Turn of the Century: American Politics, 2000-2016
Election Night
November 7th 2000
CNN Election Room
Wolf Blitzer: Good Evening, this presidential election has been described as one of the most vicious electoral races in modern American politics. The Republican Party nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona is practically dead even in the polls with his Democratic Party rival, Governor Howard Dean of Vermont. To say there is no love lost between these candidates is a gross understatement and yet despite their disdain for each other, one of these men will tonight have to salute the other as the 43rd President of the United States. And now we can bring you the first results of the night from the states of Indiana and Kentucky, both of which we are calling for Senator McCain.
News Flash - Indiana and Kentucky called for McCain; 20 EVs for McCain
Current Total: McCain: 20, Dean: 0
Of course, this election has seen several remarkable twists and turns following the announcement by Vice President Al Gore in May 1999 that he would not seek the Presidency due to his wife's diagnosis with breast cancer, at once a seemingly one-way Democratic field exploded with several candidates from all wings of the party entering the race which included New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt, North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt, Vermont Governor Howard Dean and Georgia Senator Zell Miller. The race memorably was cut down to two candidates by Super Tuesday in Gephardt and Dean, with Dean being able to win the nomination by April following support from many prominent Democrats across the country, albeit with bitterness from the Gephardt camp. On the Republican side however, the race was more ugly following a bitter race between the two frontrunners, Texas Governor George W. Bush and Senator McCain. McCain narrowly won the South Carolina primary and was able to force Governor Bush's exit from the race following Super Tuesday, and assume a small lead over Governor Dean although both parties were left split following the divides in the primaries.
The general election campaign has been a long affair, both of the main candidates have led in the polls throughout the April-November period that they have been the nominees, a final exit poll taken by CNN this morning of those going into polling stations projected Senator McCain to win 43% of the vote, Governor Dean 42%, Green Party candidate Ralph Nader 2% and Reform candidate Pat Buchanan just under 1% with 12% undecided. Those undecided voters will play a significant role in who becomes the next President depending on whose name they ticked on the ballot. The rise of the Green Party led by Ralph Nader has been due to voter fatigue with the two party system following long, bitter primary campaigns and partisan politics and they are on course to at least attain the best share of the vote for their party although not likely to win any electoral votes. And now we have a further result from the state of Vermont, the home state of Governor Dean which gives its 3 electoral votes to him.
News Flash - Vermont called for Dean; 3 EVs for Dean
Current Total: McCain: 20, Dean: 3
With this result, it looks as if the result this evening is starting to heat up...