Reply #47: Revisiting January 3, 2001 - January 31, 2001

[soup]

January 3, 2001

Al Gore
Remarks to the Congressional Black Caucus

"You know, in all seriousness, we face more than a new President and a new administration and new leadership of honored institutions. Here in Washington the House and Senate will be more closely divided than at any time in the history that any of us can personally remember. And across America there are real and continuing disagreements about the issues and about what is now past and about what lies ahead.

And now you must chose, as public servants, and as Americans, to heal our nation's divisions and move this country forward. I believe very deeply that we all must respect -- and wherever possible - - help President-elect Bush. Because from the moment he takes his solemn oath, a great responsibility will rest in his hands. And from the moment you take your solemn oath, building upon the one just administered here in this ceremony, you are charged with a special responsibility as well, one that you know in your heart and in your bones, because this institution has discharged that responsibility on behalf of the people of this country since its founding - - to lift up those who have been left out or locked out, to honor those who fought and marched and died to have their voices heard, and to secure the right to vote.

When you are the conscience of the Congress, you of course have to do your best to reach across party lines, but you also have to know when to draw the line. When you are the conscience of the Congress, you have to work to build majorities, but you also have to fight for human dignity. When you are the conscience of the Congress, you have to seek consensus, but you also have to seek justice and fundamental fairness.
>continue here:
http://www.al-gore-2004.org/gorespeeches/01032001.htm

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Congressman Alcee Hastings and Congressional Black Caucus to Challenge Florida's Presidential Electors

Washington, D.C. January 4, 2001 - Florida Congressman Alcee Hastings today agreed to develop a strategy for challenging Florida's Electors on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), which met earlier today.

During the meeting, Congressman Hastings urged his colleagues to formally challenge the acceptance of Presidential Electors from Florida, despite the fact that no Senator has committed to join him in this effort. Congresswoman Carrie Meek and Congresswoman Corrine Brown, both of Florida, joined Congressman Hastings in urging this show of leadership on the part of the CBC. "The three of us witnessed first hand the unfairness of the counting of hundreds of thousands of Florida votes, the disenfranchisement of countless men and women who stood in line to make their voices heard." At the conclusion of the meeting, Congressman Hastings was asked by the CBC to develop an objection strategy.

"As Members of the CBC, it is our duty to publicly acknowledge our strong opposition to the acceptance of the Presidential Electors from Florida for Governor George W. Bush," said Congressman Hastings. "In defense of Democracy, in defense of every American's right to vote.... Beyond the court-sanctioned injustices that we experienced in Florida, let's face it: Vice President Al Gore won this election. The American people are looking to us not only for public outrage, but also for leadership. In this case, leadership calls for courage," Hastings said.

Congressman Hastings urged the CBC not to be daunted by the fact that no Senator has agreed to sign the objection as required under the rules. "While the rules may prevent the hearing of our challenge, they do not relieve us of our responsibility to the voters in this country who stood in line to make their voices heard, only to find that their voices had been muted by injustice."
>continue here:
http://www.oralmajorityonline.com/Articles/2Alcee_Objects.htm

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Presidential Election Results to be Finalized in Congress Today
Aired January 6, 2001 - 12:00 p.m. ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: One last count in election 2000 gets underway in about an hour, when members of the House and Senate gather to tally the Electoral College votes. That will make the election of George W. Bush as president official. Presiding over it all, Al Gore, the man Bush defeated in the historic White House battle. A few members of Congress plan raise objections at the ceremony.

CNN's congressional correspondent Chris Black is on Capitol Hill, and she's got more on that.

Hi, Chris.

CHRIS BLACK, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra.

The law requires Congress to officially count the Electoral College vote on January 6, so that's exactly what they'll do just an hour from now, when the joint session begins over in the House of Representatives. Vice President Al Gore, as president of the Senate, will be presiding over this joint session; the first vice president since Richard Nixon in 1961 to actually preside over the election of his rival in the presidential campaign.

