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Too Close to Call: The Thirty-Six-Day Battle to Decide the 2000 Election
From the best-selling author of A Vast Conspiracy and The Run of His Life comes Too Close to Call--the definitive story of the Bush-Gore presidential recount. A political and legal analyst of unparalleled journalistic skill, Jeffrey Toobin is the ideal writer to distill the events of the thirty-six anxiety-filled days that culminated in one of the most stunning Supreme Court decisions in history.
Packed with news-making disclosures and written with the drive of a legal thriller, Too Close to Call takes us inside James Baker's private jet, through the locked gates to Al Gore's mansion, behind the covered-up windows of Katherine Harris's office, and even into the secret conference room of the United States Supreme Court. As the scene shifts from Washington to Austin and into the remote corners of the enduringly strange Sunshine State, Toobin's book will transform what you thought you knew about the most extraordinary political drama in American history.
The Florida recount unfolded in a kaleidoscopic maze of bizarre concepts (chads, pregnant and otherwise), unfamiliar people in critically important positions (the Florida Supreme Court), and familiar people in surprising new places (the Miami relatives of Elián González, in a previously undisclosed role in this melodrama). With the rich characterization that is his trademark, Toobin portrays the prominent strategists who masterminded the campaigns--the Daleys and the Roves--and also the lesser-known but influential players who pulled the strings, as well as the judges and justices whose decisions determined the final outcome. Toobin gives both camps a treatment they have not yet received--remarkably evenhanded, nonpartisan, and entirely new.
The post-election period posed a challenge to even the most zealous news junkie: how to keep up with what was happening and sort out the important from the trivial. Jeffrey Toobin has now done this--and then some. With clarity, insight, humor, and a deep understanding of the law, he deconstructs the events, the players, and the often Byzantine intricacies of our judicial system. A remarkable account of one of the most significant periods in our country's history, Too Close to Call is endlessly surprising, frequently poignant, and wholly addictive.
From the Hardcover edition.
Packed with news-making disclosures and written with the drive of a legal thriller, Too Close to Call takes us inside James Baker's private jet, through the locked gates to Al Gore's mansion, behind the covered-up windows of Katherine Harris's office, and even into the secret conference room of the United States Supreme Court. As the scene shifts from Washington to Austin and into the remote corners of the enduringly strange Sunshine State, Toobin's book will transform what you thought you knew about the most extraordinary political drama in American history.
The Florida recount unfolded in a kaleidoscopic maze of bizarre concepts (chads, pregnant and otherwise), unfamiliar people in critically important positions (the Florida Supreme Court), and familiar people in surprising new places (the Miami relatives of Elián González, in a previously undisclosed role in this melodrama). With the rich characterization that is his trademark, Toobin portrays the prominent strategists who masterminded the campaigns--the Daleys and the Roves--and also the lesser-known but influential players who pulled the strings, as well as the judges and justices whose decisions determined the final outcome. Toobin gives both camps a treatment they have not yet received--remarkably evenhanded, nonpartisan, and entirely new.
The post-election period posed a challenge to even the most zealous news junkie: how to keep up with what was happening and sort out the important from the trivial. Jeffrey Toobin has now done this--and then some. With clarity, insight, humor, and a deep understanding of the law, he deconstructs the events, the players, and the often Byzantine intricacies of our judicial system. A remarkable account of one of the most significant periods in our country's history, Too Close to Call is endlessly surprising, frequently poignant, and wholly addictive.
