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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI wonder what Al Gore thinks of this from The Atlantic article...
In actual war, not the political kind, concession is optional. The winning side may take by force what the losing side refuses to surrender. If the weaker party will not sue for peace, its ramparts may be breached, its headquarters razed, and its leaders taken captive or put to death. There are places in the world where political combat still ends that way, but not here. The losers concession is therefore hard to replace.
Consider the 2000 election, which may appear at first glance to demonstrate otherwise. Al Gore conceded to George W. Bush on Election Night, then withdrew his concession and fought a recount battle in Florida until the Supreme Court shut it down. It is commonly said that the Courts 54 ruling decided the contest, but thats not quite right.
The Court handed down its ruling in Bush v. Gore on December 12, six days before the Electoral College would convene and weeks before Congress would certify the results. Even with canvassing halted in Florida, Gore had the constitutional means to fight on, and some advisers urged him to do so. If he had brought the dispute to Congress, he would have held high ground as the Senates presiding officer.
Not until Gore addressed the nation on December 13, the day after the Courts decision, did the contest truly end. Speaking as a man with unexpended ammunition, Gore laid down his arms. I accept the finality of this outcome, which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College, he said. And tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession.
We have no precedent or procedure to end this election if Biden seems to carry the Electoral College but Trump refuses to concede. We will have to invent one.
[link:https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/what-if-trump-refuses-concede/616424/|
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I wonder what Al Gore thinks of this from The Atlantic article... (Original Post)
Grasswire2
Sep 2020
OP
Thekaspervote
(32,691 posts)1. Biden has amassed a team of 600 attorneys to deal with any shenanigans
I think hes got it covered
peggysue2
(10,819 posts)2. And that reality makes me hopeful
The Dems are prepared and Biden called it early--Trump plans to steal the election by hook or by crook. Unlike the fiasco in 2000 Florida, we--the informed portion of the electorate--know that the ugly is coming. But that message needs to go out to the wider audience, people who are not political junkies.
Hillary Clinton said it in her suggestion to Biden: Do Not Concede Under Any Circumstance.
We all need to hold the line.
MagickMuffin
(15,924 posts)3. I remember the concession speak
I thought he looked extremely terrified, he was very pale looking. At that very moment I had a feeling he was blackmailed into giving up.
"We know where your kids go to school. Drop out now and no one will get hurt!"
Grasswire2
(13,565 posts)5. I remember the Black Caucus begging for a senator to block the Florida certification of the vote.
I remember it well.
Gore asked them to step back from that.
niyad
(113,027 posts)4. Come on, cholesterol. Do your damned job already.