We know of at least one objection that will be raised. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have asked Alcee Hastings, a member of that caucus and a democratic member from Florida to object when the state of Florida is called up. He will object to the 25 Electoral College votes from his home state.
>continue here:
http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0101/06/cst.01.html

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Congress confirms Bush electoral victory
January 6, 2001
Web posted at: 7:14 p.m. EST (0014 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic candidate for president of the United States, declared George W. Bush the next president on Saturday after the formal count of the Electoral College vote.

"May God bless our new president and vice president, and may God bless the United States of America," a stoic Gore declared after the votes were tallied.
>snip<

Saturday's formalization of the vote came only after members of the Black Caucus and several House colleagues objected and walked out in protest.

Reps. Peter Deutsch and Alcee Hastings, both Florida Democrats, made the first objections to the session based on parliamentary procedure, a symbolic protest over allegations of voting irregularities in the Sunshine State.

The objections were denied because rules require a signature from both a member of the House and a member of the Senate. No senator was willing to join the objections.

"I don't care that it is not signed by a senator," said Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Democrat.

"The chair would advise that the rules do care," Gore replied, triggering applause by Republicans.
>continue here:
http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/stories/01/06/electoral.vote/

NOTE: There are links to video on the page, but I don't know if they are still available - cannot make myself click to open right now.

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CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE AND CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
OPPOSE FLORIDA ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today joined members of the Congressional Black Caucus in opposition to counting Florida=s 25 electoral college votes for George W. Bush.

A formal objection to counting Florida=s electoral votes must be presented in writing, signed by at least one Senator and one Representative, under 3 U.S.C. section 15. Unfortunately, not one single Member of the Senate submitted an objection, thereby rendering the objection out of order.

ARules may prevent the hearing of our challenge, but they do not relieve us of our responsibility to the people in this country who voted, only to find that their vote was not counted,@ said Lee. AWe will not stand silently by while African American voters are intimidated, dismissed from polling places, forced to use antiquated machines, and denied their rightful voice.@

The Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights organizations have pursued various initiatives and legal action in the months following the election. Congresswoman Lee, other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and civil rights leaders met with Attorney General Janet Reno to request a Justice Department investigation into widespread voter intimidation and harassment, a disproportionate number of antiquated voting machines in minority communities, and other voting irregularities.
>continue here:
http://www.house.gov/lee/releases/01Jan06.htm

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Why They Screwed Us
January 07, 2001
© 2001 The Daily Brew
Yesterday, January 6, 2001, a day that will forever bring shame to the United States Congress, the theft of the Presidential election of year 2000 became official.

There had been a hope, ever so slight, that Democrats might have successfully prevailed on at least some members of the GOP to put our Democracy ahead of their party, but it was not to be. Recognizing the impeachment poisoned cesspool of Republican partisanship that lies just beneath the paper thin veneer currently on display in Austin, Democrats were not so naïve to believe that the Republicans would be willing to sacrifice the White House for higher principles. Not that those higher principles were hidden; for plainly they weren’t.

Long after Al Gore’s concession, but well before yesterday's electoral college votes had actually been cast in the Congress, the truth had slowly been leaking out. The major American media did not want to talk about it, but the Congressional Black Caucus did, and newspapers in Florida and England were printing the stories.

Stories about thousands African Americans who had been illegally stricken from the lists of registered voters for felony crimes that didn’t exist. Stories about the hand counting of ballots by GOP elections officials in GOP districts; the same kind of hand counting Al Gore was denied by a Supreme Court that sacrificed its integrity on the alter of partisan expedience. And most damning of all for the Bush Putsch, stories about how despite all of the shenanigans, the governor of Florida had failed to deliver the State for his brother.
>continue here:
http://www.thedailybrew.com/01-07-01.htm

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 7

"THE DIVA" FORMALLY SWITCHES RACE

LONG BEACH (gorewon2000.net) -- WebMistress of The BUSH BROTHERS BANANA REPUBLIC formally switches race, based on new information.

