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December 30, 2004
WASHINGTON -- (INS) - - After four years of legal wrangling, George W. Bush was finally declared the winner of the 2000 presidential election yesterday.
Bush, a Republican, will take the oath of office at noon today and serve until Jan. 20, 2005, a term of about three weeks. The winner of the 2004 presidential election, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, will take the office then. Her former husband, Bill Clinton, has been Acting President of the United States since his second term officially ended on January 20, 2000. He agreed to stay on saying, "I love this job, the people, and the benefits have been good, too!"
Facing a drastically shortened presidency, Bush attempted to strike an optimistic tone last night. "Lot to accomplish in the next three weeks," Bush said. "Education is a high priority. We want our teachers to be trained so they can meet the obligations, their obligations as teachers. We want them to know how to teach the science of reading. In order to make sure there's not this kind of federal cufflink."
Observers said the biggest challenge for the Bush administration will be working with Congress, which adjourns tomorrow and isn't expected back until after Bush's term ends. "One day may not be quite enough time to overhaul the tax system," a Bush aide admitted. "But maybe we can get started and then finish it later with a big conference call or cookout in Waco."
Bush's victory ends a four-year court battle between him and Democratic candidate Al Gore over the results of the 2000 election.
Gore, meanwhile, has yet to concede defeat. The former vice president issued a statement today saying, "It would be improper and disrespectful to the democratic process to act hastily before all the facts are known."
The legal tangle over the 2000 election began with a Gore lawsuit over the confusing design of ballots in Florida. The latest Bush legal win ends the last remaining Gore legal challenge, which asked certain Bush votes to be thrown out because some people failed to receive "I Voted Today" buttons.
WASHINGTON -- (INS) - - After four years of legal wrangling, George W. Bush was finally declared the winner of the 2000 presidential election yesterday.
Bush, a Republican, will take the oath of office at noon today and serve until Jan. 20, 2005, a term of about three weeks. The winner of the 2004 presidential election, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, will take the office then. Her former husband, Bill Clinton, has been Acting President of the United States since his second term officially ended on January 20, 2000. He agreed to stay on saying, "I love this job, the people, and the benefits have been good, too!"
Facing a drastically shortened presidency, Bush attempted to strike an optimistic tone last night. "Lot to accomplish in the next three weeks," Bush said. "Education is a high priority. We want our teachers to be trained so they can meet the obligations, their obligations as teachers. We want them to know how to teach the science of reading. In order to make sure there's not this kind of federal cufflink."
Observers said the biggest challenge for the Bush administration will be working with Congress, which adjourns tomorrow and isn't expected back until after Bush's term ends. "One day may not be quite enough time to overhaul the tax system," a Bush aide admitted. "But maybe we can get started and then finish it later with a big conference call or cookout in Waco."
Bush's victory ends a four-year court battle between him and Democratic candidate Al Gore over the results of the 2000 election.
Gore, meanwhile, has yet to concede defeat. The former vice president issued a statement today saying, "It would be improper and disrespectful to the democratic process to act hastily before all the facts are known."
The legal tangle over the 2000 election began with a Gore lawsuit over the confusing design of ballots in Florida. The latest Bush legal win ends the last remaining Gore legal challenge, which asked certain Bush votes to be thrown out because some people failed to receive "I Voted Today" buttons.
