11/17/00 5:55 p.m.
Down for the Count?
More reason to boycott the re-recount.

By NR’s John J. Miller & Ramesh Ponnuru

kay, so the victory speech we just recommended to George W. Bush turned out to be a tad premature.

As most of you have probably heard by now, the Florida Supreme Court enjoined Katherine Harris, Florida's secretary of state, from certifying the election results. This is very bad news for Bush because it comes at what could have been a very good time for him. By Saturday morning, all the absentee ballots will be counted and Democrats will know precisely how many votes they need to find.

Which is all the more reason that Republicans should, as we suggested earlier this week, stop participating in the farce of the hand recount. Their presence does not do much to prevent abuse, since disputes over the "interpretation" of ballots are resolved by votes of the canvassing boards (which lean toward the Democrats in the relevant places). Their presence does, however, lend legitimacy to a process that they otherwise condemn. Indeed, it enables it: It would be illegal for the recount to proceed without the Republicans, and there's no law that says the Republicans have to participate. Besides, the recount ties up Republican election lawyers — and they seem to be needed elsewhere in Florida.