"The Diva," WebMistress of The BBBR (gorewon2000.net), after careful consideration and review of new information, has decided today to renounce her whiteness, and join the black race.

"Well, I always just assumed I was white. I never really looked into it carefully, though," she remarked today. "I guess, since I have red hair, green eyes, freckles, and the complexion of Elvira, I took it for granted that I was white." She went on to say, "However, since I have investigated the matter more fully, I realize now I cannot possibly be."

After a thorough review of media reports, The Diva came to the obvious conclusion that she must be black. "The media has been very clear that concern and outrage over Coup2K is a 'black thing,' so I now realize I must be black. I mean, I'm furious, right?" When asked to elaborate, Tammy explained, "Well, I look at it this way. The only people, according to the media, that feel the way I clearly do -- that are certain that criminal acts are on the verge of putting an illegitimate leader in the White House -- are black Americans. You don't find evidence much less ambiguous than that, do you?"

The WebMistress, until today's stunning announcement, had always personally identified as 'white'. "You know, you get asked that a lot, on all kinds of forms you have to fill out, and I have always checked 'white' or 'Caucasian' when asked. I have to admit, I was basing my answer on the way I look -- nothing more," she said. "I realize now how faulty my reasoning has been." She continued, "I was always vaguely aware that race statutes have traditionally defined any person with any black ancestry as 'black' under the law, and I also know that all humans share a common ancestry." She went on to say, "I'm convinced now, after careful review of the facts, that I must have many black ancestors in my lineage that I am simply unaware of. How else can I possibly explain my visceral and powerful reaction to Coup2K?"
>continue here:
http://www.coup2k.com/blacklikeme.html

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PBS NewsHour online
MAKING IT OFFICIAL

January 8, 2001

KWAME HOLMAN: Vice President Al Gore was welcomed with warm applause as he entered the chamber of the House of Representatives Saturday morning. There may have been times during his Presidential campaign when Mr. Gore envisioned someday receiving such a greeting from a joint session of Congress gathered to hear him deliver a State of the Union address. But on this day, the Vice President, as President of the Senate, simply was fulfilling one of the duties of his office, overseeing the tally of results from the Presidential election and certifying its winner, George W. Bush.

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE: The tellers on the part of the two Houses will take their respective places at the clerk's desk.

KWAME HOLMAN: Two members from the Senate and two from the House-- two Republicans and two Democrats-- announced the electoral results from each state as the Vice President looked on.

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD, (D) Connecticut: The certificate of the electoral vote of the state of Alabama seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefore that George W. Bush of the state of Texas received nine votes for President, and dick Cheney of the state of Wyoming received nine votes for Vice President.

KWAME HOLMAN: The controversy surrounding this past election made Saturday's tally all the more intriguing, particularly when the winners of Florida's 25 electoral votes were announced.

REP. CHAKA FATTAH, (D) Pennsylvania: This is the one we have all been waiting for. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of Florida seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that George W. Bush of the state of Texas received 25 votes for President, and Dick Cheney of the state of Wyoming received 25 votes for Vice President.
>continue here:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/congress/jan-june01/certified_01-08.html

NOTE: video - still available? again- I'm trying not to give in to emotions, so I can post this, so didn't try the link.

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Published on Tuesday, January 9, 2001 in the Boston Globe
Black Caucus Sends a Message About Justice
by James Carroll

THE AMERICAN Heritage Dictionary defines ''epiphany'' as a ''sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something.'' Last Saturday was the Christian feast of the Epiphany - Three Kings Day - but on that day an equally dramatic manifestation occurred in the chamber of the United States Congress. Electoral College votes for president and vice president were solemnly registered, sealing the ascendancy of George W. Bush and Richard Cheney.

What should have been a mere formality turned out to be an emphatic recapitulation of the election drama as members of the Congressional Black Caucus rose, one after the other, to protest the filing of the electoral votes from Florida.

