Holy Cow 2000: The Strange Election of George W. Bush

Late on election night, the 2000 presidential contest hinged on the electoral votes of Florida, where the Republican George W. Bush held a precarious lead in the popular vote over Al Gore, the vice president and Democratic standard-bearer. Victory in Florida would enable Bush to overcome Gore’s electoral-vote margin and secure the presidency. Kenneth O’Reilly recounts the runup to the election and the strange happenings it produced. This article is taken from his forthcoming book on the presidency of George W. Bush.