From the Hardcover edition.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
71 people are currently reading
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About the author
Jeffrey Toobin
29 books716 followersJeffrey Ross Toobin (J.D., Harvard Law School, 1986; B.A., American History and Literature, Harvard University) is a lawyer, blogger, and media legal correspondent for CNN and formerly The New Yorker magazine. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Brooklyn, New York, and later worked as a legal analyst for ABC News, where he received a 2001 Emmy Award for his coverage of the Elian Gonzales custody saga.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
March 11, 2019
Anyone who has seen a news report over the last two years will know that America is familiar with controversial elections for the role of President of the United States. That being said, some may not know just how much of a mess the 2000 contest turned out to be between Republican George W. Bush and sitting Vice-President Al Gore. Jeffrey Toobin seeks not only to take the reader back to that contest, but to explore the detailed drama that left the country waiting and watching while the State of Florida tried to remedy its highly controversial ballot counting and certification. Toobin explores many aspects of the Florida vote, highlighting for the reader some of the major anomalies that could be found throughout. With no single form of ballot being used, each county was left to choose what it wished to employ, from ‘colour the dot’ scanning to ‘puncture the perforation’ choices and a variety of others. Toobin effectively argues that these varied forms created much chaos in the interpretation of voter choices, as well as the placement of names on the paper and the lack of proper calibration of machines used to deliver the choice clearly. With so many issues, the clear voice of the electorate could not necessarily be heard. Add to that, the state’s elected representatives to oversee electoral results were strongly in the Bush camp—none more so than the Governor himself, younger brother to the Republican candidate—and could be seen to rush results and refuse recounts, even when they appeared to be merited. Both the Gore and Bush camps hired sly and politically savvy representatives, seeking to argue their causes in an airtight fashion. Toobin looks at how the recounts, the limitations, and the subsequent legal challenges turned the election into a farce and a complete circus, pitting brevity against voters’ actual sentiments. Not to be outdone in this drama, the US Supreme Court (USSC) got itself involved in state statutes and election results, turning the drama into something akin to a political soap opera more intriguing than watching a White Bronco race up a freeway and a bloodied glove not fit on the hand of a murderer. As the momentum built over time, Toobin offers wonderful narrative depictions of things before the final ruling by the USSC that handed the presidential win to Bush and the Republicans. Full of drama and intriguing questions for the reader to consider, anyone with an interest in reliving the 2000 campaign should find this book and enjoy all that this legal scholar has to say. You’ll not be disappointed!
Having read a number of Toobin’s books before, I knew that I was in for a treat with this piece. His attention to detail and smooth narrative leave the reader feeling as if they are right in the middle of the action, rather than viewing things from a dry and academic perspective. Toobin honed in on the action from the opening paragraphs, spinning the story of voting irregularities and weaving that theme throughout. His focus on many of the actors on all sides of the situation provides the reader with a sense of thoroughness, even if there is an inherent bias within the presentation. I ask myself how one cannot have that perspective, with democratic limitations put in place, though I am sure many of the Bush fans have already screamed foul. The slow and deliberate build-up throughout the narrative, adding necessary tangents to fuel the fires of controversy helped to enrich the end product. Toobin lays out the issues and allows the reader to editorialise all their own, though there are surely some glaring questions that leave the attentive reader unsettled. Did Florida ever leave behind the ballots that created these headaches? Why has there not been a push to streamline the type of ballots? Could this experience be yet another reason to question the decentralised nature of the United States, particularly when it comes to elections on a national scale? Add to that the stunning revelations that come in the epilogue and the reader may want to scoop their jaw off the floor. While the chapters may be long and information-packed, the reader will surely feel relieved that the thoroughness allows them more of a comprehensive exploration on the topic, as fans of Toobin’s work have come to expect. After reading this, there is surely a great deal of controversy and bad blood that needed to be rectified. Even today, almost two decades later, I am shocked at how things transpired. But, there is always a silver lining... at least the GOP candidate did not use the Russians to steal the election in 2000 as well.
