Clinton puts his faith in legal process

WASHINGTON - President Bill Clinton yesterday came close to taking sides with Vice-President Al Gore in his election dispute with Republican George W. Bush, saying "every single vote" ought to be counted in Florida.

Clinton, who has studiously tried to stay above the bitter fray between Gore and the Texas Governor, declined to accept Florida's certification on Monday of Bush as the winner of that state's vote pending the outcome of Gore's legal challenges.

If it stands, the certification will give Bush Florida's 25 Electoral College votes and allow Bush to succeed Clinton in the White House.

Clinton said the legal process should be allowed to "play itself out," in a comment that could be construed to mean that there is no reason for Gore to concede the election to Bush at this time.

"It's not up to me to accept or reject. There is a legal process here," Clinton said as he met members of his cabinet.

Clinton, who leaves office on January 20, essentially agreed with Gore's position that all who voted in Florida should have their votes counted.

Gore and his lawyers insisted there were thousands of ballots in Miami-Dade County that were not counted by voting machine and were not counted by hand. Gore feels these votes could allow him to overcome Bush's narrow lead and carry him to victory.

"The election challenge will play itself out. I will say what I've said from the first day: in all this interplay it is easy to lose what is really important, which is the integrity of the voter, every single vote," Clinton said.

"On election day, every person who voted had a vote that counted just as much as mine, and so they have to sort that out in Florida. Whose votes should be counted? Can every vote be counted? If every vote can't be counted, is there a good reason why we're not counting that vote?" he said.

Clinton pledged a "smooth transition" between him and his successor, whether it be Gore or Bush.

As the election dispute ate away at time traditionally set aside for the presidential transition, Clinton said he was signing an executive order creating a transition coordinating council to handle the move between administrations, particularly on personnel matters.

The White House made clear Bush would get no preferential treatment on the transition until the court challenges end.

Spokesman Jake Siewert said the White House could provide Gore and Bush information to help prepare them for taking over.

"We're on track to provide that information to either candidate or both candidates, if that becomes necessary," Siewert said yesterday. He said cabinet agencies were gathering information for the new administration but had not released any as yet.

Last week White House Chief of Staff John Podesta ordered cabinet heads to continue internal work to help the new administration, including preparing briefing materials on key issues; designating a "carry-over" official to stay in place until the incoming president has appointed at least one official to assume legal responsibility for the agency's work; and setting aside office space and supplies to accommodate the president-elect's transition staff.

But, in a November 13 memo, Podesta said that because of the uncertainty over the election's results no president-elect had been identified to receive funds and assistance under the Presidential Transition Act of 1963.

- REUTERS

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