Votes in federal elections are cast and counted in a highly decentralized and variable fashion, with no uniform ballots and few national standards.

Incumbents are safe, but party majorities are not. This fosters symbolic votes, message politics and little serious legislating in Congress.

But presidential approval also became a surrogate measure of national unity and patriotism.

If there's still a need for a runoff after the ballots are counted, we will consider our legal options.

These votes are going to be counted in Florida. If they're not counted now, they are going to be counted next year under Freedom of Information Act lawsuits, ... If the truth comes out next year that in fact Al Gore did win Florida ... what is that going to do for the esteem and the respect of the Supreme Court of the United States?

Votes should be weighed not counted.