Kudos, Mr. Toobin, for keeping the story moving and the insights plentiful. I always learn so much when I read one of your books!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Having read a number of Toobin’s books before, I knew that I was in for a treat with this piece. His attention to detail and smooth narrative leave the reader feeling as if they are right in the middle of the action, rather than viewing things from a dry and academic perspective. Toobin honed in on the action from the opening paragraphs, spinning the story of voting irregularities and weaving that theme throughout. His focus on many of the actors on all sides of the situation provides the reader with a sense of thoroughness, even if there is an inherent bias within the presentation. I ask myself how one cannot have that perspective, with democratic limitations put in place, though I am sure many of the Bush fans have already screamed foul. The slow and deliberate build-up throughout the narrative, adding necessary tangents to fuel the fires of controversy helped to enrich the end product. Toobin lays out the issues and allows the reader to editorialise all their own, though there are surely some glaring questions that leave the attentive reader unsettled. Did Florida ever leave behind the ballots that created these headaches? Why has there not been a push to streamline the type of ballots? Could this experience be yet another reason to question the decentralised nature of the United States, particularly when it comes to elections on a national scale? Add to that the stunning revelations that come in the epilogue and the reader may want to scoop their jaw off the floor. While the chapters may be long and information-packed, the reader will surely feel relieved that the thoroughness allows them more of a comprehensive exploration on the topic, as fans of Toobin’s work have come to expect. After reading this, there is surely a great deal of controversy and bad blood that needed to be rectified. Even today, almost two decades later, I am shocked at how things transpired. But, there is always a silver lining... at least the GOP candidate did not use the Russians to steal the election in 2000 as well.
Kudos, Mr. Toobin, for keeping the story moving and the insights plentiful. I always learn so much when I read one of your books!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
July 28, 2019
Sigh.
If you really want to get depressed, read this book which tells the (true) story of our 2000 Presidential election.
It is SO depressing. I mean..I rem ember back then thinking "it can't get any worse then this". Boy was I wrong! When I am wrong, I say it. Wrongers! Oh how wrong little ole me was!
The thing is..I miss George Bush. How SAD is that?! But what I would not give to have him back in office rather then the Man Baby we have now.
Donald Trump makes George Bush look like paradise. But this book..written quite well by Jeffrey Toobin..brings you right back to 2000. And then you get all the crap that came with it.
It makes you wonder what will happen in 2020. What if Trump loses and does not accept the election results? Will he contest it? Will it go before the Supreme Court? How can we trust the courts to do the right thing given that they basically anointed a Republican who didn't win in 2000? And the court is even more conservative now.
Anyway..read this if you'd like. I did and the book is searing, honest and so well written. Sadly it is about a time period that sucked. And this period in time isn't so much better so..happy reading.
If you really want to get depressed, read this book which tells the (true) story of our 2000 Presidential election.
It is SO depressing. I mean..I rem ember back then thinking "it can't get any worse then this". Boy was I wrong! When I am wrong, I say it. Wrongers! Oh how wrong little ole me was!
The thing is..I miss George Bush. How SAD is that?! But what I would not give to have him back in office rather then the Man Baby we have now.
Donald Trump makes George Bush look like paradise. But this book..written quite well by Jeffrey Toobin..brings you right back to 2000. And then you get all the crap that came with it.
It makes you wonder what will happen in 2020. What if Trump loses and does not accept the election results? Will he contest it? Will it go before the Supreme Court? How can we trust the courts to do the right thing given that they basically anointed a Republican who didn't win in 2000? And the court is even more conservative now.
Anyway..read this if you'd like. I did and the book is searing, honest and so well written. Sadly it is about a time period that sucked. And this period in time isn't so much better so..happy reading.
February 25, 2016
This was not the democracy Jed Bartlet taught me to believe in.
December 29, 2023
What comes across most often in this accessible, if drily told, account of a botched election is summed up best by these words near the end: "The Bush forces always sought victory more than approval." (p256) The gutlessness (as it appears to this canadian, and I'm open to counterarguments) of the Democratic Party in 2000, Al Gore especially, Joe Lieberman next, and so on down almost the compete line of the legal team and the lukewarm supporters (only the lone one here and there passionate for Gore, unlike those who could not do enough for Bush), is on display from the beginning.
