Bush declared president, Gore refused to concede
National Correspondent
842 words
8 November 2000
WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters)- George W. Bush appeared to win Tuesday's presidential election but Democrat Al Gore, who had called the Texas governor to congratulate him, retracted his concession throwing the election into confusion.
The latest extraordinary twist of an extraordinary night came after Bush seemed to have the 270 Electoral College votes he needed to win the presidency.
After a nail-biting night of results that went well into early Wednesday morning, TV networks said Bush went over the top at 2:18 a.m. EST (7:18 GMT) by carrying Florida, where his younger brother Jeb is governor.
But then confusion set in as the vote unexpectedly tightened in Florida.
With 100 percent of the state's votes counted, Bush has 2,904,198 and Gore has 2,902,988. Election officials said there were possibly as many as 2,200 overseas ballots and absentee ballots in the state still to be tallied. State election official Ed Kast said a recount would be automatic if the victory margin was that small.
Gore first called Bush to congratulate him, then called again a few minutes later to withdraw his concession.
Bush communications director Karen Hughes said Bush found Gore's behaviour "unbelievable" as several newspapers stopped their presses.
Gore campaign chairman William Daley said the TV networks' declaration that Bush had won the election was "premature."
"We cannot be certain of the results of this national election," Daley said. "Our campaign continues."
Bush still seemed the more likely to end up in the White House. He carried at least 30 states, mostly in the nation's conservative heartland and in the South, including President Bill Clinton's home state of Arkansas and Gore's home state of Tennessee.