When your candidate has just made a basic assault on democracy, it’s understandable that some desperate ploys might get made in searching for an excuse.
But Trump’s surrogates say the Republican presidential nominee isn’t doing anything that hasn’t been done before — by 2000 Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore.
This is a great excuse—in Opposite Land. But Trump wasn’t asked what he would do if the results of the election were so close that there was no way to determine the outcome on the evening of the election.
Here’s what Trump was asked.
Mr. Trump… You have been warning at rallies recently that this election is rigged and that Hillary Clinton is in the process of trying to steal it from you. Your running mate Governor Pence pledged on Sunday that he and you, his words, will absolutely accept the result of this election. Today your daughter Ivanka said the same thing. I want to ask you here on the stage tonight, do you make the same commitment that you will absolutely, sir, that you will absolutely accept the result of the selection?
And here’s what Donald Trump said in reply.
I will look at it at the time. I'm not looking at anything now I will look at it at the time.
That’s nothing like what happened with Al Gore, not the night of the election. Not ever.
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When Al Gore thought that he had lost the election by the slimmest of margins, he immediately called George W. Bush to concede. It was only later, when the networks began to realize that their call on Florida was premature and that the results were actually too close to make a call, that Gore again called Bush and said they should wait until results were clear.
When it came to the recount, Gore was content to let the process continue as Florida law required. However, it was Bush who sued to stop the recount and hurry the issue to the Supreme Court.
When the Supreme Court issued a ruling that handed the election to Bush, here is what Al Gore did.
“I accept the finality of the outcome, which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College” he said. “And tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession.” …
Gore said he had telephoned Bush to offer his congratulations, honoring him, for the first time, with the title ”president-elect.”
Gore handled everything graciously, with dignity, at every moment, despite Republican verbal attacks on Gore and his campaign, and Republican physical attacks on the recount process.
What Donald Trump said at the debate was the direct opposite of Gore’s actions. First, Trump cast more aspersions on the basic structure of the electoral process.
Trump: I think they’re going to see right through it. We will find out on November eighth but I think they’re going to see through it. Excuse me Chris if you look at your voter rolls you will see millions of people that are registered to vote, millions, this isn't coming for me this is coming from Pew Report and other places millions of people that are registered to vote that shouldn't be registered to vote so let me just give you one other thing.
Trump followed this by stating that his opponent—who he has promised to throw in prison if he wins—should not be allowed to run at all.
Trump: I talk about the corrupt media I talk about the millions of people I’ll tell you one other thing. She shouldn't be allowed to run. It’s -- she's guilty of a very very serious crime. She should not be allowed to run. And just in that respect I say it's rigged because, Chris, she should never have been allowed to run for the presidency based on what she did with e-mails and so many other things.
Then, when given one last chance to temper his statements, Trump instead restated his disdain for democratic outcomes. Look at the effort Chris Wallace puts into this question in order to give Donald Trump a lifeline.
Wallace: But sir, there is a tradition in this country, in fact one of the prides of this country, is the peaceful transition of power and that no matter how hard fought a campaign is, that at the end of the campaign, that the loser concedes to the winner, not saying that you are necessarily going to be the you loser or the winner, but that the loser concedes to the winner and that the country comes together in part for the good of the country, are you saying that you are not prepared now to commit to that principle?
And look at the bluntness of Trump’s response.
Trump: What I'm saying now is I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense, okay?
Comparing Trump’s response to that of Al Gore isn’t just inaccurate, it’s an insult.