At a time when the nation is desperately looking for calm, courageous leadership, Clinton is basically missing in action. Yes, he's offered the expected bromides about having faith in the system and letting the mechanics of the electoral process work. And he's predicted that the republic will survive regardless of the ultimate outcome. He's right on all counts. But he's avoided assessing thoroughly whether the convoluted legal wrangling and bitter war of words between the camps of Al Gore and George W. Bush is good for the country in the long haul.
Stock markets are jittery.
Foreign leaders are perplexed. International mischief-makers are acting up. And perhaps worst of all, the extended election fight has divided many Americans into warring camps. Sign-carrying demonstrators of Gore and Bush argued with each other nose to nose in the nastiest language, doing everything short of coming to blows. And when the decision came down in favor of letting the hand counts count, a victory for Gore, his backers loudly jeered the supporters of Bush, triggering a whole new round of arguing and bitterness.