were without a pres elect for 5 weeks in 2000, and we survived, though the Bush presidency was a resulting disaster.

[Bayard]

7. I'm trying to remember....

Didn't Bush go ahead and move into the White House anyway in January? Fairly presumptuous, but that's what is going to be needed here.

The big question will be, what if the vote isn't finalized by January? You would think they could at least manage to finish counting EC votes. I have continually discounted the idea of trump refusing to leave, but this scenario might work. Then Joe and all Dem's will have to insist he leave, and the White House should remain uninhabited until the count is finished. Expect many lawsuits.

Its going to be a wild and crazy ride.