Sunday December 3 12:00 PM ET
Christopher: Gore Will Concede When Time Is Right
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites)'s top lieutenant in the postelection legal skirmishing said on Sunday it was not yet time for Gore to concede the presidential race, but ``when the time comes,'' the vice president will do so ``in a very gracious way.''
In an interview on CBS' ``Face the Nation,'' former Secretary of State Warren Christopher responded to the call by Republican vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney (news - web sites) on an earlier NBC program. With legal maneuvering on several fronts under way, the former defense secretary asserted Gore should concede the election because Texas Gov. George W. Bush (news - web sites) had been certified the winner of Florida's critical 25 electoral votes, necessary for either man to clinch the presidency.
``There's no basis for doing that at this point,'' Christopher said. ``It's late innings, but it's far from over.''
Specifically, Christopher said the Gore camp was awaiting decisions in three ongoing court proceedings -- deliberations in the U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) regarding the Florida Supreme Court (news - web sites)'s extension of the deadline to count votes; a court proceeding under way in Tallahassee, Florida, where Gore is seeking hand recounts in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Nassau counties; and a hearing in the state capital before a different judge regarding absentee ballots in two other counties.
``It's certainly far too early to concede with those three proceedings going forward,'' Christopher asserted. He did not, however, say he believed the vice president would prevail in any of the challenges.
He added he was ``just amazed'' that Republican Party officials in New Mexico were seeking to extend the process as well, requesting a hand recount in the state narrowly won by Gore by just 368 votes out of nearly 600,000 cast. In Florida, Bush's lead was certified at 537 votes among some 6 million cast.
'Far From Over'
``So this is far from over,'' Christopher said.
But Christopher said that Gore would concede with grace if the legal challenges fall short.
``I can assure you that the vice president, when the time comes, will concede in a very gracious way. He understands his obligations to the people of this country,'' Christopher said.
He said he could not predict when that would be ``because it depends on when the Florida courts rule.''
He noted, however, that ``the date of Dec. 12 of course is an important day.'' That is the deadline for the selection of U.S. electors, who then meet on Dec. 18 to formally choose the president.
Gore's challenge in Miami-Dade involves 10,700 ballots where machines did not detect a vote for president. In Palm Beach, Gore wants the county's manual recount totals included in the state tally and has challenged 3,300 ballots he says were improperly rejected. In Nassau, he says the elections board's throwing out of the mandated state recount cost him 51 votes.
In the Supreme Court case brought by Bush, the high court is reviewing whether to throw out hand-counted votes.
There has been no indication when the court would rule. Lawyers for both presidential candidates have said the ruling could come by the middle of next week.
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