Patriot.........All I know is there was a fair recount underway and the Republican dominated Supreme Court voted to stop it. I use the word "fair" because both Republicans and Democrats were present at each recount site. Now having said that, I don't believe Florida cost Gore the election. Not winning his home state of Tennessee, not winning Bill Clintons Arkansas, ignoring traditional Democratic states and Ralph Nader are IMO why it turned out the way it did. Despite all these factors had Florida been recounted I (and a lot of people smarter than me) believe he would've won. But on the same token, had he taken care of business, Florida wouldn't have mattered.