Kerry Spot    [ jim geraghty reporting ]
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A disturbing story from the AP:

Sen. John Kerry has a simple strategy if the presidential race is in doubt on Nov. 3, the day after the election: Do not repeat Al Gore's mistakes.

Unlike the former vice president, who lost a recount fight and the 2000 election, Kerry will be quick to declare victory on election night and begin defending it. He also will be prepared to name a national security team before knowing whether he's secured the presidency…

Gore prematurely conceded the 2000 race to George W. Bush, then had to retract his concession after aides said Florida wasn't lost. He never declared victory, an omission Kerry's advisers - many of whom worked for Gore - now believe created a sense of inevitability in voters' minds about Bush's presidency.

Gore didn't plan for the legal showdown, though few could have predicted it before Election Day. And he watched as Bush seized political advantage during the 36-day recount by publicly discussing a transition to the White House.

Not this time, promise Kerry's advisers. If there is doubt about the results, they will fight without delay.

While the lawyers litigate, political operatives will try to shape public perception. Their goal would be to persuade voters that Kerry has the best claim to the presidency and that Republicans are trying to steal it.

Democrats are already laying the public relations groundwork by pointing to every possible voting irregularity before the Nov. 2 election and accusing Republicans of wrongdoing.

On Election Day, Whouley will head the so-called "boiler room," probably in Washington, that tracks vote counts and ensures Kerry doesn't concede too soon. Whouley was the aide who, after noticing Florida was too close to call in 2000, called Gore's team in Tennessee and told them to put the brakes on the concession speech.

Notice nowhere in this story is there any suggestion that Kerry's plan would be affected by actual election results.

Of course, let's observe that the Democrats' sue-our-way-into-the-White-House strategy needs a couple of events to occur in order to win.

They need:

A) The electoral college total to be close.
B) They need at least one state that could alter the electoral college total to be close.
C) They need that state to have a plausible Election Day controversy.
D) They need that Election Day controversy to disallow a large pile of disputed ballots.
E) They need a legal case to argue that those disputed ballots to be allowed.
F) They need those disputed ballots to be enough to put Kerry over the top.

Not even Al Gore got F.

But it all starts with point A. If Team Bush can boost turnout so that Bush wins by several states' worth of electoral votes, the Kerry legal effort for five simultaneous recounts could look pretty silly. I think the Democrats overestimate public patience for another Florida controversy.

[Posted 10/20 09:47 AM]