As the presiding officer, Al Gore was obliged to overrule the protests. Other vice presidents, having lost bids to succeed to the highest office, have had to wield the gavel against themselves in such a setting, but Gore's doing so seemed especially poignant. That is so, first, because the Black Caucus members, in speaking out for Floridians whose votes were not counted, were speaking out for him, making explicit the awkward fact that he, not Bush, was the true winner of the election.

When Gore gaveled them out of order, staunchly defending the spirit of amity that now reigns between Democrats and Republicans, it seemed a tragic replay of the worst aspect of Gore's fall campaign against Bush, the pretense that nothing really separated the Democrat from the Republican.
>continue here:
http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0109-05.htm

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The president's brother has chosen the team


Monday, 8 January, 2001, 12:14 GMT
US voting under scrutiny
By Malcolm Brabant in Miami

A special task force given the job of reforming Florida's much-pilloried election system is due to hold its first session in the state capital, Tallahassee on Monday.

The state was ridiculed worldwide after America's presidential election because of confusion caused by its butterfly ballots and punch card voting systems that caused a new word to enter the English language - the 'chad'.

The task-force, chosen by Florida's governor, Jeb Bush, the brother of the new president, has just two months to come up with a new system that will ensure that never again will the state suffer a repeat of last year's humiliation.
>continue here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1106101.stm

NOTE: and so begins the march to BBV in Florida.

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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 31, 2001

Remarks by the President Before Meeting with Congressional Black Caucus
The Cabinet Room

5:32 P.M. EST


THE PRESIDENT: I want to thank Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson from Dallas, Texas, and you all for coming. I appreciate -- Madam Chairman. I look forward to a good dialogue on subjects that are on the members' minds and on my mind, as well. I think we'll have a good discussion about public education. While there may be some discussion about details, all of us, surely, believe the great hope for this country is to make sure every child -- I mean every child -- is educated.

I look forward to sharing with the members who don't know me well some of my experiences as the governor of the state of Texas and what I've tried to do to fulfill that promise and fulfill that pledge.

This will be the beginning of, hopefully, a lot of meetings. I hope you come back, and I'll certainly be inviting. But thanks for coming. It's an important part of my job -- is to talk to everybody who is in the legislative body. I will remind you all, I understand the difference between the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch. I only get to suggest. You all pass the laws. And that's what we're here to work --

REPRESENTATIVE MCKINNEY: That's right. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I understand that well. But thank you all for coming. It's an honor for you to be here.

END 5:34 P.M. EST
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20010131-3.html

NOTE to mods: Let me know if I need to clip this for fair use. I left it intact because it's our White House, dammit. *jr just squats there temporarily.

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JUMP TO MAY 13, 2003 - Yes, May 13, 2003
Q&A With Bob Levey
Washington Post Columnist
Tuesday, May 13, 2003; Noon ET

>snip<
Bob Levey: To say the least, President Bush hasn't clasped the Congressional Black Caucus to his breast. In fact, he hasn't met with your group for nearly two and a half years. Any chance that this will change soon?

Elijah Cummings: I hope so. On numerous occasions the Congressional Black Caucus has requested that the President engage in a dialogue with us. Please note, the last and only time the President met with the CBC was in January, 2001. Just prior to the Iraq war the CBC requested a meeting with the President to discuss such issues as homeland security, the economy, healthcare, and many other issues. The President wrote back to us flatly stating that he did not have time to meet. It concerns us tremendously that a President who claims to be a "conservative who is compassionate" would refuse to meet with a group of legislators who represent more than 26-million people. We will continue to press on for a meeting. It is our belief that when both Houses of the Congress and the Presidency are controlled by Republicans, we have no choice but to engage in dialogue with leaders such as President Bush. Please note that I have met with Senate Majority Leader Frist and the CBC is planning to meet with Speaker Hastert.
full interview here:
http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/zforum/03/r_metro_levey_051303.htm

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several articles here:
http://www.democrats.com/preview.cfm?term=Elector%20Challenge

astrological considerations (for those so inclined):
http://starcats.com/2001_a_race_odyssey.html

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Now I'm going to go sit in a corner and cry for a little while.