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Allegations abound as recounting is launched

Amid launch of vote recounting in the result-determining Florida state, accusations have started pouring in, even as officials said knowing the outcome of one of the closest United States presidential poll may take up to 10 days.

With the fate of Democrat Vice President Al Gore and Republican George W Bush hanging in balance, tempers have started fraying over the inconclusive presidential elections.

Alleging irregularities in ballot papers and counting in Florida, the Gore camp sent a team of lawyers headed by former secretary of state Warren Christopher to watch over the recount.

The Bush camp, for its part, sent its own team of lawyers headed by former secretary of state and chief of staff at the White House James Baker.

Gore, who is leading with 260 to 246 electoral votes over Bush and only 10 short of presidency, said he did not know what the result of the election would be and added that it had to be resolved in accordance with the constitution.

Texas Governor George Bush, whose fate depends on the undecided 25 electoral votes of Florida, said he had no doubt he had won and the recount would prove it.

Television networks said Gore was rude to Bush when, after conceding the election to him following wrong reports that Bush had won Florida, phoned him again to retract the concession.

"You don't have to get snippy with me over this," Gore reportedly said.

Bush, according to the networks, replied "You are calling me back to retract your concession?"

Gore thereupon reportedly said: "Let me explain something to you. Your younger brother in Florida (Governor Jeb Bush) is not the ultimate authority on this."

Bush supporters accused Ralph Nader, a third party candidate standing on the Green ticket, of causing the defeat of Gore in Florida by taking away 96,000 votes in that state.

However, Nader said Gore defeated himself by seeing to it that the choice is between a do-little party and a do-nothing party. He expressed his determination to continue the fight to end the 'duopoly' of the Republicans and Democrats.

Florida officials said the recount could take anything between 12 hours to 10 days, depending on when all the postal ballots, postmarked for the day of the election and mailed by the voters in the country they live, arrive in Florida.

President Bill Clinton congratulated both Gore and Bush on 'a vigorous, hard-fought, truly remarkable campaign'.

In his philosophical comments over the undecided fate of his chosen heir Gore, Clinton told reporters said, "The American people have spoken, but it is going to take a little while to determine what they said."

"The process for that is in motion, and the rest of us will have to let it play out," he said.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Florida recount begins; 3 in Palm Beach County sue, ask revote
The race that would not end
Nation braces for long count
Recount is likely just start of fight
Bush cautiously claims victory
Florida recounts votes county by county as candidates wait
Presidential candidate totals change as Florida recounts votes
Parties perform extraordinary balancing act Bill Press: Time to get rid of the Electoral College
Analysis: Bizzare twists raise fairness issue
Online absentee voting heats up Florida recount
TV Drama Both Exhilarating and Humiliating
Nader Comes Into Play in Unlikely Area

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