Posted on 09/29/2004 5:37:54 AM PDT by Michael Goldsberry
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday that "conspiracy theories" about the state's voting machines are "nonsense," and he criticized former President Jimmy Carter for questioning whether Florida can hold a fair election.
Carter said in an opinion piece in Monday's Washington Post that despite changes designed to eliminate voting problems in Florida, conditions for a fair election still do not exist.
Carter wrote that a repetition of the problems of 2000 - when some Floridians said they didn't have confidence their votes were counted - appeared likely.
"There is this constant haranguing of nonsense, including President Carter - which is a surprise to me because I've admired his compassionate actions in his post-presidential period," Bush said.
Responding to reporters' questions about a newspaper report in which computer experts said the touchscreen machines that will be used in Tampa could be subject to tampering, Bush said: "That's bogus. All this conspiracy theory ... is just ridiculous."
Deanna Congileo, a spokeswoman for the Carter Center, Carter's human rights organization, said the former president expressed his views in the opinion piece in the Post, and would have no comment beyond that.
Touchscreen machines were introduced in Florida after the 2000 election, when punch-cards helped delay the outcome of the race for several weeks. President Bush (news - web sites) prevailed by 537 votes in Florida to capture the White House over Al Gore (news - web sites).
Dismissed? Can't he be deported?
This from a man that just said everything was peachy with the Chavez election. The democratic leadership has no soul, our it's collective soul has been bought by the devil himself.
A polite way of saying "You're not the idiot that everyone says you are." Go oversee some third world election, like Philly.
C'Mon folks, be nice to Karter. He's had extreme Altzheimers since 1976.
He should go back to Georgia, keep his mouth shut, and harvest peanuts, the senile old bass turd.
Carter declares the election a fraud before it happens. This guy needs to be put in an institution. Instead, the media hangs on his every word like he's some kind of god.
Well, Carter may have a point here: the democrats tried to disenfranchise me (and other Floridian absentee voters) and I'm worried they will try to do it again this year.
I happen to agree with the former president. I think the democRats are going to make sure people question whether their votes were counted. But not just in Florida.
"...because I've admired his compassionate actions in his post-presidential period,' Bush said."
Allow me to translate into non-PC human dialect: "This bleeding-heart POS needs to shut his big yap!"
Jeb should track him down and kick him in the nuts.
Carter would do better in Europe. They are of his ilk. He should consider resettling in France.
Hey Jimmah--isn't it nut harvesting time in Plains, Georgia or something?
Be very careful of Carter - IMHO his statements are being made to legitimize a Democrat plan of massive voter fraud and voter intimidation in Florida and elsewhere.
What Carter needs is a visit from the Pajamahideen equipped with their bunny footwear. Put the fear of the Lop-ears into him.
Who listens to what the peanut man says anyway.
Touchscreen machines in Florida are only used in counties controlled by democrats -- including those that were recounted in 2000.
Most counties went with optically scanned paper ballots.
Chicago and most of California will still use the punch card ballots use by Florida in 2000.
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