JCF,

>Yes! and I think I wrote it in another reply. I think she stepped outside of her duties when she told one of the counties to stop the recount.

Sorry if I missed it, but do you have the text of her reply to their request for clarification? You say she "told one of the counties to stop the recount", so I'd be interesting in seeing exactly what she told them (the entire response to their request, if you have it).

>FWIW, I commented because what I'm hearing from you is that a secretary of state whose candidate is Bush has more integrity than several justices of a supreme court whose jobs are to be impartial. I don't see how that argument holds water.

Faulty logic here. Her job also is to be impartial. Just because you say the justices' jobs are to be impartial, doesn't mean that they are.

In a close contest like this, the ONLY way to be impartial is to hold exactly to the letter of the law. That's the only safe place to stand. Unfortunately, that's not acceptable to Gore, who apparently wants extra grace and leeway given to bend the law to his purposes.

The 5 pm Sunday deadline was fixed by the Supreme Court, with Monday given as a backup plan to be used only if her office was not opened on Sunday. She notified all the counties involved on Wednesday that the office would be open on Sunday. Therefore, Palm Beach knew BEFORE they took off for Thanksgiving that the deadline was Sunday 5pm.

THEY blew it, yet the Gore supporters attack her as partisan, when she was being impartial by holding to the letter of the law.