Not being aligned to a party or ideology, I feel it somewhat humourous (and acknowledge the perversity, if you will) for me to advocate a scorched earth policy when in political combat, but if you're going to be in it, then go for it. Nevertheless, it's all a dirty business no matter what side (there are more than two in this book) one is on.
One sentence stands out for its obliviousness at the time of publication (2001, expanded edition 2002) and how it reads today: "The Bush operatives smeared a distinguished judge [in November-December 2000] and, in doing so, demonstrated the kind of crude attitude about race that has, fortunately, largely disappeared from public discourse in America [in 2001-2002]." (p210) Did Toobin ask anyone not White what they thought of that line? Did his editor or agent consider that?
Too Close to Call is a concise summary of what happened before and after Election Day in 2000 and follows many lawyers and operatives over a short span of time (Gore's haplessness and political denseness are on full display), as well the thoroughly political-minded Supreme Court.
Not being aligned to a party or ideology, I feel it somewhat humourous (and acknowledge the perversity, if you will) for me to advocate a scorched earth policy when in political combat, but if you're going to be in it, then go for it. Nevertheless, it's all a dirty business no matter what side (there are more than two in this book) one is on.
One sentence stands out for its obliviousness at the time of publication (2001, expanded edition 2002) and how it reads today: "The Bush operatives smeared a distinguished judge [in November-December 2000] and, in doing so, demonstrated the kind of crude attitude about race that has, fortunately, largely disappeared from public discourse in America [in 2001-2002]." (p210) Did Toobin ask anyone not White what they thought of that line? Did his editor or agent consider that?
Too Close to Call is a concise summary of what happened before and after Election Day in 2000 and follows many lawyers and operatives over a short span of time (Gore's haplessness and political denseness are on full display), as well the thoroughly political-minded Supreme Court.
December 3, 2024
As the story of the 36 days progressed, every new detail was more shocking and unbelievable than the last. Glad that I waited for a few weeks after the 2024 election to read this.
"[...] those thirty-six days displayed the DNA of the contemporary Democratic and Republican parties: the party of process versus the party of results; reliance on elite opinion versus trust in public opinion; the agony of deliberation versus the exercise of power."
"[...] those thirty-six days displayed the DNA of the contemporary Democratic and Republican parties: the party of process versus the party of results; reliance on elite opinion versus trust in public opinion; the agony of deliberation versus the exercise of power."
April 20, 2009
"The votes of Florida have been counted. They have been recounted. And tonight they have been certified."
-George Bush
In college, I remember reading and hearing a little bit about the Florida recount, thinking it was bizarre, and moving on.
Not surprisingly, the story is bizarre. Not bizarre in the "they stole the election kind of way" - although I felt more sympathetic to those people after reading the book.
The book looks at the differing approaches of the Republicans and the Democrats to the recount. In a lot of ways, the recount was a microcosm of the administration that would grow out of it. Bush's quote - which was the central talking point of the campaign - was found months later to be false. The votes hadn't been recounted in most counties, and were in fact never recounted. And the Bush campaign knew.
As much as you'd need a clear case of Bush saying things that were knowingly untrue to obscure public opinion, you get it. Clean, clear, and indisputable. In some ways, that was worth it for me. It showed his character in ways that discussion about the selling of the Iraq war could never put to rest.
But there are other great stories buried in here: how Republican congressional staffers organized and participated in a "gathering" that shut down the Miami recount with violence and threats of violence. How the shifting legal arguments grew increasingly unsustainable and contradictory - forcing the Supreme Court to issue such a bizarre ruling that it led David Souter to draft his letter of resignation.
It's a great book - especially if you're interested in legal history. I would give it 5 stars for myself, but 4 in general.
November 10, 2009
While I was well-aware of all the general information in this saga, I learned many more details.Very good at filling in the personalities and political leanings of all the players.Very fast-paced book.
