Nov. 4, 2000: Texas Gov. George W. Bush kisses a young supporter during a rally for the Republican presidential nominee at Pittsburgh International Airport, just three days before the presidential election. Thousands of people turned out to cheer Bush and several Republicans running for office in Western Pennsylvania.
At the rally, Governor Bush pleaded with his supporters to intensify their efforts in the little time left. He promised “to purge this country of the old style politics, of the old way of politics.”
The election result, specifically the awarding of Florida’s 25 electoral votes to Governor Bush, was challenged by the Gore campaign, which requested a hand recount in Florida. On Dec. 12, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the statewide recount unconstitutional and George W. Bush was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States on Jan. 20, 2001.
Bush won the election by receiving 271 electoral votes versus Gore’s 266. Vice President Gore won the popular vote.
(Photo by Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette)
