Archived issues of the Chimes have revealed that the 2000 election sparked emotions that were the same as the ones that people are experiencing now.
To understand the future, it is important to look back at the past.
The 2020 presidential election between president Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden has asserted itself as one of the most monumental political events in the history of America.
The ramifications of this election’s outcome has the potential to be felt for not just the next four years, but far beyond that.
This has led people to describe this election as “unprecedented,” but perhaps that is not the best word to use in all cases. Only 20 years ago, the U.S. went through an experience not too far from this current one.
In recent political talks, people have probably heard the 2000 presidential election being brought up, but what exactly happened in that election, and how does it compare to the one in 2020?
The 2000 election was held between George W. Bush, former Texas governor, and Al Gore, former vice president serving under President Bill Clinton.
The race was so close that it came down to Florida.
Initially, the media reported that Gore had won Florida, only for them to later state that Bush had actually won. This led Gore to cede the race to Bush, but later that was rescinded upon finding out how close the results were, 537 votes to be specific.
Further investigation revealed that there were ballot irregularities between Florida counties, and it ended up before the Supreme Court, which ultimately decided that Bush had won.
What makes the 2020 election so similar to 2000 is that there is a strong possibility that legal battles will follow the announcement of the winner.
For months, Trump has been shouting buzzwords, such as “corruption” and “the deep state.” This has created a safety net for him to fall back on if he loses, and through several interviews he has hesitated to commit to a peaceful transfer of power.
“We’re going to have to see what happens,” Trump said during a press conference in late September. “You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster.”
With all those comments prefacing the election, this is bound to be an event that could play out over the course of weeks rather than just a single day. The thought of that happening is daunting to many citizens who just want to put this election behind them.
A similar sentiment was felt during the 2000 election.
In the Nov. 16, 2000 issue of The Chimes, a reporter named Steve Squires expressed the absurdities and exhaustion that came in the aftermath of the election.
Squires wrote, “I am not saying that I want George W. Bush to be the next president of the United States, in fact, I really do not want him to be, but this whole election has been ridiculous, and it appears that it is going to be more so real soon. Lawyers are involved now, and no one can possibly want that.”
If Trump refuses to relinquish power, Biden will surely go after him with all the legal power he can muster, and it will inevitably end up in front of the Supreme Court. The final ruling would be interesting to see because as it stands, GOP-appointed judges beat out Democratic appoints by 6:3.
While Trump has convinced his supporters of possible corruption against him, the same sentiment is shared on the left. Many leftists are convinced that if Trump wins another term, then he himself used corruption to suppress the absentee votes.
Depending on the results, one of the candidates is liable to claim that there was some form of cheating.
In that case, Americans will be experiencing what happened back in 2000 when Gore lost to Bush. A contributor for The Chimes named Michael Griffin released an article on it in the Nov. 30, 2000 issue.
Griffin stated in the article, “A defiant Al Gore refused Monday night to call it quits, imploring the American people to back his legal fight to ensure all Florida’s presidential votes are counted.”
This claim of vote mishandling is a grim reminder of the status that America is in now.
Conclusively, the 2020 election night was filled with high emotions and suspense, and this mirrors the same feelings that were felt during the 2000 election, which was reflected upon by Dana Kristina-Joi Morgan in the Nov. 16, 2000 issue of The Chimes.
“You can feel the tension running through the veins of the floor,” Morgan said. “Emotions, anxiety, anticipation, and nervousness sweltered through the room causing an almost unbearable heat.”
