Bob Dole, the Republican loser in the 1996 presidential campaign, on Friday urged Democratic nominee Al Gore to concede the 2000 presidential race to George W. Bush as a result of the Florida recount.
"I think if I were Al Gore, and I know Al fairly well, that we have had a count, we have now had a recount, I think it's time for him to say the election is over, let's get on with the business of America," Dole told CBS.
"This is not a campaign. This is very serious business. The recount was held; Bush is still the winner. And I think it's time to say, let's go, let's get America, let's start moving forward."
Dole, a former Senate leader, said that despite questions about some ballots, it would be a mistake to make a legal challenge to close races.
"If we're going to go down that path, this election will never be finished and we can be well into next year before we go to, say, Iowa, or Wisconsin, or New Mexico, wherever it might be," Dole said.
"We don't want to taint the presidency as a result of all of this. I mean, people all over the world are watching this process ... I think we've had a fair recount. Everybody agreed to abide by it -- at least I thought that was the case and, you know, I think we ought to do that now."
Bush won the recount in all 67 counties of the southeastern state by a 327-vote margin, according to the unofficial returns reported by the US media, citing the national news agency Associated Press.
That report sparked a brief skirmish between the Bush and Gore camps, with a top Bush official calling on Democrats to give up the fight, and Gore's campaign director insisting that "this election is not over" -- WASHINGTON (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
