Bush prepares for presidency, Democrats say still too early

WASHINGTON - Republican George W. Bush said he was going ahead with preparations to become the next president, but Democrat Al Gore's campaign warned the election was "not over" and it would not give up until a fight over Florida's vote had "run its course."

Three days after a national election that still had not produced a clear winner, Bush met briefly with reporters in the Texas governor's mansion.

While acknowledging votes were still being counted, he said, "I believe ... it is the responsible course of action for us to prepare and that's what I'm doing."

In Florida, where the recount of the votes of all 67 counties was proceeding, James Baker, the former Secretary of State who is serving as Bush's representative, accused Democrats of "attempting to unduly prolong the country's national presidential election through endless challenges."

He said it would be in the country's "best interest" to end the court fights and acrimonious bickering, but if Democrats continued to press for recounts, "Then we just can't sit on our hands and we will be forced to do what might be in our best personal interest."

Baker said from experience he knew it was frustrating to be on the losing side of a close election, "But it happens."

Gore campaign chairman William Daley admitted the waiting was "unpleasant for all of us, but suggesting that the outcome of a vote is known before all the ballots are properly counted is inappropriate."

Florida election officials announced on Friday that with the recount done in 65 of the state's 67 counties, Bush had a 960-vote lead out of nearly 6 million cast. An unofficial canvass of all 67 counties by the Associated Press, quoted by media organisations, said Bush was ahead by a mere 327 votes.

Under Florida law the state has until next Friday to certify the final election totals, giving officials time to count ballots mailed in by Florida voters living abroad.

With a week to go before the state's votes will be official, several lawsuits have been filed in courts over the makeup of the ballot in Palm Beach County as well as other alleged irregularities.

Lawsuits and disputed votes threatened to drag out the electoral process and throw the whole legitimacy of the next presidency into question. There were calls from many areas to resolve the issue peacefully and relatively quickly.

The New York Times and Washington Post among others warned against making the process too acrimonious and spoke of the dangers of tying up an election in the courts. Democratic Sen. Robert Torricelli of New Jersey urged Gore not to force a rancorous court battle that could harm the political system.

But Daley said it was necessary to make sure the will of the people was heard.

"Contrary to claims being made this morning by the Bush campaign, this election is not over," said Daley, citing several reasons, including that results from hand recounts and absentee ballots from overseas were still unknown.

"Again we want the true and accurate will of the people to prevail and that means letting the legal system run its course," he said.

Florida's 25 electoral votes are key to both camps winning the 270 Electoral College votes needed to become president. Gore won the popular vote by a slim margin but it is the majority vote in the Electoral College that decides who becomes the next president.

The focus was on Florida but a winner still had not been declared in Oregon, and Republicans said recounts were possible in Iowa and Wisconsin, won by Gore. And with votes still being counted in New Mexico, Gore clung to a small lead.

The two men vying to be president-elect have appeared briefly in public, with Bush answering a few questions in Austin and Gore playing touch football for photographers on the lawn of his residence in Washington, D.C.

"Should the verdict that has been announced thus far be confirmed, we'll be ready and I think that's what the country needs to know, that this administration will be ready to assume office and be prepared to lead," Bush said.

Bush sported a bandage on the right side of his face that aides said covered an infection for which he was taking antibiotics.

At the vice president's residence, a reporter yelled to Gore as he played football a question about whether he was optimistic about the election outcome.

"I think we're going to win this game," he said referring to the family romp. "We're up 6-0. I'm very optimistic." On the next play, his 18-year-old son Albert III, playing for the opposition, scored to tie the game.

Palm Beach County, which has become the focal point of much of the battle over Florida's votes, was not included in the new state figures released on Friday. Officials planned to begin another recount on Saturday.

In addition, a court hearing was scheduled for next week on a lawsuit seeking a new election in Palm Beach on grounds that the county's ballot was misleading and, because of that confusion, some ballots were double voted and therefore disqualified.

Baker said those were not valid reasons to prolong the process. He said double-voted ballots were not counted anywhere in the country and the type of ballot used had been used before in county elections.

Daley cited several reasons why the election was not over, saying votes still had to be counted by hand in some counties and overseas ballots were still to be counted.

Bush spokeswoman Karen Hughes said absentee ballots from overseas favoured Republican candidates in the past, such as in 1996, when Bob Dole carried them by a 54 percent to 40 percent margin even though he lost Florida to President Bill Clinton.

- REUTERS

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