Here's a bizarre theory--suppose that Gore wins the 7 electoral votes in
Oregon (still too close to call).  It would then take only 3 rogue electors,
from any state George Bush won, to refuse to follow their state's popular
vote and cast a vote for Gore.  At that point, Gore has 270 and wins,
without Florida.

Rogue electors are rare, but not unheard of.  I find this scenario pretty
implausible, but still theoretically possible, under our electoral college
system. All it would take is electors who decide to honor the national
popular vote, rather than the state tally (and who have a ticket to some far
away place when everyone figures out who did it).

This is a great day to be a politics junkie, no matter what your party
affiliation, or even country of origin.

Carolyn Hotchkiss
[log in to unmask]