When Gore does it, he's trying to change the rules. At any hour, day or night, there is a Republican on TV complaining with a straight face that Al Gore will keep demanding recounts until he has enough votes for victory. What Gore has wanted all along is one thorough recount. It is the Bush side that has been purposely running out the clock. There are actual, substantive disputes here too, of course.
Reasonable people can differ about dimpled chads, and even about recount deadlines.
And yes, the Gore side has made fatuous arguments of its own. But the Republicans' campaign to delegitimize Gore's efforts has been dishonest even by prevailing standards. Imagine if a cousin of Al Gore's had called Florida for Gore on election night. Think what the Bush team could do with material like that. But they've done remarkably well with much thinner gruel.