BB, even if the Gore campaign tried to abuse the process, even if it tried more than the Bush camp--which doesn't seem to me to add up from the news accounts--it's hard for me to see how cheating and losing does more damage to faith in any system than cheating and winning. Many's the court case where distortions are presented to serve the interests of each side, but the ones that erode faith aren't the ones where the case is stretched, the process taken advantage of, but that party loses.

That's what doesn't make sense to me. I'm not going to quibble over the factual basis--what's the point, now? I accepted the outcome and hoped things would go better. Unlike you, I'm far more scared of Bush.

   His strength seems to me a weakness. He can't say no to his chums and friends. That's not strength, or leadership, politically speaking. But I'm sure it makes him a likeable regular guy, to them.