Congressman Elijah E. Cummings Proudly Representing Maryland's 7th District

(12/2/00 Baltimore AFRO-American Newspaper)

A demonstration of character in the midst of conflict

by Congressman Elijah E. Cummings

Throughout this long presidential election campaign, opponents attempted to portray Al Gore as a man of uncertain principles.

Now, the Vice-President is answering his critics. During the passionate, partisan conflict in Florida, Al Gore's actions have revealed a strong and principled commitment to our most basic values as a nation.

He may well lose in the judicial process that Florida law provides to challenge election results that are suspect. His task is a formidable one.

The Vice-President may even diminish his long-term prospects to be President of the United States if his opponents succeed in making the "sore loser" label stick in the minds of enough people. This is a risk he clearly understands and is willing to accept.

Whether Al Gore wins or loses in the courts, however, America will emerge stronger as a nation for his effort.

The question of presidential legitimacy raised by the events since November 7 must be resolved if our national government is to function as a valid expression of the public will. The factual and legal issues that remain to be answered in Florida are far too important to be casually dismissed in the name of political expedience.

As the Florida Supreme Court has observed, "the people" are the true parties in interest in these proceedings. It is our right and power to choose who will govern us -- both now and in the future -- that is at stake.

We should not allow the spin-doctors and pundits to obscure the truth.

The undisputed truth is that approximately 300,000 more Americans voted for Al Gore than for George W. Bush. The truth is that - absent Florida - the Vice-President has won more electoral votes nationwide.

In America, our dedication to constitutional government allows us to accept the Electoral College winner as our legitimate President even when that candidate fails to receive the majority of the popular vote. That is our system until we change it by constitutional means.

For the majority of Americans to accept the hard decisions any President must make, however, a President who did not win the popular vote must have obtained as clear an Electoral College victory as humanly possible. Thus far, the process in Florida has failed to create that clear and convincing mandate.

We cannot dismiss as inconsequential the wide-spread reports of voter intimidation in heavily minority Florida precincts. Those allegations demand prompt criminal investigation by the Department of Justice.

Equally compelling, when organized intimidation influenced shaken officials in Miami Dade County to prematurely stop counting the very ballots likely to decide the Presidency, the foundation of Presidential legitimacy was shattered in the minds of tens of millions of Americans.

My colleague and friend, Florida Congresswoman Carrie P. Meek, gave the nation this chilling, first-hand report about the impact of that Republican-organized mob.

"I have been through threatening situations," Rep. Meek declared, "but this was the worst I've seen in a long time. Anybody supporting Gore, they wouldn't let speak. They looked very hostile and they sounded very hostile and it didn't make any difference what I had to say. They were trained to shout people down."

Winning through intimidation is not the American way. That is why Al Gore's nationally-televised comments to the nation last Monday touched me so deeply - as they must have touched every American who has been denied the free and open expression of fundamental democratic rights.

"A vote is not just a piece of paper," the Vice-President declared, "a vote is a human voice, a statement of human principle, and we must not let those voices be silenced."

At the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles, Al Gore promised to fight for us against the powerful interests who seek to control our lives. Now, true to his promise, that is precisely what he is doing - at considerable risk to his own future.

In the midst of this year's prolonged electoral conflict, the "real" Al Gore has emerged. He has shown the world that he is a man deeply committed to doing what he believes to be right.

Win or lose, the Vice-President is demonstrating the character we need in our President.

-The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings represents the 7th Congressional District of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives.

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