U.S. papers attack Gore's stand

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, DEC. 6. The standoff in the U.S. presidential election continued with the Vice-President, Mr. Al Gore's running mate, Mr. Joseph Lieberman, trying to ensure on Capitol Hill that support from Democratic lawmakers did not waver. And leading newspapers, which supported the Democratic ticket, criticised the fashion in which Mr. Gore was trying to position himself.

Calling on the Florida Supreme Court to rule by Friday on whether it would overrule the Leon County Circuit Court and order a recount in Miami-Dade county, The New York Times in an editorial on Wednesday said, ``such a ruling would give Mr. Gore a legitimate chance at winning. But he should not be counting on or encouraging an aberrant, unfair ruling on absentee ballots from the Seminole and Martin counties.''

For now, senior Democratic lawmakers such as Mr. Richard Gephardt and Mr. Tom Daschle are solidly behind the Gore- Lieberman team. But not many Democrats are saying that Mr. Gore should concede should the Florida Supreme Court go against him. ``I will leave that to the Vice-President and I will certainly support whatever decision he makes in that regard,'' said the Senate Minority Leader, Mr. Daschle.

If Democrats are seen as being solidly behind Mr. Gore, some of this has to do with how the Republican leadership has been acting on Capitol Hill in recent weeks. Senior Republicans have said that they are determined to challenge the Electoral College votes on January 6, 2001 if the Texas Governor, Mr. George W. Bush is ``denied'' a victory.

The Democrats see pretty much the same right-wing Republican crowd on Capitol Hill that was in the forefront of the impeachment of the President, Mr. Bill Clinton. Hence the resentment and therefore a determination to keep rallying behind the Vice-President.

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Section  : International
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