June 26, 2009
This was a great recap of the 2000 Presidential election, one of two important U.S. events that happened while I was out of the country. I finally feel like I know what was going on!
September 14, 2024
Bush v. Gore was before my time (I was 4 years old), and over the years I'd learned it was close, controversial, and a mess. I knew that the Bush team had engaged in some truly underhanded behavior to stop votes from being counted. I knew that the supreme court had embarrassed themselves and damaged the institution forever by intervening. But this book threw into sharp relief just how bad, how inexcusable it all was.
The conclusion of the book describes how the nation's rallying around George Bush after 9/11 interfered with any real long-term reckoning with the fact that the legitimacy his presidency was at least questionable. But it also captures (as was a theme of the whole book) how the asymmetry in the parties' respect for basic decorum and the rule of law enabled the Bush campaign and Republicans more broadly to run roughshod over Gore and the Democrats. The Bush team's willingness to play dirty, engage in rank hypocrisy, harass and intimidate opponents allowed them to secure the presidency; the Gore team's caution, concern about the opinion of the chattering class, and desire to do the right thing ultimately meant they lost what in all likelihood should have been theirs. And in a particularly frustrating coda to this, Toobin details senate Democrats' decision to be gracious in confirming as SG one of the most aggressive members of the Bush legal team -- despite knowing that, were the roles reversed, senate Republicans would never, ever have done the same. The takeaway from this isn't that Democrats should play dirty right back, but perhaps for the love of God stop giving the benefit of the doubt to people who have shown again and again that they do not deserve it.
Oh also was fascinating to see independent state legislature theory being floated here, smacked down as wild crock of shit it is, only for it to be rearing its ugly head again now. I hate it here!
With the perspective offered by being in the year 2024, it's possible to definitively say that the 2000 election was enormously consequential for the future of the country. And idk I think this is a grudge we should hold -- against the Republican party and the Supreme Court. Just moving on and getting over it is a recipe for this happening again in an even more overt fashion.
The conclusion of the book describes how the nation's rallying around George Bush after 9/11 interfered with any real long-term reckoning with the fact that the legitimacy his presidency was at least questionable. But it also captures (as was a theme of the whole book) how the asymmetry in the parties' respect for basic decorum and the rule of law enabled the Bush campaign and Republicans more broadly to run roughshod over Gore and the Democrats. The Bush team's willingness to play dirty, engage in rank hypocrisy, harass and intimidate opponents allowed them to secure the presidency; the Gore team's caution, concern about the opinion of the chattering class, and desire to do the right thing ultimately meant they lost what in all likelihood should have been theirs. And in a particularly frustrating coda to this, Toobin details senate Democrats' decision to be gracious in confirming as SG one of the most aggressive members of the Bush legal team -- despite knowing that, were the roles reversed, senate Republicans would never, ever have done the same. The takeaway from this isn't that Democrats should play dirty right back, but perhaps for the love of God stop giving the benefit of the doubt to people who have shown again and again that they do not deserve it.
Oh also was fascinating to see independent state legislature theory being floated here, smacked down as wild crock of shit it is, only for it to be rearing its ugly head again now. I hate it here!
With the perspective offered by being in the year 2024, it's possible to definitively say that the 2000 election was enormously consequential for the future of the country. And idk I think this is a grudge we should hold -- against the Republican party and the Supreme Court. Just moving on and getting over it is a recipe for this happening again in an even more overt fashion.
July 22, 2024
AN EXCELLENT ACCOUNT OF THE 2000 ELECTION CONTROVERSY
Jeffrey Ross Toobin (born 1960) is an American lawyer, author, and legal analyst for CNN and The New Yorker; he has also written books such as 'The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court,' 'A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President,' 'The Run of His Life: The People versus O. J. Simpson,' etc.
