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Sunday Morning News

Michael Weisskopf Analyzes the Florida Recount

Aired November 26, 2000 - 10:31 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: As today's deadline nears, so does the political tension level between Republicans and Democrats. How much political capital does either side have left? Well here to consider that question and more is Michael Weisskopf, senior correspondent for "Time" magazine.

Hi, Michael.

MICHAEL WEISSKOPF, "TIME": Hi, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well let's start with the political divisions. From -- what have you observed, what have you come to terms with when we talk about that, the divisions?

WEISSKOPF: Most recently, the extraordinary cohesion on the part of Democrats. And earlier in the week, I wouldn't have said that, but the Republican demonstrations on the ground have done something to Democrats that Al Gore has never been able to do, and that is unite them behind him.

They've -- they saw the efforts at the Miami-Dade election board to be a kind of mob rule, and we saw the election judges kind of caving in on their decision as a result of it, and it really kind of alienated them stiffened their back for a longer battle.

PHILLIPS: So when is enough enough? At what point does the candidate say, OK, I won, you lost, let's stop stressing out America and just get this over with?

WEISSKOPF: Today's decision by Katherine Harris will be kind of the beginning of the fourth quarter, and it will certainly clarify the picture, especially for the winner, who will have bragging rights and some squatter rights, because the government does provide transition space for the winner, and whoever is certified today, and certainly George Bush is ahead, will have the ability to ask the federal government for that space, the keys to the transition.

PHILLIPS: So do you think the certification will be a positive step, or do you think it won't settle anything, like some are saying?

WEISSKOPF: Well, it will certainly give political high ground to whoever wins it. And it will begin the process of kind of settling in on the idea that this is going to be the president. Of course, it will only be momentary because by the end of next weak the Supreme Court will have its say, and the deck may have to be rescrambled again.

PHILLIPS: As a journalist, how would you describe this time for you? Has this been exciting? Has this been a drag? Has this been frustrating?

WEISSKOPF: Well, for anyone who lived through the impeachment battle, this is yet another exercise in the structure left by our founding fathers. And it's fascinating to watch how elastic the process is, how all this could be done at the highest political levels without really affecting the day-to-day lives of Americans.

PHILLIPS: Now if -- all right, let's evaluate the day-to-day drama that's been going on. And evaluating all of that, what do you think it tells us about the leadership styles that Bush and Gore have? Have you thought about that at all?

WEISSKOPF: Indeed, it and does reflect a kind of difference that we may see even in terms of governing. Al Gore has just tended to wrap this in large philosophical terms, trying to capture will of the people and to allow democracy to speak, whereas George Bush, who's a little bit less embellished in his speaking style, likes to think of this as kind of a technical issue, trying to get a fair and accurate reading of the vote.

And they sort of have taken that kind of a style, and it may reflect how they operate from the bully pulpit.

PHILLIPS: Michael, before we go, real quickly, voter apathy: After all this is over, do you think you're ever going to be doing another story on voter apathy?

WEISSKOPF: Certainly not at crises like this. It keeps the 24- hour news shows going, and I think it really taps into the pulse of watchers.

PHILLIPS: Michael Weisskopf, senior correspondent for "Time" magazine, thanks so much, sir.

WEISSKOPF: Good to be here, Kyra.

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