The woman under fire
Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris is suddenly Democrats' enemy No.
1 -- and they have lots of ammo to use against her.
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By Jake Tapper
Nov. 13, 2000 | WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Monday morning in Tallahassee,
Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris told Vice President Al Gore's men
in Florida -- former campaign chairman Bill Daley and former Secretary of
State Warren Christopher -- that Tuesday at 5 p.m. would be the absolute
deadline for recount numbers from any county.
This was a blow to Gore's team, as well as to several of the Democratic
counties that had requested an extension, since a hand recount in Palm Beach
County was revealing a narrowing in the margin between the totals of Gore and
Gov. George W. Bush, and the Gore forces wanted more time to count all the
ballots. Hand recounts picked up votes for both candidates that had not been
registered in the machine count, but since the Democratic-leaning county
voted for Gore more so than for Bush, the hand recount was revealing a net
gain for Gore.
With an unofficial gap of only 288 votes, every single "hanging chad" has
worldwide implications.
For that reason, Republicans had begun sniping at the decision by the two
Democrats on the Palm Beach County board, Theresa LePore and Carol Roberts,
to push for a countywide manual recount, for which the county would need an
extension.
Likewise, Democrats were raising their eyebrows at Harris' ruling Monday
morning, in which she effectively told LePore and Roberts to remove all
thoughts of a countywide hand recount from their minds. The deadline will
stand, Harris said in a statement, "in order to effectuate the public's right
to clarity and finality."
"We think the action by the Florida secretary of state is arbitrary and
unreasonable," Christopher said to reporters immediately after the meeting.
Other prominent Democrats immediately began piling on. On "Good Morning
America," Sen. Joe Lieberman made note that Harris was a supporter of Bush.
Rep. Peter Deutsch, D-Florida, argued that Harris's decision to not extend
the deadline to at least Friday, is "bizarre," while also pointing out that
she's Bush's state campaign co-chair."I honestly think what's going on is a
strategic decision by the Bush campaign to hurt the litigation efforts,"
Deutsch said.
Even before Harris' decision had been declared, Gore supporters were already
preparing to tar her as a biased, longtime supporter of Bush.
They didn't have to look too hard. Harris, first elected in 1988, was Bush's
Florida co-chairwoman as far back as October 1999.
"I am thrilled and honored to announce my support of George W. Bush for the
presidency," she said, as quoted in a "Bush for President" press release.
Harris said that working with Bush's younger brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush,
"has provided a constant reminder of the power of values-based leadership --
the same leadership George has shown in Texas. I also share George's
commitment to education, and I look forward to sharing his vision with
Floridians."
She would later serve as a Bush delegate during the Republican National
Convention.
Harris' activities on behalf of Bush went far beyond the normal activities of
a state chairwoman, however. She was a presence on the Bush campaign in
January, traveling with Jeb and 138 other Floridians as they flew from Miami
and Tallahassee to New Hampshire on a leased Boeing 727 to campaign for the
Texas governor in his primary campaign against Arizona Sen. John McCain.
Harris' presence on the tour -- called "Freezin' for a Reason" -- brought
lovely photo ops of her and her fellow Floridians handing out bags of Florida
oranges and Plant City strawberries.
It has also brought serious questions about her partisanship in light of her
authority over the Florida controversy.
Indeed, by not allowing Palm Beach and other counties to extend their
deadlines to, say, Friday, when the absentee ballots are due, Harris has made
a ruling that undoubtedly has her friends in Austin, Texas, pleased, even
though she can argue that she is just abiding by the state statute. The one
provision in the statute that would allow her to waive the Tuesday 5 p.m.
deadline would be in the case of a national emergency, like a hurricane. Such
arguments hold little water with Democrats, however.
"She is clearly a partisan Republican -- and there's nothing illegal about
that," said Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla. "And I give everyone the benefit of
the doubt, expecting them to perform their public functions appropriately.
But her actions will speak volumes about whether she is qualified. If she
does this fairly, fine. But if she acts as an emissary for Bush to steal this
election in Florida, she will delegitimize Florida's vote count."
This isn't the first time critics have questioned Harris' impartiality. Last
month, the Tampa Tribune reported Harris had spent $100,000 in state funds on
trips to New York, Washington and abroad, raising "speculation [about] Harris
seeking an ambassadorship if Texas Gov. George W. Bush is elected president."
Additionally, Harris personally enlisted retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf
in a Florida public service TV announcement urging Floridians to go to the
polls. Schwarzkopf is a well-known Bush supporter who not only vouched for
Bush during the Republican National Convention but appeared with the Texas
governor at numerous campaign stops throughout the Sunshine State. Democrats
and others criticized Harris for selecting someone so clearly aligned with
the GOP candidate.
"The only reason to certify the elections at 5 p.m. tomorrow is a partisan
one," Wexler said Monday. "If she does what she says she's going to do --
certify the elections at 5 p.m. tomorrow -- she will have proven her critics
correct; she will have proven that she is an emissary of the Bush campaign
who is willing to steal an election."
Whether that's true or not, Harris' actions throughout the past year have
given critics plenty of ammunition to use against her.
salon.com
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About the writer
Jake Tapper is the Washington correspondent for Salon News.
