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CNN Correspondent Jeanne Meserve on Bush's strategy and surrogates

CNN Correspondent Jeanne Meserve is in Austin, Texas, where Republican Gov. George W. Bush awaits the outcome of Florida's contentious counting of ballots, which will determine whether he -- or Democratic Vice President Al Gore -- becomes president.

Q: Is there any concern in the Bush camp that the recount question will be decided by mostly Democratic-appointed judges on the Florida Supreme Court?

CNN's Jean Meserve  

MESERVE: In their public comments Sunday, Bush partisans said that they hoped for a politically neutral decision, but they mentioned that the court is made up of Democrats. I think they are well aware of the risks that politics could play a part in the court's decision-making, but are not going to emphasize that until they see exactly what the court does.

Q: Bush surrogates are going on the offensive against Democrats. Are there any signs of coordination?

MESERVE: I am absolutely sure that each one of them has conversed, if not with the governor, then with his top aides, to coordinate strategy. Bush aides also tell me that they are working in a coordinated fashion with their supporters on the ground in Florida. That is how they learn about some of the specifics of how the hand recounts are being conducted, specifics that they have used to criticize the process.

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The legal arm of the campaign has made a point of saying it is not coordinating or consulting in any way with Katherine Harris, the Florida secretary of state who has been such a central and controversial figure in this entire matter.

Q: Any hint of whether Bush will seek manual recounts statewide in Florida?

MESERVE: The campaign appears to have crossed that off completely. They say if the process is flawed in a few counties, then it would be flawed even if done statewide. The lawyers have also suggested the legal window for requesting recounts in other counties has now passed. So this is one thing about which the campaign has been definitive.

Q: What prompted Montana Gov. Marc Racicot to speak out?

MESERVE: Even after a number of Bush surrogates had appeared on Sunday talk shows, the campaign had more to say, and so Montana's Racicot summoned reporters to Bush headquarters, where he slammed Broward County and Miami-Dade County election officials for changing, he said, the rules for recounting ballots midstream.

He said Broward County had reversed itself and decided to count unpunched, dimpled ballots. He characterized that as a calculated attempt to garner more voters for Al Gore. He also took issue with Miami-Dade's decision to run ballots though a machine. He said that ultimately they would be creating ballots that had never been touched by a voter.

This of course, all part of the GOP effort to discredit the hand counting process, which they fear could cost Bush the state of Florida.

Q: Why Racicot?

MESERVE: Gov. Racicot was an early supporter of Gov. Bush. I believe he helped organize Western governors on Bush's behalf. He is articulate, and he is a fresh face and voice.

Q: What is the mood outside the Texas governor's mansion?

MESERVE: We are mostly television reporters and camera crews. We have spent much of the past two weeks cold and wet. You can guess what our mood is.

The Bush staff is rarely seen here, and all in all seems to be keeping a very low profile. But some staffers have described the past week as a roller coaster, and it's easy to understand why.

We also have in front of the governor's mansion a steady, but small, stream of protesters for the most part steadfast in their support of the governor. Only occasionally does one see a Gore supporter publicly expressing their opinion.

Q: Bush is staying quiet and mostly out of sight. If he does win the contest, what sort of access will reporters expect to get from him?

MESERVE: The prospect of there being a winner is so uncertain at this point in time, I don't think any of us have given that much thought.

I would certainly expect a public statement and press conference when this matter is resolved. But when it will be resolved is as much a mystery to me as to anyone else.


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Monday, November 20, 2000

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