Supreme Court Landmarks | A Recount in Florida | 6

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2020

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The morning of Nov. 8, 2000, Americans woke up to an undecided election. Pollsters had predicted a close race between Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush, but no one knew just how narrow the margins would be. It all hinged on Florida, where 25 electoral votes were up for grabs.

Over the next 36 days, armies of lawyers waged a bitter fight to determine how to count the votes in Florida. It was a battle that would eventually find its way to the Supreme Court.

In its long history, the Court had been asked to weigh in on political matters, but never before had it intervened in the results of a presidential election. The case that became known as Bush v. Gore would ultimately send one man to the White House and expose the Court to intense public scrutiny.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, Prime Members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon Music,
0:05.6	download the app today.
0:09.6	Imagine its Tuesday, November 7th, 2000.
0:21.8	It's just before 10 o'clock at night and you're in a television studio in New York.
0:26.0	You're the producer of a major nightly news broadcast and tonight you're reporting
0:30.3	on the election returns.
0:32.1	Live election broadcasts are always frenzied, but this one is quickly turning into a disaster.
0:37.0	Alright, everyone, cut to commercial.
0:39.8	You turn to your associate producer as you walk towards the control room door.
0:43.2	Keep an eye on those Florida numbers and let me know the second anything changes.
0:49.0	You walk out onto the set, blinking at the bright studio lights and approach the anchor's
0:53.1	desk.
0:54.1	The makeup artist is reapplying his powder.
0:56.8	The anchor gives you a sideways glance.
0:59.0	What's the latest update?
1:00.0	You got those Nevada numbers yet?
1:01.5	No, we've got to talk about Florida.
1:03.7	We need to withdraw from the Gore column.
1:05.5	It's too close to call.
1:07.3	The anchor waves off the makeup artist and stares at you and disbelief.
1:10.8	You've got to be kidding me.
1:12.0	I called Florida for Gore two hours ago on national television.
	...

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