He notes problems with the confusing "butterfly ballot" (where it was not always clear which hole one should punch to vote for a candidate; pg. 14). A machine recount had "shrunk Bush's margin to just 327 votes out of almost 6 million cast." (Pg. 52) There were also many ballots with the infamous "bulging," "indented," or "pregnant" chads (i.e., incompletely punched ballots), which could only be evaluated by a manual recount. (Pg. 87) But he later also observed that if only 1 out of 100 Nader voters had switched to Gore, Gore would have won. (Pg. 275)
He suggests that Florida secretary of state (and thus chief election officer) Katherine Harris "began acting as a wholly owned subsidiary of the George W. Bush campaign." (Pg. 75) Of her sudden fame, Toobin notes, "To all outward appearances, Harris loved the attention." (Pg. 129)
He records that when Gore was advised that a challenge of military ballots would barely win him the election, Gore replied, "I couldn't be president of the United States that way. It's not right... I could win, but I couldn't govern." Toobin concludes, "For all his inconstancy... Al Gore did care about doing the right thing... Throughout the recount he behaved as if there were higher values than winning." (Pg. 201)
This book is probably the best "summary" account of the whole matter (albeit from a somewhat pro-Gore perspective).
Jeffrey Ross Toobin (born 1960) is an American lawyer, author, and legal analyst for CNN and The New Yorker; he has also written books such as 'The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court,' 'A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President,' 'The Run of His Life: The People versus O. J. Simpson,' etc.
He notes problems with the confusing "butterfly ballot" (where it was not always clear which hole one should punch to vote for a candidate; pg. 14). A machine recount had "shrunk Bush's margin to just 327 votes out of almost 6 million cast." (Pg. 52) There were also many ballots with the infamous "bulging," "indented," or "pregnant" chads (i.e., incompletely punched ballots), which could only be evaluated by a manual recount. (Pg. 87) But he later also observed that if only 1 out of 100 Nader voters had switched to Gore, Gore would have won. (Pg. 275)
He suggests that Florida secretary of state (and thus chief election officer) Katherine Harris "began acting as a wholly owned subsidiary of the George W. Bush campaign." (Pg. 75) Of her sudden fame, Toobin notes, "To all outward appearances, Harris loved the attention." (Pg. 129)
He records that when Gore was advised that a challenge of military ballots would barely win him the election, Gore replied, "I couldn't be president of the United States that way. It's not right... I could win, but I couldn't govern." Toobin concludes, "For all his inconstancy... Al Gore did care about doing the right thing... Throughout the recount he behaved as if there were higher values than winning." (Pg. 201)
This book is probably the best "summary" account of the whole matter (albeit from a somewhat pro-Gore perspective).
November 27, 2020
Very well done, but I do wish that he had been more objective. It was fascinating to read in light of our current situation. In some ways the 2000 and 2020 elections seem similar (divided country, post election recounts and court cases), but they really are very different. The race in Florida was truly close 537 votes whereas we don't have anything like that today. Toobin's book really highlights how differently voting is handled in distinct areas within a single state (butterfly ballots, OCR ballots, some one-page, some two-page). There were some problems that all parties could agree on (Pat Buchanan received many votes intended for Gore) but also some things that were the source of much debate. In 2000, Republican representatives were allowed to correct ballots where voters had left off ID numbers (which sounds similar to "curing" ballots in 2020). Also, overseas absentee ballots without postmarks and signatures were accepted whereas local mail-ins were thrown out for the same reasons. Bottom line: Our system wasn't perfect then as it isn't perfect now. It is staffed by human beings who are striving to do a good job. Florida certainly has improved their system since 2000 and I suspect the swing states of 2020 are already planning improvements. It reminds me of the quote attributed to Churchill, "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others."
April 26, 2018
If you have interest in this election, this book covers it very well. I didn't feel it was slanted in either direction, instead just gave the facts as they were known at the time of the writing.
