Voices

“It is important to remember that our system was not intended for angels to use in creating perfection but to produce reliable constitutional results despite being run by a changing cast of fallible men and women.” --Rep. Alcee L. Hastings, (D.-Fla.)

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“Rather than being a place where presidents choose judges, these were judges choosing presidents. This leaves a stain on democracy.” -- Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas)

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“The process may not have been perfect, but I believe the judges--all of them who were involved-did the best they could with the facts and arguments before them.” -- Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.)

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“The closeness of the decision reflects the closeness of the public. It also reflects the closeness of the legal and constitutional issues in play.” -- Rep. James A. Leach (R-lowa)

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“I think that the country is ready to accept President-elect Bush, if we can call him that at this point, as the leader. I don’t think you’ll get the usual fanfare, the usual celebration that you would get if the election was decided on voting day.” -- Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.)

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I think it’s been a great civics lesson for the American public. I think the country will eventually be stronger because of this.” -- Retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, a Bush supporter

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“I just put the burden on Gov. Bush. He gets a chance to be everything he advertised himself to be. If he is a uniter instead of a divider, all these worries will go away.” -- Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.)

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I think it’s a dark day for our country when we don’t count votes.” -- William Shaheen, Gore’s Now Hampshire campaign director

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“I saw hundreds of votes not counted from Miami-Dade. We examined 4,000 of those under-votes and I’m convinced we had a massive failure in the punch card ballot system.” -- Ion Sancho, Leon County supervisor of elections, who was in charge of recounting the ballots from Leon and Miami-Dade counties on Saturday

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“Sure, we’re not in the same position we would be if we had won outright, but in some ways it presents an opportunity for people to step up to the plate to be better than they would have been if the election had been a slam dunk.” -- Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas)

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“It’s going to be difficult to rally a strong level of support for a new administration. Typically, there is a honeymoon period for a new president. I think the circumstances of this election will give Bush less initial leeway than most presidents have.” - Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.)

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“It’s better to have the Supreme Court decide it than have it go to Congress. That would have been just a straight party-line vote.” -- Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.)

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I think the American people will rally behind the new president They typically do.” -- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

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“There’s no doubt that Gov. Bush is coming in under difficult circumstances. It will be a test of his leadership to see if he can unite the country.” -- Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.)

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“Black voters, if I may speak for them, I don’t see them supporting George Bush in any way. I will respect him and I will work with him, but I don’t think that [extends] to my constituents” -- Rep. Carrie P. Meek (D-Fla.)

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“This decision in Florida and the Supreme Court has torn our nation apart ... If he [Bush] really becomes president, he has a tremendous job to reach out to Democrats and to put out a bipartisan agenda. -- Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.)

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“It is precisely known which candidate has won a majority of the whole number of electors and the presidency. I am certain that all Americans, with wisdom and understanding, embrace the new president as our rightful and legitimate national leader chosen under the rule of law.” -- House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas)

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“There are lots of other capable people who, no doubt, will step forward. Certainly this was [Gore’s] best chance. -- Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) on Gore’s future