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Bush v. Gore's Lessons for 2008

2000 election mess colors Obama-Clinton contest

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted May 26, 2008 3:30 PM CDT

(Newser) – Memorial Day dates from the Civil War, but this week, thanks to HBO’s Recount, a different internecine conflict will be in the air: the 2000 election. The generally factual portrayal of the Florida snafu gets Hendrik Hertzberg of the New Yorker thinking about another hairsplitting debate over vote counting. Perhaps inevitably, he zeros in on Hillary Clinton and her claims that she's winning the popular vote over Barack Obama.

"These statements must be read with the sort of close grammatical and definitional care that used to inform her husband’s descriptions of his personal entanglements," Hertzberg cautions. "They are not quite true in the normal sense, but if made under oath they would not be prosecutable for perjury, either."

In this image released by HBO, Laura Dern portrays Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris in a scene from the docudrama "Recount," a behind the scenes account of the 2000 presidential election scandal... (AP Photo/HBO, Gene Page)

In this image released by HBO, Kevin Spacey portrays Ron Klain in a scene from the docudrama "Recount," a behind the scenes account of the 2000 presidential election scandal premiering Sunday, May 25... (AP Photo/HBO, Gene Page)

In this image released by HBO, Kevin Spacey portrays Ron Klain, left, and Dennis Leary portrays Michael Whouley in a scene from the docudrama "Recount," a behind the scenes account of the 2000 presidential... (AP Photo/HBO, Gene Page)

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Bush v. Gore's Lessons for 2008

2000 election mess colors Obama-Clinton contest

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Reid: Race Will End Before Convention

Big Dem expects Michigan, Florida delegates to play role—without new votes

Bigwigs Wrangle Over Fla., Michigan

Campaigns, states, party try to resolve barred delegates mess

Obama Delegate Lead Dicey for Clinton

Unlikely to catch up, she'll push for Fla., Mich. delegates

Mich., Fla. Get Full Delegations

But compromise shouldn't endanger Obama

Dems Seat Fla., Mich. Delegates as Half-Votes

Raucous hearing leaves Obama 66 delegates from victory

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Bush v. Gore's Lessons for 2008

2000 election mess colors Obama-Clinton contest

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Democratic presidential primaries • Election 2000 • Michigan primary • Florida primary • George W. Bush • power grab • Bush vs. Gore

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Reid: Race Will End Before Convention

Big Dem expects Michigan, Florida delegates to play role—without new votes

Bigwigs Wrangle Over Fla., Michigan

Campaigns, states, party try to resolve barred delegates mess

Obama Delegate Lead Dicey for Clinton

Unlikely to catch up, she'll push for Fla., Mich. delegates

Mich., Fla. Get Full Delegations

But compromise shouldn't endanger Obama

Dems Seat Fla., Mich. Delegates as Half-Votes

Raucous hearing leaves Obama 66 delegates from victory

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Newser By Users

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