I've had this book for a number of years and never got around to it, so I decided I would pull it off the shelf and give it a go. This is the first time in a few years that I read an actual hardcover book and not a Kindle edition of a book. Wow, what a cumbersome way to read a book. With my Kindle, I can pick up any device in the house and pick-up where I left off using the Amazon reading app. With a physical book, I had to remember to bring it around the house with me in case I wanted to read someplace other than my normal reading spot. Too often I wanted to read and didn't have the book nearby. How did we ever do this in the past!!!? I have bookshelves full of old books, but now not sure I will ever pick one up again. I will read their e-book version, but not likely to do the physical book again.
I've had this book for a number of years and never got around to it, so I decided I would pull it off the shelf and give it a go. This is the first time in a few years that I read an actual hardcover book and not a Kindle edition of a book. Wow, what a cumbersome way to read a book. With my Kindle, I can pick up any device in the house and pick-up where I left off using the Amazon reading app. With a physical book, I had to remember to bring it around the house with me in case I wanted to read someplace other than my normal reading spot. Too often I wanted to read and didn't have the book nearby. How did we ever do this in the past!!!? I have bookshelves full of old books, but now not sure I will ever pick one up again. I will read their e-book version, but not likely to do the physical book again.
March 8, 2020
I finally finished this book! I started it as a physical book on an airplane flight three years ago and then wasn't able to dedicate the time necessary to completing it. Fast forward three years and I finished this book as a dedicated audiobook format consumer.
Reading this book in 2020 really makes my blood boil as a Democrat reading about the most controversial election reversal of my lifetime. Al Gore had won votes in Florida. But his team was too consumed about public opinion, Washington DC opinion and the mainstream media opinion to bother get all of those votes counted. They constantly played scared, didn't try to rally opinion on the Democratic side and in the end got rolled by the Supreme Court in their hideous Bush v Gore decision.
I have a ton of respect for Al Gore. But there is a ton left to desired about the Democratic tactics that continued from the Gore campaign to the Obama years to the Hillary Clinton campaign and beyond. One sincerely hopes the Democrats learn how to play hardball and go all in to win elections.
Reading this book in 2020 really makes my blood boil as a Democrat reading about the most controversial election reversal of my lifetime. Al Gore had won votes in Florida. But his team was too consumed about public opinion, Washington DC opinion and the mainstream media opinion to bother get all of those votes counted. They constantly played scared, didn't try to rally opinion on the Democratic side and in the end got rolled by the Supreme Court in their hideous Bush v Gore decision.
I have a ton of respect for Al Gore. But there is a ton left to desired about the Democratic tactics that continued from the Gore campaign to the Obama years to the Hillary Clinton campaign and beyond. One sincerely hopes the Democrats learn how to play hardball and go all in to win elections.
July 23, 2022
A madness rune of a book. Toobin does a great job clearly laying out the narrative and warring priorities of each party. Florida is truly a cursed state, and the chips were stacked against Gore from the start.
Tough to call the United States a democracy when you have gerrymandered districts, a deeply unequal and tilted senate, an electoral college that inherits most of those difficulties while also rendering most votes unimportant, and a calvinball judicial branch stacked with right-wing reactionaries. You can trace most of our current problems back to this festering sore of a constitution, and the alternative of a convention would be instantly captured by capital and threaten to become even worse.
God damn America, as they say.
Tough to call the United States a democracy when you have gerrymandered districts, a deeply unequal and tilted senate, an electoral college that inherits most of those difficulties while also rendering most votes unimportant, and a calvinball judicial branch stacked with right-wing reactionaries. You can trace most of our current problems back to this festering sore of a constitution, and the alternative of a convention would be instantly captured by capital and threaten to become even worse.
God damn America, as they say.
November 12, 2020
-I started reading this before Toobin’s Zoom nudity incident
-I strongly recommend reading the Wikipedia page of the Florida Secretary of State, Katherine Harris. Toobin finished this book less than a year after the election and speculates she’d run for Congress but couldn’t predict her dramatic fall from grace over the next 5 years https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katheri...
-page 145: “[Roger Stone] specialized in the quixotic, short lived presidential campaigns of people such as Senator Arlen Specter and developer Donald Trump”
-I strongly recommend reading the Wikipedia page of the Florida Secretary of State, Katherine Harris. Toobin finished this book less than a year after the election and speculates she’d run for Congress but couldn’t predict her dramatic fall from grace over the next 5 years https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katheri...
-page 145: “[Roger Stone] specialized in the quixotic, short lived presidential campaigns of people such as Senator Arlen Specter and developer Donald Trump”
August 7, 2017
Ultimately dispiriting, this book shows the irrelevancy of the the voters' will. I read it because I thought two later books by Toobin, "The Run of His Life" (OJ Simpson trial) and "American Heiress" were excellent. I found "Too Close to Call" competent but less gripping. The politicians and lawyers make less of an impact on the reader. Also, the story of powerful men and women manipulating the results of a presidential election through lies is a painfully familiar one.
January 28, 2021
Since I had heard a lot of commentary about the 2000 election that said Democrats were wrong thinking that Bush had stolen the election I wanted to see what really happened. This is an excellent book. It showed me that more Democrats want to do what is right than Republicans. Republicans just want power to fulfill their right wing agenda. I guess Democrats are going to need to fight dirty.
Hooray for Black Lives Matter and getting out the vote movement.
Hooray for Black Lives Matter and getting out the vote movement.
July 7, 2017
He is a great writer to read. I did not realize that there was never a hand recount of all the votes. I also have understood that the difference between the two camps is that the Republicans did anything to win, including racism. Also the Florida House of Representatives were prepared to vote to give all their Electoral Votes to even if Gore had won the recount..
May 11, 2020
Wow. What a story. There are so many things going on here. I certiantly knew the issues with the recounts in those counties and maybe Florida statewide, but I did not realize how differently the two candidates and their staff handled this. I'm not surprised to learn the Republicans handled this with shrewd unity and that Democrats tried to take the high road making sure that they don't offend or look bad. I also found it interesting to learn how indifferent Gore's staff felt towards him compared to how loyal Bush's staff was to him. Great read and reminders about what happened in Florida that year. I still think Gore probably won the election, but Bush's team had a better strategy to end the recount.
Read
September 30, 2021A very engaging historical snapshot. We lived this moment-by-moment at the time, but memory of the detail blunts how visceral, close, unknowable, and impactful this election was. Recommended reading.
December 12, 2022
Good to understand history
It may have been 20 years ago or more now, but the ramifications of the 2000 election still leave a stink over today's politics. Toobin explains in detail how the contested election in Florida played out and why the democrats lost the fight.
It may have been 20 years ago or more now, but the ramifications of the 2000 election still leave a stink over today's politics. Toobin explains in detail how the contested election in Florida played out and why the democrats lost the fight.
September 18, 2023
It's maddening to see how razor thin the margins were and the motivations of the players who ultimately tip the scales. It makes it very tempting to imagine alternative timelines to our own histories and wonder.
November 9, 2018
Good info but the last few pages were too partisan for my taste.
January 12, 2019
A very interesting look at the 2000 presidential recount.
September 18, 2020
At times I actually thought Gore has a chance to pull it off.
October 12, 2020
Fascinating coverage of a wild moment in political history.
This was almost a 5-star, but there were so many characters, it was really tough to tell who was on who’s side a lot of the time.
This was almost a 5-star, but there were so many characters, it was really tough to tell who was on who’s side a lot of the time.
November 2, 2020
plot twist at the end!!!
January 28, 2021
Wow..an incredible insight into just how close we were to President Gore. Especially interesting in the aftermath of the 2020 election
March 2, 2021
Legal and Politics Buffs Will Love This Book
This book should be dense and boring. But it is a true page turner if you enjoy history, politics, and the law.
This book should be dense and boring. But it is a true page turner if you enjoy history, politics, and the law.
October 11, 2021
America is the stupidest country.
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